GIKyle Posted September 30, 2018 Share #1 Posted September 30, 2018 I bought the items, and not the story... turns out there was a story! A couple weeks back I noticed the below pair of medals mounted by the vet to the 12th AF citation certificates. The vet's granddaughter was selling them, and mentioned that her grandfather inspired one of Joseph Heller's characters in "Catch-22" As an esteemed friend mentioned, "Everyone in that group claims to have inspired someone in that movie," I took the story with skepticism, but bid on the group because regardless of the movie connection, the medals and certificates were nice, and the granddaughter said she had photos from his time in Italy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GIKyle Posted September 30, 2018 Author Share #2 Posted September 30, 2018 And the Air Medal certificate, complete with mounted OLCs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GIKyle Posted September 30, 2018 Author Share #3 Posted September 30, 2018 I began searching his name, and thankfully the 488th Bomb Squadron's history and monthly diaries are digitized, so I began searching. I first found confirmation of his DFC action in September. Then I found something really interesting in the September War Diary! He started to sound a lot like Milo Minderbinder... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GIKyle Posted September 30, 2018 Author Share #4 Posted September 30, 2018 I stumbled across Joseph Heller's biography as an eBook, in which he told about some of the inspirations for his Catch-22 characters: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GIKyle Posted September 30, 2018 Author Share #5 Posted September 30, 2018 So this group ranks among the best pop-culture reference in my collection, but beyond that I really like it. The vet did a superb job mounting the medals, there are some great photos to accompany the group, and the granddaughter is looking for anything else that may be around. I hope you enjoyed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aznation Posted September 30, 2018 Share #6 Posted September 30, 2018 Nice pickup GIKyle! Great research too. Sometimes those hunches pay off. Looks like that one did. Congrats! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tarbridge Posted September 30, 2018 Share #7 Posted September 30, 2018 Cool... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
River Patrol Posted September 30, 2018 Share #8 Posted September 30, 2018 That's a great connection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kanemono Posted September 30, 2018 Share #9 Posted September 30, 2018 Amazing to have a connection to "Catch-22." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38Driver Posted September 30, 2018 Share #10 Posted September 30, 2018 Very cool. I have a grouping to a 488th BS, 340th BG bombardier who got thier after Heller, but rode the nose of one of the 25s Heller had flown in. Some good books out thier about that bunch and connecting the real guys to the characters they inspired Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerialbridge Posted September 30, 2018 Share #11 Posted September 30, 2018 Very neat. A real conversation piece that would be of interest to anyone familiar with the book or movie. Which is a group that is easily 1,000,000 times the number of WW2 aviation collectors that would be interested in similar medals without such a cross-over connection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TLHSS Posted September 30, 2018 Share #12 Posted September 30, 2018 Love it! Thanks for sharing! Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted September 30, 2018 Share #13 Posted September 30, 2018 Glad to see you got this! I was watching it. The DFC is numbered isn't it? Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GIKyle Posted September 30, 2018 Author Share #14 Posted September 30, 2018 Thanks all- very happy with it and hope more is forthcoming. Kurt- yes it is. I don't have your superpower to have such a hunch beforehand, but was pleasantly surprised to see a 5 digit number on it! Kyle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted September 30, 2018 Share #15 Posted September 30, 2018 Thanks all- very happy with it and hope more is forthcoming. Kurt- yes it is. I don't have your superpower to have such a hunch beforehand, but was pleasantly surprised to see a 5 digit number on it! Kyle It just looked like it should be I bet the Air Medal is numbered too. It has that particular finish. Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GIKyle Posted September 30, 2018 Author Share #16 Posted September 30, 2018 Haha. The Air Medal either has the brooch removed or is a slot brooch; tough to tell with the amount of glue behind it. Kyle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBMflyer Posted September 30, 2018 Share #17 Posted September 30, 2018 Kyle, that is one cool group of items, are there any pics of B-25's with the stuff you got? Either way, outstanding! Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
decwriter Posted October 1, 2018 Share #18 Posted October 1, 2018 Great snag Kyle! I thought it was a good grouping when the granddaughter listed it in ebay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted October 1, 2018 Share #19 Posted October 1, 2018 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobgee Posted October 1, 2018 Share #20 Posted October 1, 2018 Terrific group, Kyle! Congrats. Have always loved the 12th AF certs and these are exceptional! Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GIKyle Posted October 2, 2018 Author Share #21 Posted October 2, 2018 Many thanks. Mark, The only aircraft shots were taken in such a way no identifying information can be seen. Kyle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huntssurplus Posted October 2, 2018 Share #22 Posted October 2, 2018 A really cool group, with a really cool story! Thanks for sharing!Hunt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobL Posted October 2, 2018 Share #23 Posted October 2, 2018 Great job on the research! Well done. A grouping thats all the more timely (and valuable) considering that a new, multi-part TV series of Catch 22 is in production! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDK Posted October 2, 2018 Share #24 Posted October 2, 2018 Pretty neat stuff. Nice find! JD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattS Posted October 2, 2018 Share #25 Posted October 2, 2018 Nice find! Very timely too as they just finished filming the "Catch-22" remake in Europe. I went to the Tri-State Warbird Museum in Ohio a few weeks back and their B-25 was still in "studio paint" as it had just returned from Italy. The docent said they couldn't remove the water-based paint until the studio gave them the OK in case they had to refilm a scene. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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