bronze Star award to W.W.2 C.I.B. holders?

[jonprince]

I'm sorry that this isn't exactly the right place but I understand that around 1947 the award of the bronze star without 'V' device was authorised to men who had qualified for the Combat Infantrymans or Combat medical badges during W.W.2. I'm afraid I can't find a clear answer so I hope someone can help me with the following:

1. Was the Bronze Star award in addition to or instead of the Combat badges earned? Did the man have to 'swap' his C.I.B. for a Bronze Star or did he retain the C.I.B. and receive a Bronze Star aswell?

2. Did the award apply to W.W.2 veterans still serving in the U.S. Armed Forces at that point or was it only available to men released from service by that point?

I'm basically trying to work out whether a soldier who had served in W.W.2, earned a C.I.B. then remained in the Army post-war would become entitled to the Bronze Star and could wear it as an individual decoration during his continued active service.

Thanks, Jon.

[pop401k]

Afraid I don't know much about Army regs... but I do know that only infantry can get the CIB... Medics have a combat medic badge etc. Maybe the Bronze Star was for... say truck drivers or such that otherwise met the criteria for a CIB but weren't infantry...

John C.

[jonprince]

Thanks for your input John, I appreciate it. I'll just keep digging I guess. As I understand it, as you say only men with M.O.S. of Infantry could qualify for the award of a C.I.B.. Though in practice during W.W.2 there seems tohave been a bit of a grey area with some units made up of men from other non-infantry units being commited to battle as infantry or serving in a capacity that would otherwise qualify them for a C.I.B..

From what I understand the retrospective award of the Bronze Star without Valour clasp in 1947 was to any man who earned a C.I.B. or Combat Medics badge during W.W.2 but I can't work out if it was to all men that qualified, just for those already released from service or what? I haven't read any mention of it just being for men no longer on active service as of 1947, so I assume it applied to anyone that had served in W.W.2 and qualified for the C.I.B./C.M.B. whether they were still serving in the Armed Forces as of 1947 or not. Does that make sence?

[redjoshman]

I have an official army history of awards lying around somewhere, I'll dig it up see what the story is.

-Josh

[jonprince]

Thank you for your continued help gents, it is very much appreciated and I'm starting to understand it a bit better. I've asked the question on another forum and the replies I had there seem to indicate that all those that qualified by earning a C.I.B./C.M.B. in W.W.2 did receive the Bronze Star as an additional award whether still serving or not and could wear it as an individual award on their uniform if still serving. Any more info. would be very much welcome though.

Thanks, Jon.