USMC Medal Group w/photos

[collector]

This group shows Col. L.G. Ditta receiving the Silver Star from Gen. Rupertus after Guadalcanal (as a Captain), and receiving the Bronze Star w/V after Okinawa (as a Major), don't have the Navy Captain's name right now. I will post the award recommendations and descriptions of the actions after I have scanned them.

[Ricardo]

WOW!!!! Great group and display!!!

 

Thank you for sharing!!

 

Best regards,

 

Ricardo.

[bobgee]

Outstanding USMC Valor group! OoooRah!

Semper Fi.....Bobgee

[shrapneldude]

I agree, this is a stunning group! Just amazing.

Thanks for sharing it!

[Brig]

wonderful group, thanks for posting it

[collector]

Here's a shot showing the ribbons probably in 1945, after Okinawa. He's already a Major, and there is a third star on the Asiatic Pacific ribbon, but no Bronze Star ribbon or second star on the PUC yet.

[History Man]

WoW! Thats a great medal group :twothumbup: Thanks for posting it.

 

Philip

[collector]

The following are Purple Heart items. This one is an excerpt from Col. Mitchell Paige's Book, ' Marine Named Mitch', a copy of which Paige sent to our family after my father's death with a very nice dedication.

This excerpt mentions my father's (Capt. Ditta's) wound. I've included a photo of Paige as a Sgt., pre-war 1941 at (I think) Parris Island, taken by my father. I have several other images of Sgt. Paige, also taken by my father with the negatives as well.

 

 

"It was a really strange sort of quietness. As I sat down soaked with perspiration and steam still rising from my hot gun, Captain Louis Ditta, another wonderful officer who had joined the riflemen in the skirmish line and had earlier been firing his 60mm mortars to help me, slapped me on the back and as he handed me his canteen of water he kept saying, 'tremendous, tremendous!' He then looked down at his legs. We could see blood coming through his dungarees. He had a neat bullet hole in his right leg. 

There were hundreds of enemy dead in the grass, on the ridge, in the draw, and in the edge of the jungle. We dragged as many as we could into the jungle, out of the sun. We buried many and even blasted some of the ridge over them to prevent the smell that only a dead body can expel in heat. A corpsman sent by Capt. Ditta smeared my whole left arm with a tube of salve of some kind."

[collector]

I can only imagine my Grandmother having this translated to her into Italian by my Uncle Joe. The first part " Deeply regret to inform you..." She probably fainted before she heard the wounded part.

[collector]

This next group relates to his Bronze Star w/combat 'V'. This first one is the original recommendation for award by Spencer Berger, my father's CO. It was originally for the Legion of Merit, but was changed to a Bronze Star.

[collector]

Here's the final official award letter.

[collector]

And here's a letter from the Commandant with original signature.

[Jack's Son]

Absolutely great grouping, and quiet a family heirloom! What a Rememberance !!

[collector]

Finally a shot of Maj Gen Spencer Berger (the original recommending officer) with my father and Commandant Pace at Camp Lejeune. Berger is in the rear center.

[collector]

Now a couple of documents for the Silver Star.

Haven't found the original recommendation which would be in greater detail, but here's the official award letter.

[collector]

And the congratulatory letter with original signature from Admiral Halsey.

[collector]

And here's a close-up of a shot from a home town dinner, it shows the ribbons, and also the Guadalcanal patch. This would have been after he returned from Cape Gloucester. Anybody know who the other Marine is? Looks like he was awarded Navy Cross, with some of the older campaign ribbons (including China?).

[collector]

combat record

[collector]

Here's a newspaper clipping referring to the Silver Star.

[collector]

part 2

[collector]

Adding a map and aerial shot of the Kunishi-Mezado Ridge line on Okinawa, site of Bronze Star w/V citation.

The last enemy's stronghold was at Kunishi Ridge, where Japanese forces prepared defensive positions and waited for attack. Unfortunately all daylight assaults were halted by fierce Japanese resistance and rugged terrain.

 

The 2/7's Spencer Berger, who recommended the citation, and Col. Snedeker remained colleagues of my father's later, Snedeker at Quantico

while commanding the Marine Corps Schools.

[collector]

I'm adding these commendations here since it seems to be in the same vein. They range from Camp Lejeune war-time to Turkey post-war.