Tonomachi Posted September 23, 2017 Share #1 Posted September 23, 2017 I saw this impressive display of medals from an unidentified USN Commander at the flea market today. The seller told me that he had already turned down $1,100.00 but wouldn't give me a price on how much he would sell it for. I don't know if it is worth this kind of money but he let me photograph it. He said it came out of the estate of a USN Commander. When I asked him if he had a name to go along with these medals he told me that he was going back to get the name. There is a WW1 victory medal with a "Patrol" clasp so this USN Commander served in both world wars. I was wondering if anyone could identify the bottom most medals which are foreign (Asian) and probably Chinese and Thai. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonomachi Posted September 23, 2017 Author Share #2 Posted September 23, 2017 Photo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tarbridge Posted September 23, 2017 Share #3 Posted September 23, 2017 The first two starting on your left... Order of the Cloud and Banner 6th class Order of the Cloud and Banner 5th class I believe that is correct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tarbridge Posted September 23, 2017 Share #4 Posted September 23, 2017 I think the #3 will be... Cambodian Order of the Knight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tarbridge Posted September 23, 2017 Share #5 Posted September 23, 2017 The 4th medal... Thailand Order if the Auspicious Clouds 3rd Class Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonomachi Posted September 23, 2017 Author Share #6 Posted September 23, 2017 Many thanks for the identification. I wonder what type of job this Naval Commander held with all of these foreign nations during the war to be presented with these awards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASMIC2971 Posted September 23, 2017 Share #7 Posted September 23, 2017 In addition to the foreign awards he also has the Army Distinguished Service Medal. Many thanks for the identification. I wonder what type of job this Naval Commander held with all of these foreign nations during the war to be presented with these awards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill in VA Posted September 23, 2017 Share #8 Posted September 23, 2017 Assuming this grouping really did come from the same person, that OSD badge, coupled with the pre-war Chinese awards and an Army DSM ought to make it relatively easy to identify the owner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBFloyd Posted September 23, 2017 Share #9 Posted September 23, 2017 The fourth award is the Chinese Order of the Precious Tripod (Pao Ting), fourth class. The foreign awards alone are worth over $1100. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tarbridge Posted September 23, 2017 Share #10 Posted September 23, 2017 The fourth award is the Chinese Order of the Precious Tripod (Pao Ting), fourth class. The foreign awards alone are worth over $1100. Thanks Jeff...that makes more sense .I should have read the small print... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonomachi Posted September 23, 2017 Author Share #11 Posted September 23, 2017 The fourth award is the Chinese Order of the Precious Tripod (Pao Ting), fourth class. The foreign awards alone are worth over $1100. Thanks for the identification. I wonder if this Naval Commander worked closely with Chiang Kai-shek to have been awarded all of these Chinese medals? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kadet Posted September 23, 2017 Share #12 Posted September 23, 2017 That is a nice group of medals that I suspect have an interesting story to tell. Probably worth figuring out how to buy them from the flea market guy. As stated, there is significant value in the foreign awards alone... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMariner Posted September 23, 2017 Share #13 Posted September 23, 2017 I would say for me something of interest is the navy marine corps medal for heroism third from the left, if that is an early example of that medal named that alone could also be worth in the 1000+ range depending on recipient/action etc but named examples of that medal are very rare in my experience. I would say the grouping is without a doubt worth more then the 1100 offer! Without a name though it would be tough to give you an exact number! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerialbridge Posted September 23, 2017 Share #14 Posted September 23, 2017 Very neat with the Chinese awards. Too bad that it doesn't have a USN small-ring LOM or ring suspension (first) China Service. The flea market seller that won't give you a price, sounds like he's casting for appraisals, an impromptu bidding war or looking for a sky-high offer. If he comes up with a name that checks out, I like that group a lot. If you want it, and given what an expert has valued the foreign awards at, maybe a nice round $1500 on the flea market table might turn the guy into an actual seller. Ed- as Mariner pointed out, if that Navy Marine Corps medal is named, that really kicks it up--even unnamed and original wrap brooch as it looks to be, kicks it up. Do you know if the medals are glued down or can they be removed to see the back of that medal and the LOM? I have a hunch what flea market it is-- which would make sense. Like finding gold at Sutter's Mill. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBFloyd Posted September 23, 2017 Share #15 Posted September 23, 2017 I can only fine one Commander, USN, who received the Army DSM through War Department General Orders (there certainly were other possibilities for making the award, so this is not definitive). He was Allan P. Calvert (later RADM)who received the DSM for service at Guadalcanal. Calvert was a PT boat flotilla commander (JFK had PT-109 in Calvert's flotilla) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerialbridge Posted September 23, 2017 Share #16 Posted September 23, 2017 I can only fine one Commander, USN, who received the Army DSM through War Department General Orders (there certainly were other possibilities for making the award, so this is not definitive). He was Allan P. Calvert (later RADM)who received the DSM for service at Guadalcanal. Calvert was a PT boat flotilla commander (JFK had PT-109 in Calvert's flotilla) Jeff, you are GOOD. I believe you nailed it. Arlintoncemetery.net says he was awarded the "Army DSM with 7 bronze stars" on MacArthur's staff. For more circumstantial evidence, I'll bet that's a discombobulation for "the Army DSM and LOM with 7 oak leaf clusters"-- which is exactly how many this LOM has. And I'll bet this is coming out of Calfornia based on where he died and where his daughter lived. http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/apcalvert.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerialbridge Posted September 23, 2017 Share #17 Posted September 23, 2017 Hmmm.... Only thing got me wondering is that he did graduate in 1924 from USNA, so would have entered in 1920, which makes the WWI Vic problematic..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USMCR79 Posted September 23, 2017 Share #18 Posted September 23, 2017 Hmmm.... Only thing got me wondering is that he did graduate in 1924 from USNA, so would have entered in 1920, which makes the WWI Vic problematic..... Unless he has prior enlisted service? Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerialbridge Posted September 23, 2017 Share #19 Posted September 23, 2017 That's possible. He was born 9/17/01. An ancestry family tree shows him living in Michigan in 1917 and in 1920. 1920 census has him 18 years old and living at home with his parents, occupation "none". Unfortunately, that year's census did not have the question of "military service". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted September 23, 2017 Share #20 Posted September 23, 2017 Dang...what a group! I don't think it would be terribly difficult to pin this guy down. I have a hunch he may have been a "retread"...a WW1 veteran who was retired then recalled for the war and ended up in China. I'd even go so far as say there's an OSS connection somewhere...might be a stretch, but I don't think so. I would also be willing to bet that he wasn't a Commander when he retired. Maybe he was a "commander" of something and the story got mistranslated? I personally wouldn't get tied up around the rank that the seller is giving. A commander with an Army DSM and three LOMs would have been mighty unusual. I'd personally go out on a limb and buy it, hoping to get an ID...but that's me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted September 23, 2017 Share #21 Posted September 23, 2017 Then again, looking at the photo again...Yangtze Service and American Defense...he was a pre-war officer, for sure. So, maybe not on the retread idea. The Yangtze should be numbered. Once the ID is close to being pinned down, that should be the key to ID it, based on the documents in his service file. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hc8604 Posted September 24, 2017 Share #22 Posted September 24, 2017 Cloud and Banner 4th and 6th class. Precious Tripod is correct on ID by JBFloyd. I think he had to be somewhere in the CBI theater to have received those Chinese awards as they do require assistance to the Chinese national government for it to be awarded. I don't think being in the Pacific would have entitled him to it. It could be his service post war, but I don't think many were in the assisting role, but just a few advisors probably. Most Chinese medals were awarded in 1945-1946 period to American servicemen for their assistance in the CBI. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USMarineCorps Posted September 27, 2017 Share #23 Posted September 27, 2017 Any updates? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Dentino Posted September 27, 2017 Share #24 Posted September 27, 2017 Any updates? I was wondering the same thing......not often you see a grouping so large with all the foreign awards and a VERY impressive US medal grouping as well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USMCR79 Posted September 27, 2017 Share #25 Posted September 27, 2017 Maybe a "Commodore " not Commander Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now