Dave Posted July 21, 2018 Share #1 Posted July 21, 2018 In the last two months, I've been blessed to purchase three government engraved Legion of Merit groups, directly from families. This is a three-fold increase over any other month in my 31 years of collecting. This group came directly from the son of this fellow, who retired as a National Guard Brigadier General. What's interesting about this gentleman is that he was one of the first three Army officers detailed to the Army Aviation branch, and became one of the first eleven Army aviators in 1942. He was responsible initially as the Army Aviation engineering officer, and later became in charge of logistics and supply in 1943, getting the small artillery spotter aircraft to all theaters of war, in addition to a constant supply of spare parts and other materiel. In 1944, he became the Artillery Air Officer for the 9th Army in the ETO, serving in that capacity through the end of the war. Following the war, he held important positions in the world of Army aviation, and even following his retirement, remained a proponent of Army aviation, earning the Army's outstanding civilian service medal. He served as the first president of the Army Aviation Association of America and an annual award is given each year to an Army aviation unit in his honor. The group itself is quite interesting as it contains the Bronze Star awarded to him for his service with the 9th Army, and it is beautifully privately engraved. His Legion of Merit was awarded in January 1947 (it's nice the date is written on the box!) and it is officially government engraved for the time. His Army Commendation Medal is also officially engraved, and was probably awarded in the early 50s. Interesting about this medal is that I've never seen the clear plastic case awarded in a white box before. I've also never seen a white box with a plain card paper bottom half. That's a new one for me! I was also able to acquire all of his campaign awards and his two National Guard medals, one serial numbered and both sterling silver. Sadly, one had spent the last 50 years resting on a piece of foam in the presentation box, so that had to be removed before it damaged the medal (it was slowly degrading...yuck!) His son was donating all of his father's papers to a museum, but I managed to get scans of most of he had, along with scans of his photo albums. There's a book on Amazon that's a transcription of his daily journal of his time with the 9th Army and if you google this fellow's name, he's mentioned in many books for his role as a pioneer of Army aviation. Really a neat group to a fascinating and truly historic individual! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted July 21, 2018 Author Share #2 Posted July 21, 2018 More photos... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted July 21, 2018 Author Share #3 Posted July 21, 2018 And more... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted July 21, 2018 Author Share #4 Posted July 21, 2018 It's interesting to note that the brooch on the LOM is numbered as well... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted July 21, 2018 Author Share #5 Posted July 21, 2018 His Army Commendation... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted July 21, 2018 Author Share #6 Posted July 21, 2018 Engraving... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted July 21, 2018 Author Share #7 Posted July 21, 2018 And finally, the reverse of his state medals... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted July 21, 2018 Author Share #8 Posted July 21, 2018 Forgot this photo...his return address on the bottom of the Bronze Star box! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted July 21, 2018 Author Share #9 Posted July 21, 2018 His son included some scans of interesting documents relating to the establishment of Army aviation. Here are a few... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted July 21, 2018 Author Share #10 Posted July 21, 2018 A couple more... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted July 21, 2018 Author Share #11 Posted July 21, 2018 A few more pages... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted July 21, 2018 Author Share #12 Posted July 21, 2018 A couple of photos... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted July 21, 2018 Author Share #13 Posted July 21, 2018 And finally, one of the ingenious ways they figured out how to get these planes to the frontlines! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
decwriter Posted July 21, 2018 Share #14 Posted July 21, 2018 That's an awesome grouping Dave! Thanks for sharing it. The LOM and BSM engraving is tops! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CNY Militaria Posted July 21, 2018 Share #15 Posted July 21, 2018 Very interesting group Dave! I saw the completed medals shortly after being listed and wondered if it was you that grabbed them. Great historical archive! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamski Posted July 21, 2018 Share #16 Posted July 21, 2018 Cool Group! -Ski Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Dentino Posted July 21, 2018 Share #17 Posted July 21, 2018 Great grouping Dave! And to a fellow Hoosier to boot! Very nice and thanks for sharing them with us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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