Collections

French Service Medal, Case and Shipping box

French Service Medal, Case and Shipping box - Medal
Accession #: 3838.7
Title: French Service Medal, Case and Shipping box
Object Type: Medal
Participants:
Physical Description: Service Medal: Red, white and blue stripe ribbon doubled from which a pewter like round medal is attached on face inscriptions encircle edges- woman or goddess profile embossed on back symbolic URN and Snake Embossed with Mlle McKernan 191 Inscriptions encircle edges. Shipping Box: Small Cardboard box Shipping label on top. Case: Small black leather covered case Gold inscription on cover small metal button to open case. Small metal hinge. Interior lined with Red Satin and Velvet
Description: As an American Red Cross Nurse serving in France during World War I, Gertrude McKernan earned several awards of merit, including this one inscribed "Repvbliqve Francaise," and "Mlle McKernan 1919 Devovement Epidemies." The medal is acknowledgement from the French government for her bravery and dedication caring for soldiers who fell ill during the 1918 influenza pandemic, which struck the world simultaneous to the war and hit the battlefield especially hard Wartime conditions exacerbated the spread of the disease; During World War I as many U.S. soldiers lost their lives to the "Spanish Flu" pandemic as to conflict, and more people died world wide than the total lives lost due to the war.
Category: History
Subjects/Topics/Concepts:
Medicine (Industry), World War I (Military & Warfare->War), Nursing (Industry->Medicine)
Dimensions:
Object L x W 3 3/4 x 2 1/4"
Materials/Techniques:
paper (Material)
fabric (Material)
metal (Material)
Marks/Inscription:
"Repvbliqve Francaise," printed on front of Service Medal; "Ministere DeLaGverre," printed on back of Service Medal; "Mlle McKernan 1919 Devovement Epidemies,"; "From U.S. Army Supply Depot, To: Miss Inza Mckernan 551 City Hall c/o Health Dept. Spokane, Washington," Written on Shipping Box; "Ministere De La Guerre Mlle McKernan 1919," Written on case.
Related Exhibits:
Credit Line: Gift of the John Boone McKernan Family in memory of Inza Gertrude McKernan, 1998

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