KASTAUFFER Posted April 10, 2009 Share #1 Posted April 10, 2009 Here is another group that was SPLIT UP on Ebay, and I was able to keep the group together. The Good Conduct Medal and Campaign Medals were in one lot, the Air Medal in another. Everyone complains about sellers splitting up groups, but bidders are just as much to blame. In this case the 1st Lot closed 4 days before the 2nd lot. The # 2 bidder on both of these lots was the same person! After not winning the first lot of medals, he went ahead and bid up the second lot as well 4 days later. At least the bidder not successful in breaking up the group!This is a Posthumous US Navy Air Medal / Good Conduct Medal group to an enlisted pilot ( NAP ) who was killed in October 1943. He was the Co- Pilot of a PBY. He did not earn a Purple Heart because the crash was determined to be an accident and not a combat action.Here are the details of the accident:26 OCT 1943 A/C: PBY-5 Location: Return from rescue mission; New Guinea Strike: No (Overhaul) BUNO: 2447 Cause: Weather:Widespread tropical storms; wind velocity high, heavy rains, with visibility practically zero. This plane was returning to Port Morseby from a rescue mission. The pilot in the process of making an instrument let down after having crossed the Owen Stanley Mountain Range. At about 1645 an Australian Army Post about fifty miles northeast of Morseby heard the plane roar overhead, apparently in distress. A few seconds later it was heard to crash. Plane was totally demolished, wreckage scattered over an area of 550yds. Engines were found 200yds apart, CO2 bottle for engines had been discharged. Every evidence of starboard engine condition pointed to a fire in this portion of the plane while in the air. The main lead to the left magneto was burned and completely fused as a result of a high temperature. Starboard firewall, oil tanks, fuel tank and after portion of engine were charged. Fabric on trailing edge of starboard wing and starboard elevator were burned. Probable cause of fire was a short circuit in ignition harness. The plane was afire in the air as evidenced by the entire path the plane made on the ground. With starboard engine afire and instrument conditions prevailing, no choice was possible for pilot but to attempt an emergency landing. the path the plane cut through heavy timber and dense undergrowth, causing complete destruction of the plane and scattering wreckage through out the area. Damage:Completely demolished. Crew KILLED: Pilot: Lt. Edgar Brown Graff A-V(N) USNR, Cap. Elbert Lee Raffety (NAP) USN, Amm2c. Roger L. Bomstad USNR, Amm2c. Philip E. Plotts USN, Rm2c. Rudy N. Acosta USN, and Rm2c. Charles R. Holden USNThe Good Conduct Medal is not dated, because it is a posthumous award. Notice only his name is impressed in the back of the medal. The Air Medal is officially engraved to him as a “CHIEF Aviation Pilot”. This is the first one with that rank I have seen. (There are certainly more though).When I get the actual medals in the mail, I will post better pictures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrankEaton01 Posted April 10, 2009 Share #2 Posted April 10, 2009 Great job keeping the group together! I watched the Air Medal close today, but didn't realize that his Good Conduct and campaign medals had previously sold. I've never seen one engraved to a Chief Aviation Pilot before, either. With a late-1943 date, do you think the Air Medal would have originally been issued in one of the untitled green coffin cases, or one of the early titled case variations with a blue pad? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted April 10, 2009 Author Share #3 Posted April 10, 2009 Great job keeping the group together! I watched the Air Medal close today, but didn't realize that his Good Conduct and campaign medals had previously sold. I've never seen one engraved to a Chief Aviation Pilot before, either. With a late-1943 date, do you think the Air Medal would have originally been issued in one of the untitled green coffin cases, or one of the early titled case variations with a blue pad? Thanks Frank! I bet it would have been in a green box with the black pad. The finish on the early USN AM's is different than later ones ( more smooth and glossy rather than matte ) and this one exhibits that finish. I wish I had the box!!!! For those of you who have not seen the green box, it looks exactly like a WWII USN Type I Purple Heart box, except the box is green with a black pad. The Purple Heart box is Purple and has a purple pad. Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamski Posted April 10, 2009 Share #4 Posted April 10, 2009 Well done indeed! -Ski Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teufelhunde.ret Posted April 11, 2009 Share #5 Posted April 11, 2009 Congrat's Kurt on getting these back together! Look forward to the new pic's. s/f Darrell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rattle Posted April 11, 2009 Share #6 Posted April 11, 2009 Great to see you got them. I was watching the auctions also. There are still a few pieces left. http://cgi.ebay.com/WWII-US-NAVY-USMC-COMB...1742.m153.l1262 http://cgi.ebay.com/WWII-USN-USMC-MACHINIS...1742.m153.l1262 Regards, Stephan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Baker Posted April 11, 2009 Share #7 Posted April 11, 2009 Kurt, That is a beautiful medal. Nice job of keeping these together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navy Dan Posted April 12, 2009 Share #8 Posted April 12, 2009 Kurt, Fantastic grouping the air medal is wonderful and I applaud your tenacity in keeping it together.It kills me to see groupings get separated.They lose all context as single pieces.I just saw 5 uniforms for a chief TM get sold to 5 different people on ebay but it is about the $$$ not the history. GREAT JOB. Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDK Posted April 12, 2009 Share #9 Posted April 12, 2009 Congrats Kurt! I'm glad you kept these together! It also kills me to watch groups get split. I've tried to save a couple seperated groups on Ebay over the years, but I always ended up having waaaay too much $$ into them. It really bugs me, but a guy can only do so much.... JD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted April 17, 2009 Author Share #10 Posted April 17, 2009 Thanks Guys! I just got the medals in the mail. Here are some better pics of the group. Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted April 17, 2009 Author Share #11 Posted April 17, 2009 The GCM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teufelhunde.ret Posted April 17, 2009 Share #12 Posted April 17, 2009 Thanks Guys!I just got the medals in the mail. Here are some better pics of the group. Kurt The engraving on this AM is to die for - why can't this be done today! Thanks for saving this group Kurt. s/f Darrell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted April 17, 2009 Author Share #13 Posted April 17, 2009 Here is a little better photo in daylight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted May 11, 2009 Author Share #14 Posted May 11, 2009 Here is the citation for his Air Medal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted August 8, 2016 Author Share #15 Posted August 8, 2016 On December 7, 1941 this Catalina survived the first wave of the Japanese surprise attack against Pearl Harbor and Oahu undamaged. After the first wave, this Catalina took off on a search mission to locate the Japanese fleet piloted by 1st Pilot LCDR Massie Hughes, 2nd Pilot Lt. James Ogden and 3rd pilot AAMM1c Theuson. In his rush to take off, Hughes was wearing his pajamas beneath his uniform to take off right away. Afterwards, flown overseas across the Pacific to Australia. Assigned to VP-101. No known nickname or nose art. During the middle of August 1943, Catalinas from VP-101 were tasked to provide air cover for ship movements between Australia and Port Moresby and operated from the Port Moresby Seaplane Base near Port Moresby. Mission History On October 26, 1943 took off on a rescue mission. Returning this Catalina was to land at Port Moresby. After crossing the Owen Stanley Mountain Range, the Catalina entered bad weather including tropical storms, high wind, heavy rains with practically zero visibility and was flying only on instruments. On the ground at 4:45pm, an Australian Army post fifty miles northeast of Port Moresby reported hearing a plane overhead in distress, then a few seconds later the sound of the crash. The entire crew was killed on impact. Pilot Lt. Edgar Brown Graff, USNR (KIA, BR) OHCo-Pilot Captain Elbert Lee Raffety, USN (KIA, BR) Chicago, ILCrew AMM2c Roger L. Bomstad USNR (KIA, BR) MNCrew AMM2c Philip E. Plotts USN (KIA, BR)Crew RM2c Rudy N. Acosta USN (KIA, BR) CACrew RM2c Charles R. Holden USN (KIA, BR) Douglas, AZCrashed October 26, 1943 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hink441 Posted August 9, 2016 Share #16 Posted August 9, 2016 A stunningly beautiful group that I am glad you were able to keep intact. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kanemono Posted August 9, 2016 Share #17 Posted August 9, 2016 Beautiful medal and group Kurt. It's great that you were able to keep them together. Dick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted July 11, 2019 Author Share #18 Posted July 11, 2019 back up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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