What medals would you have if you where in the battle of the buldge?

Answer 1

There was no decoration for just being in this battle. Every man who went to Europe was entitled to the EAME - "Europe, Africa, Middle East" medal which came, like every other medal, with a small ribbon to wear on the left breast, when wearing full-sized medals was not appropriate. For every campaign in which the man participated he was entitled to wear one little bronze campaign star (not to be confused with the Bronze Star Medal) on the ribbon of his EAME. The Battle of the Bulge was part of the Ardennes Campaign. So every US participant was entitled to at least a bronze campaign star for his EAME by virtue of having participated in the Battle of the Bulge.

A new decoration for WWII was the CIB - Combat Infantryman's Badge. This is a long metal pin, about four inches long and a half inch tall, with a flintlock musket on a blue enameled background. Its worn above all other ribbons on the left breast, except the ribbon for the Medal of Honor. This went only to actual combat infantrymen, not even to men in infantry divisions whose job was something other than serving in a rifle company. After the war was over the Army decided that every man who was awarded the CIB was also entitled to the Bronze Star Medal. The BSM could be awarded for either valor, or for "meritorious service". If the BSM was awarded for valor, it came with a small bronze "V device" to be worn on the ribbon of the BSM. The mass awarding of the BSM after the war to all recipients of the CIB was for "meritorious service", so, no "V device". So, actual infantrymen, including all who were in the Bulge, are entitled to have a "meritorious service" Bronze Star Medal.

There were over 600,000 American troops who were credited with participation in the battle. Some were only peripherally involved, while others bore the brunt of the action for weeks.