US Army Good Conduct Medal, 3 ribbon bars, and 3 ribbons awarded to a Czech Jewish refugee 2009.364.4a back, US Army Good Conduct Medal, Tom T. Kovary
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Washington, United States
Good Conduct Medal, three red and white ribbon bars, and 3 replacement ribbons issued to Tom (Tibor) Kovary for service in the United States Army from 1943-1946. On September 2, 1939, 19 year old Tibor Kovari and his 20 year old brother, Erno, were attacked on the street for being Jewish by Nazi sympathizers in their hometown, Bratislava, Czechoslovakia (Slovakia). They fought back, put their attackers in the hospital, and were arrested, along with their father, Olivio. The incident received such widespread publicity that the authorities advised them to flee for fear of retaliation. They illegally crossed the border into Hungary, where they obtained visas for the US, arriving in New York on February 29, 1940. Both brothers joined the US Army: Tom was in Military Intelligence stateside; Ernest in combat, landing with the infantry on D-Day. He searched for surviving relatives, but found only one cousin, a survivor of Auschwitz death camp.
Good Conduct Medal, three red and white ribbon bars, and 3 replacement ribbons issued to Tom (Tibor) Kovary for service in the United States Army from 1943-1946. On September 2, 1939, 19 year old Tibor Kovari and his 20 year old brother, Erno, were attacked on the street for being Jewish by Nazi sympathizers in their hometown, Bratislava, Czechoslovakia (Slovakia). They fought back, put their attackers in the hospital, and were arrested, along with their father, Olivio. The incident received such widespread publicity that the authorities advised them to flee for fear of retaliation. They illegally crossed the border into Hungary, where they obtained visas for the US, arriving in New York on February 29, 1940. Both brothers joined the US Army: Tom was in Military Intelligence stateside; Ernest in combat, landing with the infantry on D-Day. He searched for surviving relatives, but found only one cousin, a survivor of Auschwitz death camp.
- Title: US Army Good Conduct Medal, 3 ribbon bars, and 3 ribbons awarded to a Czech Jewish refugee 2009.364.4a back, US Army Good Conduct Medal, Tom T. Kovary
- Provenance: The medal was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2009 by Myra and Vally Kovary, the daughters of Tom T. Kovary., The medal was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2009 by Myra and Vally Kovary, the daughters of Tom T. Kovary.
- Subject Keywords: Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)--Czechoslovakia--Bratislava--Personal narratives. Jews--Persecutions--Czechoslovakia. Jewish refugees--United States. Jewish soldiers--United States--Biography. Soldiers--United States--Biography. World War, 1939-1945--Refugees--United States., Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)--Czechoslovakia--Bratislava--Personal narratives. Jews--Persecutions--Czechoslovakia. Jewish refugees--United States. Jewish soldiers--United States--Biography. Soldiers--United States--Biography. World War, 1939-1945--Refugees--United States.
- Type: Military Insignia, Military Insignia
- Rights: Permanent Collection, Permanent Collection
- External Link: See the full record at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, See the full record at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
- Medium: a. Bronze circular medal with an attached ribbon with a wide red center stripe and 3 narrow white stripes alternating with 3 narrow red stripes on each side. The medal front has an embossed eagle standing on a sword and closed book, encircled by English text. On the reverse is a 5-pointed star, then text, then a scroll encircled by a wreath formed by a laurel branch on the left and an oak branch on the right. There are clasps on the ribbon to represent subsequent awards. There is a ring and suspension ring a the top of the medal through which the ribbon is threaded. b. Rectangular bar ribbon with a red base and 3 white stripes on each end. The ribbon is wrapped around a rectangular piece of metal, with a tension pin on the back. Plastic is wrapped around the outside of the ribbon. c. Rectangular bar ribbon with a red base and 3 white stripes on each end. The ribbon is wrapped around a rectangular piece of metal, with a tension pin on the back. Plastic is wrapped around the outside of the ribbon. d. Rectangular bar ribbon with a red base and 3 white stripes on each end. The ribbon is wrapped around a rectangular piece of metal, with a tension pin on the back. e. Replacement ribbon; rectangular in shape with a red base and 3 white stripes on each end. f. Replacement ribbon; rectangular in shape with a red base and 3 white stripes on each end. Ribbon has been creased on one end. g. Replacement ribbon; rectangular in shape with a red base and 3 white stripes on each end. Ribbon has been creased on one end., a. Bronze circular medal with an attached ribbon with a wide red center stripe and 3 narrow white stripes alternating with 3 narrow red stripes on each side. The medal front has an embossed eagle standing on a sword and closed book, encircled by English text. On the reverse is a 5-pointed star, then text, then a scroll encircled by a wreath formed by a laurel branch on the left and an oak branch on the right. There are clasps on the ribbon to represent subsequent awards. There is a ring and suspension ring a the top of the medal through which the ribbon is threaded. b. Rectangular bar ribbon with a red base and 3 white stripes on each end. The ribbon is wrapped around a rectangular piece of metal, with a tension pin on the back. Plastic is wrapped around the outside of the ribbon. c. Rectangular bar ribbon with a red base and 3 white stripes on each end. The ribbon is wrapped around a rectangular piece of metal, with a tension pin on the back. Plastic is wrapped around the outside of the ribbon. d. Rectangular bar ribbon with a red base and 3 white stripes on each end. The ribbon is wrapped around a rectangular piece of metal, with a tension pin on the back. e. Replacement ribbon; rectangular in shape with a red base and 3 white stripes on each end. f. Replacement ribbon; rectangular in shape with a red base and 3 white stripes on each end. Ribbon has been creased on one end. g. Replacement ribbon; rectangular in shape with a red base and 3 white stripes on each end. Ribbon has been creased on one end.
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