Its a Bronze Star- a US military medal.

That seemed like an unusual marketing choice to me, too. So is his age.

I suspect that this is to attract the WWII vet to take up filtered cigarettes. My father-in-law picked up smoking filterless Pall Malls in WWII, and smoked them his whole life. So did my grandfather.

The cigarette companies were facing heat for the health problems with cigarettes, so they started adding filters, and then had to convince people to switch. This was probably specifically trying to get those vets to switch.

Back in those days, most people got tattoos from two environments - the military, or prison. It's doubtful that the ad agency was pitching to the criminal element. The tattoo, the white hair, this was definitely a pitch to Veterans.

its manly

Wondering the same thing. Must have been photoshopped in. No way an ad back then would show a tattoo.