[Milsurplus] medals and ribbons and decorations, oh my!

[Eric Jones]

de N4TGC Eric

A friend of mine, in the process of demolishing an abandoned house, found a 
plastic first-aid kit box (6545-00-922-1200) full of medals, decorations, 
and campaign ribbons.  It appears the recipient was a sargeant-major - there 
is a tie-clasp with the triple-chevron over triple rockers with a diamond in 
the middle, and ditto for two larger pins, with star and two leaves flanking 
it.  There is a dollar-sized bronze medallion that says "Sargeant Major 
Association" and "Rock of the Marine", around a square of blue & white 
diagonal stripes and other stuff, and the motto "nous resterons la" on the 
front, and a trio of s-m emblems and the words "Top of the Marine" on the 
reverse.

Not only is the box full, but my friend says there is another bag-full of 
ribbons yet!  The ones here indicate the recipient was in Korea for a short 
while, Vietnam for an extended period (there's a merit badge with the banner 
"1960-     " on the ribbon; it says "chien-dich", "Viet-Nam" and "boi-tinh" 
on the back; there's also a USA "Republic of Vietnam Service" medallion 
suspended from the appropriate ribbon, that has three bronze and one silver 
star pinned thru it), then Phillipines and Germany.  If he was awarded all 
this stuff himself rather than just collecting it, he had a long career! 
Unfortunately, there is little to indicate who he was: there are two large 
stamped-steel buttons for the "2nd Texas Walk Fest" in 1977 in 
Fredericksburg, TX; a "Commander's Medal for Excellance" medallion for the 
"103d Military Intelligence Battalion CEWI", a Purple Heart with two oak 
leaf clusters, a Bronze star with "V" on the ribbon, and a Legion of Merit 
medallion, among many other clues, such as a five-row (14 ribbon) grouping 
that gives his supposed theaters; some duplicate the larger awards in 
miniature.

Any suggestions to find out who this is/was?  Websites? I don't know if he'd 
have any living, caring relatives, but the sheer length of the putative 
career should help distinguish who he is/was.  Surely someone besides me 
cares ... e