THE REPUBLIC OF MALAWI’S CURRENT DECORATION SYSTEM

E. J. FISCHER

Malawi lies in southeast Africa bordered by Lake Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Zambia. Bantu peoples arrived in the area in the 15th century A.D. displacing what is generally held to be a then existing Bushman population. Bantu-established kingdoms held sway until the 1890s when Britain formally annexed the area and named it Nyasaland, after the largest ethnic group. In the 1940s-50s, efforts of nationalists grew with Dr. Hastings Banda eventually leading the successful movement for independence. British authorities relinquished political control in 1964. Dr. Banda (prime minister 1966-68, subsequently elected President on declaration of the republic in 1968, then President for Life in 1971) changed Malawi into a autocratic single party state and ruled until his 1994 ouster. The densely populated country then turned to a democratic multi-party system. Today Malawi faces economic and health challenges, has a pro-Western foreign policy and enjoys good relations with most countries.

From 1964 until 1966, Queen Elizabeth II served as the head of state. Malawi then had access to British honors. In 1966, Dr. Banda proclaimed the country a republic and shortly thereafter instituted a national award system. The 1967 founded Republic of Malawi Cross (equivilent to the Victoria Cross) became the senior honor. The Order of the Lion of Malawi (1967) served as a five class general merit award. Various other decorations and medals recognized specialized services and commemorated specific events. In 2005-2008, the government decided to review Malawi’s national award structure with a view towards rewarding deserving people within a more inclusive structure and a more encompassing scope. Deliberations resulted in deactivating the Order of the Lion of Malawi.

The Malawi Order of National Achievement, established on May 4, 2009, recognizes individual lifetime achievements and contributions, general merit, and long and distinguished service to the nation and to humanity. It rewards outstanding work in science and technology, community and public service, politics, human development, human rights and in socio-economic development. The grades of Most Excellent Grand Commander, Grand Commander, Grand Achiever, Principal Achiever, Senior Achiever, and Achiever comprise the Order’s ranks. Both Malawians and foreigners may be admitted to the Order and it may be presented posthumously. Unfortunately, no description or illustration of the insignia is available although at least 15

persons [including President Bingu wa Mutharika, Vera Chirwa, Aleke Banda, and Inkosi ya Makosi Mbelwa IV the Paramount Chief of the Ngoni in Mzimba] received an award on July 6, 2009 during the country’s 45th anniversary of independence celebrations.

The following list provides current award precedence in Malawi, the date each was instituted, and comments where appropriate:

The Republic of Malawi Cross (1967) The Malawi Order of National Achievement (2009) The Order of the Lion of Malawi (1967-2005; obsolete but insignia may be worn) The Malawi Republic Medal (1966) The Malawi Medal (1968) The Presidential Citation (1967) The Malawi Army Meritorious Service Medal (1967)

The Presidential Police Medal (1967) The Long Service and Good Conduct Medal [Army and Police] (1967) The Independence Medal (1964) The Prison Service Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (1988-89 obsolete but insignia may be worn) The Silver Jubilee Medal (1989; marking President Banda Hastings 25th year in office) Commemorative Medal for the visit of Queen Elizabeth II (1979) The 1983-87 Nacala Campaign Medal (1987)

My sincere thanks to S.T. Ngutwa of the Office of the President and Cabinet, Lilongwe and Chrissie Makhambera of the American Embassy, Lilongwe for their generous and invaluable assistance in obtaining the information for this article.

Reference: February 24, 2010 letter from S.T. Ngutwa.

OMSA News

OMSA would like to acknowledge and thank the following for donating books to the OMSA Library: Adrian Forman; Giuseppe Celeste and Graziono Tonelli; and Wojciech Stela; and David Robles for donating back issues of the Journal to fill our missing stock.

Vol. 61, No. 5 (September-October 2010) 41

A MOST UNUSUAL CIVIL WAR PURPLE HEART

BILL EMERSON

Most of us think a Purple Heart awarded for the Civil War would have been for wounds. However recently the author came across the award of a Purple Heart for service in the Civil War. On January 28, 1940, Major General James A Woodruff, commander of the First Corps Area, presented a Purple Heart to retired Brigadier General William H. Bisbee, for outstanding service, 1861-1865.

wore his recently reauthorized dress blue uniform for the occasion.

Endnotes:

1. Heitman, Francis B. Historical Register and Dictionary of the

United States Army. Volume 1, Washington: GPO, 1903, p. 220.

2. Army and Navy Journal. February 3, 1940, p. 514.

General Bisbee joined the 18th Infantry on September 2, 1861, as a private and then served as A Company first sergeant, then Second Battalion sergeant major. In June 1862 he received a commission in the 18th Infantry. He became a 1 st Lieutenant on December 31, 1862 and was made a brevet captain in December 1862 for gallantry and meritorious service in the battle of Murfreesboro. He was promoted to captain on 1 September 1864 for service in the Atlanta Campaign and in the battle of Jonesboro, Georgia. After the war he continued to serve in the army, rising to colonel of the 13th Infantry on June 16, 1899, and Brigadier General on October 2, 1901. He retired on October 1, 1902, after serving 41 years in the Regular Army.1

IN THE NEWS

Addendum on New Polish Awards

Recently two events have occurred that are related to the institution of the new Polish awards:

1. Lech Kaczynski, the Polish President who established these awards was killed in an airplane crash near Katyn, while travelling to that location to commemorate the 22,000 Polish soldiers and citizens who were massacred there by the Russians in 1940.

The Secretary of War’s citation letter gives the reasons for Bisbee’s special Purple Heart,

As you attain the remarkable age of one hundred years,

I am happy to send you most cordial birthday greetings

and good wishes.

Your military career began with arduous and hazardous service during the Civil War and your distinguished service in the Army covered a period of forty-one years of active duty. Entrusted with many important assignments both in peace and war, you at all times displayed marked ability and the highest soldierly qualifications in the successful accomplishment of your varied tasks, and exemplified the finest traditions of the military service.

It gives me great pleasure to authorize the award of the Purple Heart to you, to which you are entitled in recognition of your outstanding service during the Campaigns of 1861-1865. I am forwarding the medal to the Commanding General of the First Corps Area for presentation...2

President Roosevelt and General George C. Marshall also sent letters of congratulations to General Bisbee. As a photo in the newspaper shows, a sprightly Bisbee showed up in a suit for the presentation while General Woodruff

2. On April 7, 2010 United States Army General David Patreus, recently appointed Commander of United States Forces in Afghanistan, was presented the Polish Order of Merit and the Polish Star of Iraq by Lech Kaczynski, the President of Poland (see photo below). General Patreus was the last person to be presented with the Star of Iraq by President Kaczynski.

Submitted by Wojciech Stela Translated by Peter Gajda

4 2 JOMSA

SECRETARY’S REPORT

June - July 2OlO

Those listed as new members have applied for 2010 membership in the Orders and Medals Socie& of America. If no proper written

objection to such membership is received from any member in good standing within sixty (60) days of publication, the applicant

shall be admitted to membership (Article III, Section 3 of the OMSA Constitution, and Article III, Section 2 of the OMSA By-Laws).

The collecting interests of each new member as provided on the membership application follow each new member’s address.

NEW MEMBERS - 2010

#8073 - John B. Cartafalsa (Internet), 315 Riverside Apt 2d, New York, NY, 10025

#8074 - Sune Sehonnemann (Intemet), Sikavej 54, Skibby, 4050 Skibby, Denmark

#8075 - Gary D. Waer Ph.D. (Brown LM#61), PO Box 1068, Solvang, CA, 93464 (WW1 - Europe)

#8076 - Kevin Treadway (Internet), 7080 Oakwood Pines Drive, Flagstaff, AZ, 86004 #8077 - Richard Butler (Internet), 1387 Almond Drive, Annapolis, MD, 21409

#8078 - Michael L. Shong (Culbert LM#9), 2500 So. 370t" St. #265, Federal Way, WA, 98003 (State, County, City WW1

& WW2 medals)

#8079 - Keith Landies (Internet), 220 Fifth Avenue, Chardon, OH, 44024 #8080 - Danny B. Warner (Intemet), 7213 Gardenvine Avenue, Citrus Heights, CA, 95621

IN MEMORY

Harrington Jr., Cyrus R., #5373

(President Veremakis informed the Secretary that Mr. Harrington passed away on May 17, 2010)

ADDRESS CHANGES & CORRECTIONS

Dangerfield, Peter, #7745, 7b Manville Gardens, London SW17 8JP, UK

Hoy, Victor, #7694, 100 E. Orchid Drive, Williams, AZ, 86046-8317

Jordan, Richard A., #7129, 1236 Lindell Drive, Walnut Creek, CA, 94596-6012 Kennedy, Frank J., #6949, 2648 Grissom Drive, San Pedro, CA, 90732

Knesl, Oliver, #8008, 3 Southview Road, Randolph, NJ 07869

Leenen, Bob, #7843, Ingersoll Rand Influx: Zettachring 16, 70567 Stuttgart, Germany

Lofquist, Gene P., #3086, 25699 Tame Fish Lake Road, Deerwood, MN, 56444-8566

Muller, Edward G., #7361, 1100 Ft Pickens Road Unit A-15, Pensacola Beach, FL, 32561 Newman, Stanley B., #5858, 908 Stuart Street, Homewood, AL, 35209

Slutz, Pamela J., #7969, 2100 Bujumbura Place, Dulles, VA, 20189-2100

Whalen-Crichton, Brian, #4809, 4084 Thomas Jefferson Drive, Virginia Beach, VA, 23452

End of Report Douglas M. Peck, Secretary

Vol. 61, No. 5 (September-October 2010) 43