World War I Victory Medal, 3 Clasps - DEFENSIVE SECTOR, MEUSE-ARGONNE, SOMME OFFENSIVE (in bronze, measuring 36.2 mm, original ribbon with brooch pinback); and Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States Membership Badge (in red bronze, marked "V.F.W. K.C. KANS." (Veterans of Foreign Wars, Kansas City, Kansas) on the reverse, measuring 31.5 mm (w) x 33 mm (h), frayed original ribbon with brooch pinback). Very fine. Accompanied by their 73 mm (w) x 11 mm (h) Ribbon Bar with pinback, three bronze stars on WWIVM ribbon.
Footnote: The World War I Victory Medal is a service medal of the United States military which was first created in 1919, designed by James Earle Fraser. The medal was originally intended to be created due to an act of the United States Congress. However, the bill authorizing the medal never passed, leaving the service departments to create the award through general orders. The United States Army published orders authorizing the World War I Victory Medal in April 1919 and the U.S. Navy followed in June of that same year. The Veterans of Foreign Wars, also known as the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, Inc., is an American veterans' organization established on September 29, 1899, whose membership consists of armed-forces veterans who, as United States Army soldiers, United States Navy sailors, United States Marines, United States Coast Guard sailors, and/or United States Air Force airmen, served the U.S. in wars, campaigns, and expeditions on foreign soil or hostile waters. The purpose of the VFW is to speed rehabilitation of the nation’s disabled and needy veterans, assist veterans’ widows and orphans and the dependents of needy or disabled veterans, and promote Americanism by means of education in patriotism and by constructive service to local communities. The organization maintains both its legislative service and central office of its national rehabilitation service in Washington. The latter nationwide program serves disabled veterans of all wars, members and non-members alike, in matters of U.S. government compensation and pension claims, hospitalization, civil-service employment preference, and etc.” Membership in the VFW is restricted to any active or honorably discharged officer or enlisted person who is a citizen of the United States and who has served in its armed forces "in any foreign war, insurrection or expedition, which service shall be recognized by the authorization or the issuance of a military campaign medal."