Orders & Medals Society of America

So-called "Congo medal" (not for actual Congo)

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August 30, 2012 at 5:52 pm #12424

dphillips
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Reading Wlater F. Murphy’s novel VICAR OF CHRIST (1979), the first section of which concerns Korean War combat by the US Marine Corps, I noted frequent references to an award called in Marine slang the "Congo medal." For example, one Marine says something like: if we get through this (a dangerous combat maneuver) there will be Congo medals for everyone. Although the context suggests the Bronze Star, the Congo medal is never identified. Does anyone know what is meant? And why was this award called that by Marines?

Reply here or off list at dfp18@columbia.edu. Thanks

David Phillips
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The only information appearing to be available for this unclaimed clasp can be found in the London Gazette issue of 1849, where the approved NGS clasps were published:

Boats of ‘Fawn’ under Lieut. Morgan. Action with cutter and schooner ‘Guadaloupe’, and capture.

A search of the Navy List from 1793-1815 reveals a total of 18 commissioned officers with the surname of Morgan. Of these, 9 have a Lieutenant’s commission date after 25 July 1809 or died before that date and can be ruled out. Of the remaining, three died between 1817-22 before receiving a promotion and must also be ruled out. Out of the remaining six, four have entries in either Marshall’s or O’Byrne’s Naval Biographies, two with service records, but these two do not mention anything about the action, which would be highly unlikely if it resulted in the man’s promotion. This leaves four potential candidates, one being promoted as late as 1827, he is probably not the man. The remaining three were promoted to Commander between 1814-16, and could all have been the man in charge. Unfortunately, all died between 1817-43, and it’s not likely much biographical information on either of them can be found.


Name	Lieut	Cmd	Died
MORGAN, John Fortescue	15 Sep 1806	12 Oct 1814	9 Dec 1843
MORGAN, Thomas	10 May 1809	16 Nov 1814	Apr 1843
MORGAN, Charles	15 Jun 1781	1 Jan 1816	1817
MORGAN, James (1)	2 Sep 1783	25 Apr 1827	1835

One would have to search the muster books for HMS Fawn to identify who the Lieutenant was.