What is the proper protocol for handing down my dads military medals ?

Question

I am posting this question again with more detail . Please answer with this thought in mind . My family has just lost our father that we all loved and care for . There is no bad apple as far as my brothers and sisters go , We all care for my dad and helped my dad until his passing . With this said some answered this question without focusing on the problem at hand . Your answers will be important to me and my family as to how we are to handle my dads medals with the due respect of his loyal service to our country . We would love to hear from members of the military and there thoughts . If you have answered the last post please feel free to answer again.

My dad was in the army during World War 2 he never gave us to many details about his service . This is what i know he was in the the big red one and he was a part of D Day and land at Omaha Beach. I think he told me he did 2 tours of duty..

My dad promised my nieces son the medals and we found this out when we arrived at the funeral . But my dad also talk about the medals when I was young and told us the medals would belong to his sons one day . There is no will to clear this up and both promise are true .

I want to have the medals to hand down them down to my dads first born son my older brother that carries my dads last name same last name .Right now they are going to be handed down to my my dads great great grandson.This will skip the all his sons and daughter .

I want to take his big red one patch out of his original set and then duplicate the medals for my brother and then replace the big red one patch with a duplicate for the great great grandson.2 sets one for the great great grandson and one to pass thru the family following military protocol

Give you years of service and branch of military , We would love to here from vets .

Answer 1

I served for 20+ years, I have had to buy replacement ribbons and medals many times. They commonly get dirty or tattered. It happens. Soldiers do in fact have multiple 'copies' of their medals, it is not un-common at all.

Just get dupe sets of all his medals, and make everyone happy.

Answer 2

Personal opinion - I would not duplicate the medals.  Each medal was earned specifically and that's why people are given one medal - they're not handouts or freebies or meant to be given to a bunch of people.  I would mount them all together and leave them that way.  Generations from now somebody will get confused and they will both think that both sets are the original medals and it could lead to trouble.  Someone is going to have to take one for the team here and decline them so that the authenticity can be preserved which I believe would be the utmost form of respect for him.  Tough decision and whatever it is, it's not going to be easy. Just my humble opinion.

Answer 3

All you need to do to get more duplicate medals is the Veteran's service number and I believe branch. Contact the VA and you and your siblings should be able to get a set. They won't be the originals but they're still authentic medals. As far as the 1st ID patch, you can get them off the internet.

Answer 4

I understand how some of the sons / Grandsons may feel slighted, however I also see that going to the Great Great Grandson now will resolve future questions as your elder brother and his eldest son pass away. I would say to go for the youngest member along with a written history or family tree. Of course the final decision rests with you and your generation of siblings.