The Order of the Golden Lion

Matthew Matoian

It’s cold in the Ardennes forest, coldest it’s been in years; you are dug into the frozen earth that surrounds you, freezing cold; you are under constant attack from mortar and automatic weapons from the German Army. You are at the Battle of the Bulge, and you are a member of the 106th Infantry division. The division has made the German advance a slow and costly one.

Collectors of World War II militaria will be very familiar with the history of the 106th Division during the Battle of the Bulge and their fame and struggle in World War II from December 1944 to January 25, 1945. The Division was nicknamed the "Golden Lion Division" and their shoulder sleeve insignia was a golden lion’s face within a blue circle, with white and red circular borders. I shall defer to history books and informational websites for the actual account of the 106th Division in combat and, instead, tell the story of an award made by the veteran’s association of that division.

the Golden Lion are non-veterans. The Order of the Golden Lion was founded on May 25, 1947.

Howard and Annette Frampton were recipients of the Order of the Golden Lion in 1947, for their support of, and networking with, concerned family members of the 106th Infantry Division soldiers, during and after the war. The first awards, including the Frampton’s were given to the recipients at the 1 st Annual 106th Infantry Division Association reunion in Indianapolis, Indiana in September 1947 (Figure 1).

Figure 1: Duward B. Frampton receives the Order of the

Golden Lion from his son, Duward B. Frampton, Jr.

The Order of the Golden Lion is an honorary service oriented award of the 106th Infantry Division Association. Initial organization of the 106th Infantry Division Association occurred in late 1945 at Camp Lucky Strike. Camp Lucky Strike was located in Normandy near Le Havre, France. These camps were used to care for the many American Prisoners of War, until they could be sent home. At home, concerned friends and loved ones of the 106th Division soldiers, networked together and supported one another during late 1944 and into 1945. Some of the initial recipients of the Order of

Figure 2: Duward B. Frampton, Jr.

Duward B. Frampton, ("Howard") was the proud father of Duward B. Frampton Jr. ("Pete") (Figure 2) who was born on July 31, 1923. Duward B. Frampton Jr was a soldier in the 106th Infantry Division, a 106th association member veteran, and a former prisoner of war. Mr. Frampton Jr. passed away in spring 2004. He attended Culver Military Academy where he completed four years senior Infantry Reserve Officers Training Corps. War broke out in 1942 while "Pete" was in his first year of Chemical Engineering at Cornell University. He was assigned to Culver on inactive status until June 1944 then assigned to the 106th at Atterbury in June 1944. He was a Corporal and Chief of Section in Cannon Company, 422nd Infantry Regiment of the 106th Infantry Division. This regiment was forced to surrender during the Battle of the Bulge and many of the men in the regiment were taken prisoner by the Germans. Frampton Jr., was held in Stalag 9B at Bad Orb Hessen- Nassau, Prussia. Four months after being captured he was liberated. After his return to the States he was sent to West Point as an Infantry Instructor and stayed there until discharged in December 1945.

26 JOMSA

During late 1944 and into 1945, Howard and Annette

Frampton were instrumental in establishing a

communication line between concerned family and

information regarding their 106th Division men. The

Framptons, from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania relayed

information from the Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph, regarding

the names of men who were listed as missing in action

to their parents, an effort that later became known as

"The Agony Grapevine" and was a regular feature in the

Cub of the Golden Lion magazine of the Veterans of the

106th Infantry Division. The Framptons continued their

vigilant effort and were in contact with short wave radio

operators, which enabled them to bring the first news of

those missing in action to more than 10,000 families

around the country, Wives and other family members who

feared for their 106th men sent their names to the

Framptons, who then forwarded them to the radio-

monitoring system, with "please call collect" requests if

any information was received. These calls were received

daily. Requests were also made through foreign

embassies, the Red Cross and the Adjutant General’s

Office. The Framptons continued their work until full

information was completed, with more than 1,500 entries

for the "Agony Grapevine" and over 5,000 letters

answered.

The Order of the Golden Lion is awarded in three

different classes: Commander (Gold), Officer (Silver), and Companion (Bronze). The award is accompanied by

a citation stating the reasons for the award. Duward B.

Frampton (Howard on recipient list) received the

Commander’s badge in 1947 in a faux black leather push

button case measuring 5.25 inches in height, and 3.25

inches in width, and I inch in depth (Figure 3). The case

is embossed with gold lettering ORDER OF THE GOLDEN LION 106TH INFANTRY DIVISION ASSOCIATION.

Figure 4: Obverse of the badge of a Commander

of the Order of the Golden Lion.

Figure 3: Case for the badge of a Commander of

the Order of the Golden Lion.

Figure 5: Reverse of the badge of a Commander

of the Order of the Golden Lion.

Vol. 57, No. 6 27

Figure 6: A Commander’s badge with tricolor ribbon.

The obverse of the Commander’s badge is gilt, 2.5 inches in height and 2.25 inches in width, and has a low relief medallion of a lion’s head (Figure 4). The reverse (Figure 5) of the medallion has the inscription ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTH INFANTRY DIVISION FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE with the recipient’s name engraved below, and is marked STERLING. The medallion is suspended from the neck by a red, white and blue ribbon, 14.5 inches in length, and slightly under one-half inch wide (Figure 6).

In 1996, Duward B. Frampton Jr. was awarded the badge of an officer of the Order, housed in a blue plastic case, of similar dimensions to the black case containing his father’s Commander’s badge. The badge of an Officer of the Order is identical to the Commander’s badge except that it is in silver (Figures 7 and 8). It is suspended from the neck by a ribbon of "infantry blue." Duward B. Frampton, Jr. received his badge at the 50th Annual Reunion at Roanoke, Virginia on September 2, 1996. He was the first peacetime member of the 106th Association in 1947; a member of the Board of Directors; President of the Association for the fiscal year 1953 to 1954; and served on many other committees during his membership. He also produced a book for the Association, entitled The Lion’s Tale, which he produced and distributed to more than 100 members at his own expense. The badge of the Companion class of the Order is in bronze and has a ribbon that is "artillery red."

Figure 7: Obverse of the badge of an Officer

of the Order of the Golden Lion.

Figure 8: Reverse of the badge of an Officer

of the Order of the Golden Lion.

The criteria for admission to the order, as published in The Cub of the Golden Lion Magazine, Volume 4. No. 1, September 1947, is shown below:

"To All to Whom These Presents May Come, Greetings:

Whereas, during the brief but glorious life of the 106th Infantry Division of the United States of America, it’s friends were legion, and

28 JOMSA