A profusely illustrated history of United States Marine medals, ribbons and insignia. Over 200 pages, the full-color book begins with the background and history of Marine Corps awards and insignia from revolution to the present day. Detail sections cover Marine Corps badges and insignia, breast insignia, plus ranks and grades of all Marine officers and enlisted ranks. Additional sections illustrate service and identification badges, marksmanship and trophy badges even down to shoulder cords and fourrageres. Colorful section illustrates shoulder sleeve insignia used by the Marine Corps in World War II and later. Military awards and decorations are fully explain to include all types of medals, ribbons and their attachments. Special sections talk to how to determine a veterans military awards and there is a profusely illustrated section showing how to display veterans military awards from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Southwest Asia, the Cold War, Afghanistan and Iraq. Sections explain how the medals are issued to veterans and families and how to wear medals, miniatures and ribbons by Marines and Marine veterans. Probably the only book in the world that covers all of the military attachments and devices that go on various medals and ribbons. The second half of the book presents a complete illustration of every variation of today's Marine medals and ribbons. Both front and back of every medal is illustrated with color photographs plus the medal or ribbon's criteria as well as the attachments to go with it. Additionally there are sections on United Nations medals, commonly awarded foreign campaign medals and NATO medals. There is a section on society and commemorative medals that are related to the Marine Corps. In a nutshell it is the most complete illustrated history of Marine Corps awards and insignia ever published. Printed in the USA and beautifully bound. Col. Frank C. Foster (USA, Ret.), grew up in Greenville, South Carolina and earned his BS from The Citadel, MBA from the University of Georgia and is a graduate of the Army Command and General Staff College and Army War College. He saw service as a Battery Commander in Germany and served in Vietnam with U.S. Army Republic of Vietnam (USARV) General Staff and with the 173rd Airborne Brigade. In the Adjutant General' s Corps, he served as the Adjutant General of the Central Army Group, the 4th Infantry Division and was the Commandant and Chief of the Army Adjutant Generals Corp from 1986 to 1990 during which time he activated the Adjutant General's Corps Regiment. His military service provided him a first hand understanding of the Armed Forces Awards System. He is Chairman of Medals of America and is the author of United States Army Medals, Badges and Insignia, Medals and Ribbons of the United States Air Force and co-author of The Military Medals of the United States and The Decorations and Medals of the Republic of Vietnam. He and his wife Linda, who was decorated with the Army Commander s Medal for service to the Army, live in Greenville, South Carolina. James G. Jim Thompson, graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1960. He served as a regular officer in the United States Marine Corps from 1960 to 1964. His service included time as a Rifle Platoon Commander in the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines, where he was involved in the defense of Guantanamo Naval Base during the Cuban Missile Crisis. He later served as the Assistant S-4 for Embarkation on the staff of the 2nd Marines. He served on sea duty as the Executive Officer of the Marine Detachment aboard the USS Randolph(CVS-15); during this tour he was involved in the recovery of the Mercury flights of Astronauts Gus Grissom and John Glenn. Following his time on active duty he entered the Organized Marine Corps Reserve. After retirement from a 33 year career in management with Procter and Gamble, he served seven years as the Chairman of the Marine Corps Coordinating Council of Georgia. The Thompsons are a Marine family; a son, brother, son in law and nephew served in the Corps. Jim and his wife Hannelore reside in Dunwoody, Georgia. Mr. Thompson has also written, The Decorations, Medals, Ribbons, Badges and Insignia of the United States Navy.