USdog Posted February 7, 2015 Share #1 Posted February 7, 2015 Found this tag not too long ago. It was a sleeper on eBay... Tag is named to Captain Homer Cornell. Here is some history about him. Cornell enlisted in the Marine Corps on 13 February 1939. He began flight training on 15 November 1941 at the U.S. Naval Air Station in Florida and completed it on 20 June 1942. 6 October 1942 he joined VMSB-143 and later arrived at Henderson Field. He participated in the Bougainville campaign and flew a Grumman TBF Avenger which was a torpedo bomber. There is a cool article I found about Captain Cornell while in combat with a reporter which I will show in the post. He received the DFC and also looks to have ditched in the sea off Espiiito Santo, but for some odd reason his file dropped off in 1942, so I can't find much info on either of those events Later with Marine Torpedo Squadron 1/3, MAG-11 in late of 1943 before going stateside for the remainder of the war at the U.S. Naval Air Station in Florida probably as a flight trainer but not sure. He got out in 1946, but went back when the Korean War started in 1950. Unfortunately, while Captain Cornell was flying a F7F-3P Tigercat his plane stalled out over South Korea and he was killed in the crash on 22 February 1951 He was with Headquarters Squadron, 1st MAW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USdog Posted February 7, 2015 Author Share #2 Posted February 7, 2015 Sorry for the double photo. I don't have both tags. I wish I did though Anyways here's the back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USdog Posted February 7, 2015 Author Share #3 Posted February 7, 2015 Captain Cornell himself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USdog Posted February 7, 2015 Author Share #4 Posted February 7, 2015 Link of article. http://historicperiodicals.princeton.edu/historic/cgi-bin/historic?a=d&d=MarineCorpsChevron19430619-01.2.49&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN------- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wharfmaster Posted February 8, 2015 Share #5 Posted February 8, 2015 Now that's one great early fingerprint tag to an aviator. Super find. Wharf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellasilva Posted February 8, 2015 Share #6 Posted February 8, 2015 What a great tag and background, congrats on another awesome find man. That's probably the clearest thumbprint I've ever seen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gator Posted February 8, 2015 Share #7 Posted February 8, 2015 Yet another "great find". Yep that pri t could be entered in to AFIS its so sharp. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobgee Posted February 8, 2015 Share #8 Posted February 8, 2015 Great tag. Note that it is his enlisted tag. When commissioned he received a new tag with his officer's service number 014740. Semper Fi......Bobgee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wharfmaster Posted February 8, 2015 Share #9 Posted February 8, 2015 What a great tag and background, congrats on another awesome find man. That's probably the clearest thumbprint I've ever seen Right index finger ( print ). W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thud Posted March 19, 2017 Share #10 Posted March 19, 2017 USdog, are you still out there on this forum? I have an item from Captain Homer J. Cornell that I just got today, that you will find most interesting, but I'll wait to see if you're still out there.. Thud Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddyboots Posted March 19, 2017 Share #11 Posted March 19, 2017 Great tag and history ?. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USdog Posted March 19, 2017 Author Share #12 Posted March 19, 2017 USdog, are you still out there on this forum? I have an item from Captain Homer J. Cornell that I just got today, that you will find most interesting, but I'll wait to see if you're still out there.. Thud Still am. Will send PM! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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