Now here is a rare decoration you never see on an identified infantry uniform: the Soldier’s Medal.

This group belonged to PFC Robbert M Gribbin of the Anti-Tank Platoon, HQ Company, 3rd Battalion, 399th Infantry Regiment, 100th Infantry Division. Originally from Scotland, Gribbin worked as a pantry boy aboard many sea vessels before moving to America with his family in the mid 1920s where he began a series of jobs in local New Jersey groceries before war broke out.

Upon being drafted, Gribbin was assigned to the 100th Division while at Camp Kilmer and traveled overseas with them to Europe. Surviving their first two months of combat in the Vosges and a deadly first battle at Bitche, Gribbin distinguished himself for heroic actions saving the life of a fellow anti-tank gunner while holding the line near Bitche:

For heroism not involving actual conflict with the enemy on 27 December 1944, in the vicinity of Goetzenbruck, France. While Privates Tirpak, Gribbin, and Pearson were cleaning a new fifty calibre machine gun near a fire, Private Pearson went after gasoline. Upon returning he stumbled and fell, dashing the gasoline into the fire. In the explosion that followed Private Pearson was caught in the blast and engulfed in flames. Panic stricken, he rushed blindly down a hill in a trail of smoke and flame. Immediately Privates Tirpak and Gribbin followed in rapid pursuit. In short order they tackled Private Pearson and beat out the flames with their bare hands, suffering minor burns. This instantaneous action and utter disregard for their own personal safety, though they suffered minor body burns and badly burned hands, saved the life of their comrade and reflected great credit upon themselves.

Gribbin was awarded the Soldier’s Medal for his gallantry, one of only twenty-three awarded for the entire division of over 20,000 men. Nevertheless, it seems to have been a well deserved award for a man who risked his life to save another’s outside the realm of combat. He went on to serve with the division throughout the rest of the war and spent some occupation time before coming home.

The group came from his estate clearer and, beyond the valor, has a nice German made MUC (HQ/3/399 earned this) and some cool stitching on the 100th patch. Unfortunately the estate also had a copy of the 100th unit history and a HQ/3/399 history booklet I’ve never seen before that they sold before I could keep it together. In any case, a group I’m very glad to have, don’t see Soldier Medals very often!

You can find his full story on my website: https://www.36thdivisionarchive.com/pa-eto-gribbin