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1st Lt. Jacob D. Fortinberry USMC


Kurt Barickman
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Kurt Barickman

This is a great set of whites of a USMC officer who was the executive officer of Love Company, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division on the island of Betio in the Tarawa atoll.

fort_1.jpg

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Kurt Barickman

Another shot. USMC officer dress whites are extremely difficult to find with the period applied SSI.

 

Kurt Barickman

fort_5.jpg

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Kurt Barickman

Here is the text of his Silver Star Citation for the Battle of Tarawa:

For conspicious gallantry and intrepdity while attached to Company L, Third Battalion, Sixth Marine Regiment, Second Marine Division during action against enemy Japanese forces at Tarawa Gilbert Islands, on 23 November 1943. Encountering countless heavily fortified Japanese pillboxes and concrete and log emplacements while advancing across his assinged area on the south beach shore of Betio, First Lieutenant Fortenberry valiantly lead his platoon through eighteen hundreed yards of fierce hostile resistance and, pressing home repeated brilliantly excecuted attacks, contributed to the ultimate seizure of the objective and to the securing of the island, accounting for one hundred fifty enemy troops during the bitter hostilities with the loss of only one of his men. With one of our tanks assigned the mission of wiping out a strongly constructed pillbox, he immediately lead a squad around the flank to the rear of the position as the enemy retreated thourhg a back entrance and, maneuvering his unit far beyond our front lines and trhough incessant hostile shellfire, succeeded in blocking their escape, thereby enabling our forward elements to advance. His forceful and determined leaderhip, daring aggressiveness and cool courage in the face of tremendous odds were essential factors in teh success of the Tarawa campaign and reflect the highest credit upon First Lieutenant Fortenberry and the United States Naval Service

 

John Sullivan

 

Sec of Nav

 

hometown Imboden Ark.

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Kurt,

Very nice, I can honestly say that I have never seen whites with an applied patch. Thanks for posting.

 

Mike

 

Excellent. Additionally Marine Corps officer's dress uniforms were made from a superior grade of cloth material compared to US Naval Officer's dress uniforms. At least that's the way it was when I was in the Navy in the early 60s and present at occasional dress uniform ceremonies where both service officers were present. The material quality difference was readily seen when viewed in close proximiity.

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Very nice period uniform, Kurt. Old whites are hard to find in nice condition. This with patch is especially fine. Good on ya!

Semper Fi....Bob

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  • 3 weeks later...
Kurt Barickman

Thanks for all the positive comments, yes it is a beautiful piece. I apologize for my all the incorrect spellings in the SS text, didn't have my glasses.

 

Kurt Barickman

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It is a very small world. I'm curious as to you came by this uniform. I knew Mr. Fortenberry and his family very well. We were neighbors through the 50s & 60s. I distincly remember our families shareing holiday meals together. His eldest daughter was my first love when I was only 5 or 6. (She was often, I can say it now, my babysitter....)

 

As a child, I remember being fascinated by his framed medals hanging in their family living room. I particulaarly remember the Silver Star and Legion of Merit. I also remember a wedding photograph of Jake and his wife Rebe, in which he was wearing what I suspect is this same uniform. After the war he attended Kansas State University where he earned his veterinary medicine degree. He and Rebe had 3 daughters. He died unexpectedly in 1967 at his home in Prairie Village, Kansas and is buried in Johnson County (Kansas) Memorial Gardens less than a mile from my home. I heard that Rebe died five or six years ago. If I remember correctly, his brother in law (Mrs. Fortenberrys brother) was perhaps a General in the Marines. Of course I'm dredging up memories from an impressionable childhood that are over 40 years old. I've lost track of their daughters over the years.

 

Jake and my father, a former Navy corpsman who also served in the Pacific, were best of friends. I remember he and my father often standing alone talking at neighborhood gatherings. (Was it the war? or that Jake was a research veterinarian and my father was in the cattle business? I always wondered.) My father died in 1964 as a consequence of complications from injuries he sustained in the Pacific some twenty years earlier. (served on New Guinea, Guam, & Iwo Jima)

 

Jake was a wonderfully respected man that all the kids in the neighborhood looked up to. Thank you for your posting and provoking this little jaunt down memory lane.

 

Gary Bachman

Overland Park, Kansas

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Kurt Barickman

Gary,

 

This is fascinating. All the details that you post were also verified by his file from the National Archives. He had a heart problem and was put into the USMC Reserve (see ribbon on tunic) and was discharged due to this heart ailment shortly after WWII ended. This tunic came out of a rag mill in New York several years ago and it was picked up by a picker who sold it to a dealer of USMC items who sold it to a friend of mine and I finally convinced the collector who bought it from him to sell it to me. Perhaps one of their daughters disposed of it if they lived in the New York area. I would love to see a photo of his gravesite and would also like to know where the wedding photo is today? Thanks for weighing in on this thread.

 

Kurt Barickman

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Hi Kurt - Imagine my surprise when my childhood friend, Gary, reached me about this uniform. Dr. Fortenberry is my father. I would love to visit with your privately. Please email me and we can set up a convenient time.

 

My best,

 

Peggy

 

 

 

Gary,

 

This is fascinating. All the details that you post were also verified by his file from the National Archives. He had a heart problem and was put into the USMC Reserve (see ribbon on tunic) and was discharged due to this heart ailment shortly after WWII ended. This tunic came out of a rag mill in New York several years ago and it was picked up by a picker who sold it to a dealer of USMC items who sold it to a friend of mine and I finally convinced the collector who bought it from him to sell it to me. Perhaps one of their daughters disposed of it if they lived in the New York area. I would love to see a photo of his gravesite and would also like to know where the wedding photo is today? Thanks for weighing in on this thread.

 

Kurt Barickman

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Great,

 

Peggy, here is my email:

 

[email protected]

 

Look forward to hearing from you.

 

Kurt

 

Hi Again,

 

I am speaking to one of my sister's right now and we are deciding on what to send you. I have a wonderful picture of my dad in the uniform. I will send it soon.

 

Thanks for our conversation and for honoring my father and the other men who served at Tarawa.

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Kurt Barickman

Peggy,

 

Thank you and I am especially humbled by our conservations today. Rest assured, your Father is remembered as the hero he was and is. thumbsup.gif .

thumbsup.gif

 

Kurt Barickman

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Striking 9th
Peggy,

 

Thank you and I am especially humbled by our conservations today. Rest assured, your Father is remembered as the hero he was and is. thumbsup.gif .

thumbsup.gif

 

Kurt Barickman

 

thumbsup.gif

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Stinger Gunner USMC

Kurt, Its stuff like this that really makes collecting worth it! I'm glad you were able to come into contact with the family.

What a great uniform to a great Marine!

Semper Fi!

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Ron,

 

It would seem so as all the ribbons are sewn down.

 

Kurt

 

Kurt

Thats a great save.Could have easily been lost to the ages.

 

RD

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