US WWI Named Roanoke Va. Victory Medal Lot, An Interesting Story
This item is listed for historical interest only. It was listed on our site previously but has been sold and is no longer available for purchase.
Sold for: $125.00

Original era manufacture. This interesting lot has been lying forgotten in a storage box here at SMA for around four years. Recently while doing some much needed house cleaning, it surfaced again. The medal is an unnamed WWI Victory medal from the city of Roanoke Virginia, presented to those citizens who answered the Nation's call during WWI. The medal is without a name, is in near new condition and resides in its original cardboard folder.The interesting story behind this little medal is the original paperwork which came with the medal. A War Department envelope dated 1918, contains an assortment of original documents, induction notices, letters and discharge from service. Included in the lot is a poignant letter from the man's mother, pleading with the Adjutant General of the United States to not to take her son to war, as he was her only support. She further states that he had been delicate all of his life and had to take medicine to keep up. Further, he has a weak heart and a weak mind and is very nervous and excitable.  Evidently she was successful as he was accepted for service on the 6th of September 1918, and discharged from the draft on the 11th of September 1918. Interestingly, he later applied for, and apparently received, his $60 bonus money from the Government in August of 1919 for his 5 days of service during WWI.