KASTAUFFER Posted February 4, 2009 Share #1 Posted February 4, 2009 We have all read horror story posts about WWII groupings that have been split up by a single seller. This is a similar tale, but one with a happy ending that involves multiple sellers. A few years ago , I bought a bar mounted US Navy contract DFC/AM group with 3 campaign medals as well. I had no idea whose medals they were, but I thought I would take a stab at them just in case more stuff came up (as it sometimes does). After I won the lot I emailed the seller to ask if he had a name to go with the medals. He didn’t have a name, but he had a pic of the guy being presented the medals. Later that week, I noticed a different seller on Ebay (from the same city as the other dealer) selling some documents to a USN officer who was a pilot in WWII. Later on the seller of the medals emailed me and says they bought some more material from the estate. It included ribbon bars, insignia etc, AND a nametag! I made a deal for the material and purchased it. The nametag matched the name on the documents the other seller had on Ebay! One of the documents was Buy-It-Now so I bought it. I quickly checked some references and found that the man in question was a fighter pilot with VF-19 (USS Lexington) and was credited with 3 kills on the same day and had earned the DFC and AM. He stayed in the USN until 1963, which also explained why his medals were bar mounted. I quickly thought , OK, if there are 2 sellers with this pilot's stuff how many more are there??? I quickly did an Ebay search with the man's name and found another lot! It was ALL of the letters he had written in WWII through 1952 and the auction only had 8 hours to go! A little snipeware action also secured that lot. If this mystery hadn't been solved quickly, this mans group would have been split to the high winds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted February 4, 2009 Author Share #2 Posted February 4, 2009 This is a letter that was much better than the rest. It described in detail the combat air patrol in which he scored 3 kills . Here it is: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted February 4, 2009 Author Share #3 Posted February 4, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted February 4, 2009 Author Share #4 Posted February 4, 2009 The DFC citation is for shooting down 3 planes in 1 day. If he had been in the AAF he probably would would have received a Silver Star! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEAST Posted February 4, 2009 Share #5 Posted February 4, 2009 Well done keeping it together! One thing that you bring out is very important; if you are interested in a named item on eBay, always create a search for more additional items. Or do a search based on the location of the dealer as it may have been sold at a local auction and other dealers in the surrounding area could have bought more from that auction. Once again, great job preserving this! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted February 4, 2009 Author Share #6 Posted February 4, 2009 Here is some insignia that came with the group: It includes an original VF-19 squadron patch decals and a rendering of the patch silkscreened on cardboard , 3 Kills flags ( he shot down 3 planes in 1 day ) , and USN issue #'d US Flag . The decals are from Naval Air Station Pearl Harbor and are nmarked on the back. How many of these do you think survived ? I bet they are rarer than an actual patch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted February 4, 2009 Author Share #7 Posted February 4, 2009 Here is the flag. It appears to have been part of an escape kit. It is small and is stamped USN with a serial number. I have seen these before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted February 4, 2009 Author Share #8 Posted February 4, 2009 Original KILL FLAG DECALS for the side of an aircraft . There are 3 on this strip and it is folded ( he had 3 kills on one day ) . He must have been presented these and kept them. On the back are instruction on how to apply them . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted February 4, 2009 Author Share #9 Posted February 4, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted February 4, 2009 Author Share #10 Posted February 4, 2009 Photo of Mac receiving his DFC and Air Medal . Photo of some VF-19 pilots taken in March 1944. Notice the signatures! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted February 4, 2009 Author Share #11 Posted February 4, 2009 Here is a group photo of VF-19 taken in 1944 . Each of the pilots signed his name. Many of them later became aces. The squadron would shoot down 155 planes before the end of the war. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted February 4, 2009 Author Share #12 Posted February 4, 2009 Air Group 19 achievement report for Mclaughlin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted February 4, 2009 Author Share #13 Posted February 4, 2009 Lastly a photo of Elvin Lindsay , one of the Navy Cross recipients and ace from VF-19 . He would later command the squadron . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brandon_rss18 Posted February 4, 2009 Share #14 Posted February 4, 2009 That is absolutely amazing!!!! I LOVE the aircraft kill decals, need to find me some of them! Awesome grouping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teufelhunde.ret Posted February 4, 2009 Share #15 Posted February 4, 2009 GREAT STORY! GREAT GROUP! I commend your diligence for pursuing and preserving this aviators history! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vicjoy1945 Posted February 4, 2009 Share #16 Posted February 4, 2009 Great grouping Kurt !! If anyone can keep groups together/hunt out missing items its you !! You sure you don't work for the IRS !?! I've noticed many, many groupings being split up by sellers on ebay these days...some due to greed, some due to ignorance, and many more because of ebay's idiotic refusal to allow gallantry medals in auction lots...its SO frustrating !! I've been lucky in my day to save a few nice grouping from being obliterated to the winds myself but its getting tougher and tougher these days !! I'm fairly certain I have a grouping or two or three that I'm sure have some other items floating out there due to these types of sales !! One that comes to mind is yet another Navy aviator with at least one kill !! In fact, you had one of the citations you so graciously sold back to me !! Thanks for showing !! Vic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FightenIrish35 Posted February 4, 2009 Share #17 Posted February 4, 2009 Wow Kurt you never sieze to amaze me...always have such great items in your collection..this one is just superb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted February 4, 2009 Author Share #18 Posted February 4, 2009 Here is a link to a history of VF-19 http://satans-kittens.webs.com/history/ww2.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobgee Posted February 4, 2009 Share #19 Posted February 4, 2009 Terrific group and story, Kurt. Great job on getting it all back together. Now, where's the SecNav citations for his Medals? Get on it!!!!! Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildcat123 Posted February 4, 2009 Share #20 Posted February 4, 2009 Wow! Another great medal grouping! Excellent work keeping it all together Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamski Posted February 4, 2009 Share #21 Posted February 4, 2009 Yep, well done redoing what some goober undone!! -Ski Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDK Posted February 5, 2009 Share #22 Posted February 5, 2009 Excellent work Kurt!! I'm glad you preserved this group, and to a fighter pilot with 3 kills no less! Just imagine how much stuff like this slides thru the cracks without anyone even knowing. I have to agree that those Decals are very cool! J.D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Signor Posted August 8, 2009 Share #23 Posted August 8, 2009 The emblem silkscreened I believe was the original art work done up by Disney Studios, they would make emblems for the units and once it was approved for use the original was presented either to the CO and or several made as gifts to all the pliots of the unit,that is a very SWEEEET find there not to mention the decals of the emblem, I'm sure VERY few of those survived, thanks for sharing a very cool piece of early WW2 history !!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerry_k Posted August 9, 2009 Share #24 Posted August 9, 2009 What a great grouping!!! Congrats! JK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyhistorian01 Posted August 9, 2009 Share #25 Posted August 9, 2009 Dear Kurt, As a person who loves preserving the service history and memories of our veterans, I commend you on keeping this group together. I have heard a number of stories over the years of groups being split up and even of veterans throwing material out because they figured no one would be interested. Case in point I saved a US Navy ensign uniform with hat off of a garbage can a couple of years ago. I went up to the house and talked to the veteran who told me he was moving to a retirement home and figured no one would want it. I was able to get his story and a few photos but he had thrown most of his paperwork away the week before. Keep up the good work, Regards, Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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