U. S. World War II Victory medal

Granted this is one of the most common military service medals in the world; but when one takes the time to consider what this medal represents it becomes a very impressive common medal. To begin with everyone who served in any branch of the United States Armed Forces, including the Coast Guard, during WWII earned this medal. That is a total of 16,100,000 men and women. This included everyone from a desk jockey in a government office to a Navy Seal in the waters off the coast of Okinawa. Of that number 416,837 died of all causes while in service. This official number of deaths includes 9,521 sailors in the Merchant Marine which did not qualify for this medal and eventually got their own WWII victory medal. It may be common and inexpensive but it is also a beautifully designed medal that deserves our respect.