Presidential Unit Citation

[Bill A]

Trivia question. Which two Canadian units have been awarded the US Presidential Unit Citation?

[Pylon1357]

PPCLI in Korea for Kapyong, and JTF2 for actions in Afganistan in 2001-2002

[Bill A]

Quick on this Cliff. Correct. The PUC is an interesting item, being somewhere between a "medal" distinction and a badge.
Now, the JTF2 is apparently not allowed to wear the citation patch that goes with the award. This raises a further question. The PUC is awarded to a unit at a point in time (eg PPCLI at Kapyong), and the unit that won the award is allowed to wear the distinction in perpetuity. JTF2 doesn't neatly fit the definition of a unit in the conventional sense. And many members may or may not be connected to the actions that won the award. It is hard to imagine that the entire JTF2 was deployed to Afghanistan. Even if they were allowed to wear the PUC distinction, who would wear the patch? The 40 or so members of the unit that were deployed?
IIRC, the 2 Bn PPCLI still are entitled to wear the PUC.

[Voltigeur]

Bill, I remember someone telling me there was the "green" members ( military) and the "black" members (RCMP) of JTF2. My view is, if a former member of the unit was to seen wearing this PUC, and not of the Patricia's he would be seen as wearing a "medal" his unit is not entitled to wear, for example the RCR, so out of regulation uniform? What about a police officer wearing a PUC on his uniform, he would be seen immediately as a former member of JTF2?
Jo

[Pylon1357]

Bill, thanks for that. I must admit that the only reason I knew that is due to my researching a Second World War Canadian soldier who was awarded the American Silver Star. I have a copy of the award citation and it shows NO AMERICAN names for the award. What I mean by that is there are no US military officers' names that appear on the award docs. only Canadian ones. Still trying to sort that one all out. I can not figure out who the Canadian military can award a US Honour.

BUT in regards to the wearing of the PUC, it is my understanding that it is very similar to a Battle Honour, it travels with the Unit, and its members. That being said, I assume that the 2nd Bn members are currently allowed to wear the PUC on SD.

[Eddie Parks]

Hi

Within the British Army the PUC can travel with either unit or individual.

The Glosters and C Tp 170 Bty RA got one for Imjin in Korea. If you were in the unit at the time you could wear it for ever. So members of C/170 could wear it after posting to another unit. Needless to say they're all gone now!

But of course we wear it as a sleeve badge so it's different anyway. Nowadays the whole of 170 (Imjin) Bty RA wear the citation.

When I commanded C Tp in the 70s we were not very impressed with the issue insignia and as we had a US Arty Det attached the officers scrounged US issue metal framed insignia instead.

Here's mine (R1 = senior FOO of Bty - in this case Tp Comd C Tp.

Eddie

[guest_000]

I SERVED many years with the 2nd Battn PPCLI and when posted to the Battle School at Wainwright was quickly told to take it down.
Another interesting award now is the GOVERNOR GENERAL CITATION which I was awarded for services at MEDAK Yugoslavia 1993 .Currently all members of the 2nd wear it but in undress only those who served in action wear it same as the Kapyong vets

PAUL