MBMorley Posted September 22, 2009 Share #1 Posted September 22, 2009 I picked this small grouping up this past Sunday at the Fort Worth Military Show. Grouping consists of Wesley Haggard's U.S.N./U.S.M.C. SILVER STAR MEDAL in the early burgundy colored box, his temporary citation signed by Vice Admiral W. F. Halsey and two PhM2c rating patches . . . one in khaki and the other in blue. His citation reads as follows . . . SOUTH PACIFIC FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES PACIFIC FLEET HEADQUARTERS OF THE COMMANDER In the name of the President of the United States, the Commander South Pacific Area and South Pacific Forces, takes pleasure in presenting the SILVER STAR MEDAL to WESLEY BURTON HAGGARD, PARMACIST'S MATE SECOND CLASS, (372 09 05), UNITED STATES NAVY. for service as set forth in the following CITATION: "For distinguished service in the line of his profession on the northern coast of Guadalcanal Island on August 10, 1942. While a member of a patrol advancing through enemy territory, HAGGARD, with utter disregard for his own personal safety fearlessly faced the accurate rifle fire of numerous enemy snipers to treat the wounds of incapacitated marines. Largely as a result of his valorous action the lives of several of the wounded were saved, and he set a fine example of courage to the members of his company." W. F. HALSEY Vice Admiral, U. S. Navy. Temporary Citation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBMorley Posted September 22, 2009 Author Share #2 Posted September 22, 2009 Here is WESLEY BURTON HAGGARD, PARMACIST'S MATE SECOND CLASS, SILVER STAR MEDAL . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBMorley Posted September 22, 2009 Author Share #3 Posted September 22, 2009 A close up of the medal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBMorley Posted September 22, 2009 Author Share #4 Posted September 22, 2009 Here are WESLEY HAGGARD's Rating patches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Baker Posted September 22, 2009 Share #5 Posted September 22, 2009 Another great piece. :thumbsup: These are the things that make collecting great and so enjoyable. Thanks very much for showing this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vicjoy1945 Posted September 23, 2009 Share #6 Posted September 23, 2009 Hey Brandon ! Very nice Silver Star medal and document !! The medal itself is fairly scarce to come by in the maroon box let alone attributed to a corpman AND awarded for Guadalcanal !! :thumbsup: WWII corpman groupings don't pop up very often and I've just missed a few over the years but if your patient they'll show up. I was lucky enough to obtain one several years ago to a corpman who was killed in action on Omaha beach. Thanks for showing !! Vic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobgee Posted September 23, 2009 Share #7 Posted September 23, 2009 Nice find, Brandon! Wish I'd seen it on Sunday! Semper fi..........Bobgee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBMorley Posted September 23, 2009 Author Share #8 Posted September 23, 2009 Wow, Omaha Beach!! I'd love to see that grouping sometime!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBMorley Posted September 23, 2009 Author Share #9 Posted September 23, 2009 Hi Bob, it was a pleasure meeting and visiting with you at the Show this past weekend!! Yep, the Silver Star grouping was a sleeper, I didn't see it until late on Saturday after repeatedly passing the guys table . . . he must have put it out later on Saturday or it was hidden under some of the uniforms he was also selling. I was tickled when I found it and knew I just had to have it!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corpsmancollector Posted September 23, 2009 Share #10 Posted September 23, 2009 Another beauty! Will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vicjoy1945 Posted September 24, 2009 Share #11 Posted September 24, 2009 Wow, Omaha Beach!! I'd love to see that grouping sometime!! Hey Brandon ! The group consists of his posthumously awarded Purple Heart medal, dog tag, and research. He was a member of the 6th Naval Beach Battalion and is memorialized on the 5th ESB monument on Omaha Beach. Thanks, Vic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpotter Posted February 4, 2010 Share #12 Posted February 4, 2010 I picked this small grouping up this past Sunday at the Fort Worth Military Show. Grouping consists of Wesley Haggard's U.S.N./U.S.M.C. SILVER STAR MEDAL in the early burgundy colored box, his temporary citation signed by Vice Admiral W. F. Halsey and two PhM2c rating patches . . . one in khaki and the other in blue. His citation reads as follows . . . SOUTH PACIFIC FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES PACIFIC FLEET HEADQUARTERS OF THE COMMANDER In the name of the President of the United States, the Commander South Pacific Area and South Pacific Forces, takes pleasure in presenting the SILVER STAR MEDAL to WESLEY BURTON HAGGARD, PARMACIST'S MATE SECOND CLASS, (372 09 05), UNITED STATES NAVY. for service as set forth in the following CITATION: "For distinguished service in the line of his profession on the northern coast of Guadalcanal Island on August 10, 1942. While a member of a patrol advancing through enemy territory, HAGGARD, with utter disregard for his own personal safety fearlessly faced the accurate rifle fire of numerous enemy snipers to treat the wounds of incapacitated marines. Largely as a result of his valorous action the lives of several of the wounded were saved, and he set a fine example of courage to the members of his company." W. F. HALSEY Vice Admiral, U. S. Navy. Temporary Citation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpotter Posted February 4, 2010 Share #13 Posted February 4, 2010 Here is WESLEY BURTON HAGGARD, PARMACIST'S MATE SECONDCLASS, SILVER STAR MEDAL . . . Wow! This is my Granddad. I met him once in 1972, a week before he passed away. He was very proud and slightly disabled from bullet wounds that he received on Okinawa in 1945. As a small boy he inspired both me and my brother to join the Marines (which we did when we were old enough). I was infantry in Desert Storm and Somalia. My brother was infantry in Liberia (Embassy evacuation) and Desert Storm. We are now both Policemen. Me in Colorado, my brother in Lousiannia. I recently ordered Granddads Silver Star and Purple Hearts from the Government and presented them to my Mother. She was delighted because I explained to her just how special they were. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0811gysgt Posted August 22, 2012 Share #14 Posted August 22, 2012 Is this the same citation that recently sold on Ebay? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manayunkman Posted August 22, 2012 Share #15 Posted August 22, 2012 Very nice group. M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigJohn#3RD Posted August 22, 2012 Share #16 Posted August 22, 2012 Brandon, Great early Silver Star grouping and to a corpman in August 1942. Truly Heroic Navy man a credit to his service, family and his marines. Thank for posting. Regards, John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0811gysgt Posted August 22, 2012 Share #17 Posted August 22, 2012 Sorry guys, but Brandon originally posted this back in 2009. I recently purchased the Silver Star citation and wanted to make sure that I didn't purchase a copy on Ebay. I PM'd Brandon and I am awaiting a response. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted August 22, 2012 Share #18 Posted August 22, 2012 If you look at the one Brandon had, and the one on EBay, the folds in the two documents don't match. I bet one is real and the other a copy. Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0811gysgt Posted August 22, 2012 Share #19 Posted August 22, 2012 Brandon did contact me and he still has his docuement. I never heard of two temporary citations being issued like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerialbridge Posted August 23, 2012 Share #20 Posted August 23, 2012 Brandon did contact me and he still has his docuement. I never heard of two temporary citations being issued like that. Hi Rocco, I was curious about what the seller said about the item in your auction. It seems to me that his description fairly represents the situation of even multiple copies - "I believe this is a copy of what was provided to the sailor after receiving his medal. The Navy did not provide certificates for medals, only citation letters like this. More then one copy may have been issued or given out. This letter is not typed onto the paper, it is a copy.** Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lberte Posted December 29, 2017 Share #21 Posted December 29, 2017 V-mail from Wesley Haggard to Father Flanagan, 18 October 1942. I've got a lot more information if anyone is interested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobgee Posted December 29, 2017 Share #22 Posted December 29, 2017 Great Boy's Town connection to this Hero! Semper Fi........Bobgee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raidercollector Posted December 29, 2017 Share #23 Posted December 29, 2017 I use to own that citation. I sold it on Ebay. I Remember seeing 2 of those citations floating around on ebay, Their where no medals . I own that Citation for years. I will look in my files to see if I still have a photo of it. But I know there where 2 citations 100 % sure an no medals. The other citation was all so sold on ebay.I did fine a partial Picture on the Citation. I,m showing it below. Its the same Citation Morley is Showing by the folds. Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lberte Posted December 29, 2017 Share #24 Posted December 29, 2017 I've also found online a letter from Flanagan to FDR's private secretary Marguerite Le Hand discussing Haggard and enclosing yet another copy of the silver star citation. Unfortunately, only the citation will load, not the letter (so I'll keep trying on that). Flanagan of course was famous because of the hit movie Boys Town (1938), which is why Haggard says in the v-mail that everybody on Guadalcanal knows about his work. Also came across a mention of Haggard in action from Tregaskis's famous Guadalcanal Diary. I'll keep trying on the letter to Le Hand but for some reason no matter how tiny I make it the loader keeps saying it's too big (???). Hope these dos come thru at a decent size. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted December 29, 2017 Share #25 Posted December 29, 2017 The only thing that is strange about the citation is the color of the Halsey signature. I have a number of Halsey temporary citations, and I have never seen one signed with that color of ink. I have seen them with both printed signatures and real signatures depending on the time period. Boys town printed up copies of a POW postcard that was sent to them from Taiwan and sent the copies to donors. I wonder if they did the same thing with this citation?? Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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