Imperial German Colonial Awards
German Samoa
THE SAMOAN CRISIS 1888-89
The Samoan Crisis involved a confrontation between the United States and the Imperial German Navy with Great Britain choosing to observe. While a civil war, fostered by German agents, raged ashore, the American warships: USS Vandalia, a screw sloop, USS Trenton, a 3900 ton steam frigate, and USS Nipsic, a 1375 ton Adam-class gunboat, squared off against the Imperial German warships: SMS Adler, a 1040 ton gunboat, SMS Olga, a 2424 ton Carol-class corvette, and SMS Eber, a 735 ton ironclad gunboat, in Apia Harbor. The British warship HMS Calliope, a Calypso-class corvette, was also in the harbor to observe.
During December 1888, a landing party from the Olga and the Eber engaged the Samoans. A German officer and 15 men were killed and another officer and 38 men were wounded in the fighting. During early March 1889, the Germans shelled a rebel village.
The standoff continued until March 15-16, 1889 when the 1889 Apia Cyclone sunk or disabled all six American and German ships. Only the Nipsic and the Olga survived the storm, but both were driven ashore by the storm and badly damaged. The Calliope, slipped its anchor and barely able to clear the harbor and survive the storm. The Samoan Civil War eventually resulted in the Tripartite Convention of 1899 and the eventual partition of the islands into American Samoa and German Samoa. German Samoa was eventually lost to the United Kingdom as a result of WW I when it was quickly occupied by New Zealand troops.
USS Trenton
U.S. Medals
Navy & Marine Corps Expeditionary Medals (obverse and reverse of each)
The Navy Expeditionary Medal was issued for two periods during the confrontation: (1) November 13, 1888 to March 20, 1989 and March 1899 to May 1899. The Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal was issued for the period November 13, 1988 to March 20, 1889. The crew of the USS Philadelphia, which arrived at Apia Harbor on March 20, 1889 to assist the survivors of the storm also qualified for the Navy Expeditionary Medal.
One USN Medal of Honor Type 1 was awarded to Quatermaster Richard Taylor for his lifesaving efforts during the storm.
Imperial German Medals
The German naval forces were issued the Colonial Medal with the rare Samoa 1888 bar authorized in 1912. A total of 482 were authorized, but approximately 350+ were awarded due to the loss of life and the time lag until the issuance of the medal in 1912. The crew of the SMS Olga had arrived straight from German East Africa where the crew had qualified for the DEUTSCH-OSTAFRIKA 1888/89 bar.
Imperial German Colonial Medal with Bar SAMOA 1888
The following Prussian Awards were also issued: (1) Prussian Order of the Red Eagle with Swords; (2) Prussian Order of the Crown; (3) Prussian Lifesaving Medal and most likely (4) the Prussian War Merit Cross.
UK Award
The Calliope’s skipper, Captain Henry Coey Kane, was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1891 and promoted to Rear Admiral for his action saving the ship and crew at Apia Harbor during the storm.
For additional detail consult: http://reviews.ebay.com/Imperial-German-Colonial-Medal-SAMOA-1888?ugid=10000000002377528
German Samoa
THE SAMOAN CRISIS 1888-89
The Samoan Crisis involved a confrontation between the United States and the Imperial German Navy with Great Britain choosing to observe. While a civil war, fostered by German agents, raged ashore, the American warships: USS Vandalia, a screw sloop, USS Trenton, a 3900 ton steam frigate, and USS Nipsic, a 1375 ton Adam-class gunboat, squared off against the Imperial German warships: SMS Adler, a 1040 ton gunboat, SMS Olga, a 2424 ton Carol-class corvette, and SMS Eber, a 735 ton ironclad gunboat, in Apia Harbor. The British warship HMS Calliope, a Calypso-class corvette, was also in the harbor to observe.
During December 1888, a landing party from the Olga and the Eber engaged the Samoans. A German officer and 15 men were killed and another officer and 38 men were wounded in the fighting. During early March 1889, the Germans shelled a rebel village.
The standoff continued until March 15-16, 1889 when the 1889 Apia Cyclone sunk or disabled all six American and German ships. Only the Nipsic and the Olga survived the storm, but both were driven ashore by the storm and badly damaged. The Calliope, slipped its anchor and barely able to clear the harbor and survive the storm. The Samoan Civil War eventually resulted in the Tripartite Convention of 1899 and the eventual partition of the islands into American Samoa and German Samoa. German Samoa was eventually lost to the United Kingdom as a result of WW I when it was quickly occupied by New Zealand troops.
USS Trenton
U.S. Medals
Navy & Marine Corps Expeditionary Medals (obverse and reverse of each)
The Navy Expeditionary Medal was issued for two periods during the confrontation: (1) November 13, 1888 to March 20, 1989 and March 1899 to May 1899. The Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal was issued for the period November 13, 1988 to March 20, 1889. The crew of the USS Philadelphia, which arrived at Apia Harbor on March 20, 1889 to assist the survivors of the storm also qualified for the Navy Expeditionary Medal.
One USN Medal of Honor Type 1 was awarded to Quatermaster Richard Taylor for his lifesaving efforts during the storm.
Imperial German Medals
The German naval forces were issued the Colonial Medal with the rare Samoa 1888 bar authorized in 1912. A total of 482 were authorized, but approximately 350+ were awarded due to the loss of life and the time lag until the issuance of the medal in 1912. The crew of the SMS Olga had arrived straight from German East Africa where the crew had qualified for the DEUTSCH-OSTAFRIKA 1888/89 bar.
Imperial German Colonial Medal with Bar SAMOA 1888
The following Prussian Awards were also issued: (1) Prussian Order of the Red Eagle with Swords; (2) Prussian Order of the Crown; (3) Prussian Lifesaving Medal and most likely (4) the Prussian War Merit Cross.
UK Award
The Calliope’s skipper, Captain Henry Coey Kane, was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1891 and promoted to Rear Admiral for his action saving the ship and crew at Apia Harbor during the storm.
For additional detail consult: http://reviews.ebay.com/Imperial-German-Colonial-Medal-SAMOA-1888?ugid=10000000002377528
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