Medals Related to Oil

References:   MACo 1939-011

The medal's obverse depicts various refinery operations with a worker in the foreground. Around, TO THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE HUMBLE OIL & REFINING COMPANY COMMEMORATING THEIR / PRODUCTION OF ONE BILLION GALLONS OF 100 OCTANE GASOLINE AT BAYTOWN REFINERY; below, DECEMBER 14, 1944 / HOUSTON, TEXAS

The reverse bears three flying fortresses dropping bombs. In lower half of field, YOUR ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCING A BILLION GALLONS OF / 100 OCTANE GASOLINE HAS GREATLY CONTRIBUTED TO / THE GAINING OF AIR SUPREMACY OVER OUR ENEMIES / (signature of General H H Arnold) / GENERAL U.S. ARMY / COMMANDING GENERAL ARMY AIR FORCES

On December 14, 1945 the 14,000 employees of Humble Oil & Refining Company were honored at a ceremony celebrating the manufacture of a billion gallons of finished 100 Octane Aviation Gasoline at the company's Baytown refinery. A medal was commissioned to commemorate the event and Chambellan was chosen to design and model it.

The medal measures 62mm in diameter and was struck by the Medallic Art Company of New York. No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1944-012

The medal's obverse bears old-fashioned, horse-drawn petroleum tanker in front of shell; below fleet of tanker trucks driving towards left; wreath around lower half. Around top, SHELL · AMERICAN · PETROLEUM · COMPANY; to left and right, 1921 - 1946; signed at center bottom (RC monogram)

The medal's reverse bears outline of state of Indiana with north-western corner raised above; five stars across center. Around top, A QUARTER CENTURY OF SERVICE; in five lines across lower half, FOR TWENTY-FIVE YEARS SHELL / AMERICAN PETROLEUM COMPANY / HAS MARKETED QUALITY PRODUCTS / IN THE NORTHWEST QUARTER OF / THE STATE OF INDIANA

References:   MACo 1945-002

This was the first Norway medal to be created for the series. The design was probably inspired by the rapid expansion of speculative North Sea oil drilling at the time prompted by the 1973 oil crisis.

The obverse presents a view out to sea with an advancing line of oil drilling platforms in the background. Ung subtly suggests a sea covered by oil slick that has washed up a dead gull on the shore in the foreground. 

The emotive conservationist theme of the obverse is matched by the mother and child design on the reverse. Ung intended this to represent Mother Norway embracing the child of future prospects. The design is thus something of a landmark in nation gendering as Norway at that time did not have the tradition of female allegorical symbols of countries such as Russia (Mother Russia), England (Brittania), and France (Marianne). Ung's design adds the future child, layering in traditional religious icon elements to the design, implying that the present country needs to take care of and protect the future environment. He's followed the tradition of having the mother's gaze fixed on the child who is in turn looking out at the viewer.

References:   NorA NO-1975

The medal's obverse bears heavily dressed pipeline worker in front of three panels of industrial imagery: pump stations at top, pipeline in middle, tanks and harbor with oil tanker at bottom. Signed at bottom, SVENSON

The medal's reverse bears legend only. Around and across, TRANS ALASKA PIPELINE / COMPLETION / & / START-UP / JUNE 20, 1977

The Alyeska Pipeline represents a triumph of engineering in the harshest weather conditions.  It connects the oil fields near Prudhoe Bay to the harbor at Valdez.  Constructed after all other attempts to transport the oil had failed, including specially equipped ice-breaking tankers, the pipeline is owned and operated by the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company.

The circular medal was struck in bronze by the Metalarts Company of Rochester, New York.