Original Items: Only One Grouping Available. This is a fantastic little grouping attributed to Corporal Thomas E. Gray (ASN: 846269). Corporal Thomas enlisted on March 30, 1918 in Ft. Douglas, Utah. He served with the 116th Engineers overseas from August 22, 1918 to October 9, 1918. He then switched units to Company C, 305th Engineer Regiment who fell under command of the 80th Infantry Division. He served with the 305th from October 9, 1918 up to his honorable discharge on June 4, 1919, having escaped the war without receiving any wounds.

The Items Featured In This Grouping:

- x3 Dog Tags: The dog tags pair are still attached to the original white cotton neckband and the third dog tag is a separate entity. All 3 read as belonging to Thomas E. Gray. They are in wonderful condition but does show signs of extensive use and wear.

- x2 Collar Discs: The discs featured are the “Engineers Corps Castle” with the letter C above and the other being the standard “US” disc. The US disc unfortunately does appear to have been repaired at some point and there is adhesive residue present. The turreted castle was adapted as the symbol of the Engineers, due it representing the two primary responsibilities of an Engineer, offense, and defense.

The medieval castle as a logo was started in 1840 on an informal basis. Beginning in 1841, cadets at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York wore personal insignia of this type known as Gold Castles on their uniforms as they became commissioned officers in the U.S. Army. In 1902, the Corps Castle was formally adopted by the Army as the insignia of the Corps of Engineers. On formal and semi-formal uniforms, the logo is customarily gold in color, although it was changed to silver from gold from 1894–1921. When displayed on combat uniforms for special events, it is customarily black in color. In visual color media, the Corps Castle logo is customarily presented in red and white colors.

- Victory Medal: This is a lovely, worn condition US WWI Victory Medal which features a total of 2 Battle Clasps. The World War I Victory Medal (known prior to establishment of the World War II Victory Medal in 1945 simply as the Victory Medal) was a United States service medal designed by James Earle Fraser of New York City under the direction of the Commission of Fine Arts.

Award of a common allied service medal was recommended by an inter-allied committee in March 1919. Each allied nation would design a 'Victory Medal' for award to their military personnel, all issues having certain common features, including a winged figure of victory on the obverse and the same ribbon.

The Victory Medal was originally intended to be established by an act of Congress. The bill authorizing the medal never passed, however, thus leaving the military departments to establish it through general orders. The War Department published orders in April 1919, and the Navy in June of the same year.

The front of the bronze medal features a winged Victory holding a shield and sword on the front. The back of the bronze medal features "The Great War For Civilization" in all capital letters curved along the top of the medal. Curved along the bottom of the back of the medal are six stars, three on either side of the center column of seven staffs wrapped in a cord.

The top of the staff has a round ball on top and is winged on the side. The staff is on top of a shield that says "U" on the left side of the staff and "S" on the right side of the staff. On left side of the staff it lists one World War I Allied country per line: France, Italy, Serbia, Japan, Montenegro, Russia, and Greece. On the right side of the staff the Allied country names read: Great Britain, Belgium, Brazil, Portugal, Rumania (spelled with a U instead of an O as it is spelled now), and China.
The medal itself is in good condition but does exhibit tarnishing. The ribbon is faded, worn and stained but attributes to the beauty of the award.

The 2 Battle Clasps Featured Are:

- Meuse-Argonne: September 26, 1918 to November 11, 1918
- Defensive Sector: For general defense service, not involving a specific battle, the "Defensive Sector" Battle Clasp was authorized. The clasp was also awarded for any battle which was not already recognized by its own battle clasp.

- Identification Bracelet: The bracelet is in wonderful, slightly tarnished condition and is still able to be read properly. The bracelet itself is broken where it would attach to itself.

Bracelet Reads As Follows:

THOMAS E. GRAY
CO C. 305 ENGINEERS
NO 846269

The Reverse Reads:

THE WORLD WAR
1914-1918
NICE-FRANCE

A wonderful little grouping ready for further research and display!