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Outstanding and highly unusual original WWII-era U.S. Marine Corps custom embroidered ribbon rack, constructed on Marine Corps forest-green wool and representing the service of a Marine who also had extensive U.S. Merchant Marine wartime service.This is not a standard commercially assembled ribbon bar. Each ribbon is individually represented in colored embroidery/thread directly on a shaped piece of Marine green wool, creating an impressive multi-row rack. The reverse retains six screw-post fasteners, allowing the entire rack to be mounted directly to a uniform.The rack contains a remarkable mixture of Marine Corps / Navy and U.S. Merchant Marine awards, reflecting what appears to have been an exceptionally varied wartime career.Most noteworthy is the clearly recognizable U.S. Merchant Marine Combat Bar, identifiable by its unusual horizontal light-blue, white, red, white and dark-blue pattern. This decoration was awarded to Merchant Mariners who served aboard a vessel that was attacked or damaged by enemy action during WWII. This is one of the most interesting Merchant Marine decorations of the war and strongly establishes that the original owner saw hazardous wartime sea service.Also present appears to be the Merchant Marine World War II Victory ribbon, along with additional ribbons consistent with Merchant Marine wartime and war-zone service. Merchant Mariners could qualify for Atlantic, Mediterranean–Middle East and Pacific War Zone awards depending upon the waters in which they served.The remainder of the rack contains numerous U.S. military service, campaign and unit ribbons, several with stars, indicating substantial additional service after or in conjunction with the owner’s Merchant Marine career.Of particular interest is the construction. Rather than using conventional ribbon material mounted on metal bars, the entire group is hand/custom embroidered onto Marine Corps green wool. This style gives the rack a highly individual, theater-made or tailor-made appearance and is dramatically different from the mass-produced ribbon bars normally encountered.Features include:* Large multi-row embroidered ribbon rack
* Constructed on Marine Corps forest-green wool
* Confirmed Merchant Marine Combat Bar
* Apparent Merchant Marine WWII Victory ribbon
* Additional wartime Merchant Marine/service ribbons
* Multiple U.S. military campaign and unit awards
* Several ribbon devices/stars incorporated into the embroidery
* Separate upper unit-award style bar
* Six screw-post mounting fasteners on reverse
* Excellent visual appeal and unusual constructionThe inclusion of the Merchant Marine Combat Bar is especially significant because it indicates the owner served aboard a merchant vessel that came under enemy attack or suffered wartime damage.Unfortunately, the original Marine is unidentified, and I have not attempted to assign every ribbon without documentary provenance. The photographs are therefore an important part of the description, and knowledgeable collectors may be able to further identify the remaining awards and potentially reconstruct this Marine’s very unusual service history.A superb research piece and an exceptionally unusual example of WWII-era Marine Corps ribbon work, combining USMC service with documented Merchant Marine combat service.Please examine all photographs closely for exact construction, colors, condition and individual ribbons. Sold exactly as shown.
