USMC Mameluke Resources?

[2/14 Marine]

Hello,

 

I was wondering if anyone knew of any resources or websites that would be helpful in dating a mameluke? I believe it to be pre WWII. Just trying to get a better time frame.

 

Semper Fi

Javier

[Bob Hudson]

Hello,

 

I was wondering if anyone knew of any resources or websites that would be helpful in dating a mameluke? I believe it to be pre WWII. Just trying to get a better time frame.

 

Semper Fi

Javier

 

 

This can be hard to do but if it's named then finding a commissioning date can help - also are there any maker's marks?

[2/14 Marine]

Thanks for your help.

 

The name engraved on it is A. W. Harrington

 

maker is F. J. Heiberger

 

Below is the story of the sword. From the woman who I bought the sword from. I did a google search and found Earl W. Garvin. He was in Nicaragua, WWI, WWII. He was commisioned and recieved the silver star in WWI

 

This is how we came to possess the sword:

 

My great uncle, Earl W Garvin had the sword in his possession. After he died, his wife gave the sword to my dad - to keep it in the Marine family. She did not know the story of why Earl had it, since it had a different name on it. Perhaps it was someone he knew and the family gave it to him? Below is my great uncle's info and my dad's. Both are buried at Fort Sam National Cemetery in San Antonio.

 

 

 

 

 

GARVIN, EARL W

 

CPT US MARINE CORPS

 

WORLD WAR II

 

DATE OF BIRTH: 10/06/1894

 

DATE OF DEATH: 07/01/1973

 

BURIED AT: SECTION 2B SITE 2363

 

 

 

TRUEX, DAN REAGAN

 

SGT US MARINE CORPS

 

KOREA

 

DATE OF BIRTH: 08/04/1928

 

DATE OF DEATH: 03/13/1991

 

BURIED AT: SECTION 9 SITE 1110

 

 

 

 

This can be hard to do but if it's named then finding a commissioning date can help - also are there any maker's marks?

[Bob Hudson]

The sword maker was in business in Washington DC from the 1860's to about the 1920's. The Marine Corps collection includes a Heiberger. I believe the sword was owned by Allen W Harrington Jr. who became a Lt. in 1917 in Washington. He last shows up in August 1918 as a Capt. commanding the Marine detachment aboard the Cincinnati. He died two months later:

 

"Name: Allen Wardner Harrington

Service Info.: CAPT MARINE CORPS

Death Date: 19 Oct 1918

Cemetery: Arlington National Cemetery

Cemetery Address: C/O Director Arlington, VA 22211

Buried At: Section E Loc Site Lot 3744"

 

"Death: Oct. 19, 1918

 

Capt. Allen Wardner Harrington, Jr., 24 years old, and one of the youngest of his rank in the Marine Corps. died of pneumonia following influenza at Key West, Florida. Burial at Arlington with full military honors.

 

When stricken, Capt. Harrington was in command of the Marine Guard on the U.S.S. Cincinnati. He was commissioned a captain in January, 1917, following a course of military training at the Army and Navy Preparatory School.

 

He is survived by his wife and an infant daughter.

 

Info taken from:

"The Washington Post" newspaper;

1918 October 23; page 2."

 

[Bob Hudson]

I checked the muster rolls for 1917 and 1918 and they never shared a duty station: Harrington was mostly aboard ships, while Garvin went off to France, got a commission there, rose to 1st Lt., resigned his commission in April 1923, and reenlisted in May 1923 as a Private.

[2/14 Marine]

That's amazing. Sounds like a Marine to resign his commision and come back as a private.

 

I attached a pic of the sword.

[Bob Hudson]

Sounds like a Marine to resign his commision and come back as a private.

 

He was in the Dominican Republic then - the muster rolls give no idea as to why.

[Bob Hudson]

Since you have something from The F.J. Heiberger shop, thought you might appreciate Smedley D. Butler's memories of his first visit to the shop when he was commissioned a Marine Corps second lieutenant at the age of 16.

 

The Major took George and me, one under each arm, and

strolled over to Heiberger’s uniform shop. With as much dignity

as if he were outfitting Napoleon’s grand marshals, he had

us measured for two second lieutenant’s uniforms.

Since we couldn’t perform our full duties until we were properly

garbed, George and I hung around Marine Corps headquarters,

like two generals temporarily out of a job.

Our uniforms came at last. My heart thumped as I hurriedly

pulled on the sky blue trousers with the gay red stripes down

the seams, and buttoned myself snugly into the dark blue coat.

The uniform was tight and covered with black braid. I looked

thin and wasp-like, more as if I belonged to a boys’ band than

to a husky fighting corps. I was very much pleased with myself.

[2/14 Marine]

I found that the F.J. Heiberger shop was in DC. What a great account from the Grand Old Man of the Marine Corps himself. I really do appreciate the information. I've had the sword for a few years and really have not been able to find alot of information about the F.J. Heiberger shop or the owners. It was nice of the previous owner to share the story of her dad and great, great uncle. She was very excited to hear it was back in the hands of another Marine. When I decided to pass it on it will go to another Marine officer and I will request it stay with a Marine and pass this information with it.

 

Since you have something from The F.J. Heiberger shop, thought you might appreciate Smedley D. Butler's memories of his first visit to the shop when he was commissioned a Marine Corps second lieutenant at the age of 16.

 

The Major took George and me, one under each arm, and

strolled over to Heiberger’s uniform shop. With as much dignity

as if he were outfitting Napoleon’s grand marshals, he had

us measured for two second lieutenant’s uniforms.

Since we couldn’t perform our full duties until we were properly

garbed, George and I hung around Marine Corps headquarters,

like two generals temporarily out of a job.

Our uniforms came at last. My heart thumped as I hurriedly

pulled on the sky blue trousers with the gay red stripes down

the seams, and buttoned myself snugly into the dark blue coat.

The uniform was tight and covered with black braid. I looked

thin and wasp-like, more as if I belonged to a boys’ band than

to a husky fighting corps. I was very much pleased with myself.

[teufelhunde.ret]

I will off a thought on the custody of the sword... (or SWAG).

 

No doubt Harrington remains and personal effects came thru Quantico, for his burial in Arlington. His remains first and personal effects rounded up aboard ship (no doubt by First Sergeant Johnston, found the muster report for October 1917, when he reported the death and took over the Detachment) and those effects followed him to Quantico... weeks or months later?

 

Gavin had returned to the States in March 1918 and was assigned to the 135th Co. Being a newly minted battle field Lieutenant, back to the states, he would have been expected to "outfit" himself right away. Knowing there were tons of personal effects flowing into the Quartermasters of Quantico from deaths of influenza and the war... some how or another Gavin picked up Harrington's sword.... my two cents

[Bob Hudson]

Arlington. His remains first and personal effects rounded up aboard ship (no doubt by First Sergeant Johnston, found the muster report for October...

 

I see that ancestry.com mistakenly had that one listed as being for the Charleston, instead of the Cincinnati, so thanks for finding that. That muster roll shows 12 other Marines being sent to the hospital at Key West. I wonder how many of them died from the flu outbreak?

 

[teufelhunde.ret]

I see that ancestry.com mistakenly had that one listed as being for the Charleston, instead of the Cincinnati, so thanks for finding that. That muster roll shows 12 other Marines being sent to the hospital at Key West. I wonder how many of them died from the flu outbreak?

 

He does not report any further deaths in the following two months... appears most transfered back to the ship in November, unless the Hospital reported deaths? Estimated 50M + around the world. While looking thru Gavins rolls in Quantico 100's were reported in the hospital, one can only imagine the quickness of the spread of Spanish Flu as folks from all over the States and fighting were coming aboard daily.

 

The month the skipper died was the worst of the second outbreak. Interesting report on wiki:

 

In a 2009 paper published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases, Karen Starko proposed that aspirin poisoning had contributed substantially to the fatalities. She based this on the reported symptoms in those dying from the flu, and the timing of the big "death spike" in October 1918, right after the Surgeon General, the US Army, and the Journal of the American Medical Association all recommended very large (by today's standards) dosages of aspirin. Further, Starko suggests that the wave of aspirin poisonings was due to a "perfect storm" of events: Bayer's patent on aspirin ran out, so that many companies rushed in to make a profit and greatly increased the supply; this coincided with the flu pandemic; and the symptoms of aspirin poisoning (such as Reye's syndrome) were not known at the time.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1918_flu_pandemic

[Bob Hudson]

Lot of history in this sword: the "great" flu epidemic, WWI, a shop that catered to the truly Old Corps, and Harrington came from a prominent family. Here's a bit of his mother's bio:

 

 

and his

 

 

 

Hopefully the information in this thread will be printed and saved with the sword for future Marine officers to read.

[Bob Hudson]

There was a Capt. Allen W. Harrington Jr. American Legion Post 232 in Stockbridge Mass.

[Bob Hudson]

 

[teufelhunde.ret]

Garvin was also awarded the Croix De Guerre on 10 June 1918

[2/14 Marine]

Yes, I have already been saving this information and it will stay with the sword.

 

You have dug up some great information that tells the story of the Marines that owned this sword.

 

Garvin was also awarded the Croix De Guerre on 10 June 1918

[Frank Trzaska]

You have dug up some great information that tells the story of the Marines that owned this sword.

 

Amazing information found on this piece, great research guys! Keep up the good work.

 

All the best

Frank Trzaska

[2/14 Marine]

Here's interesting story about Sgt Dan Truex. The Nephew of Garvin who was given the sword. His daughter sent this to me.

 

I'd also like to share this Marine Corps event with you:

There is a story about my father that has always made me ponder our fates. My father, Dan Truex was in the Marines just out of boot camp and was scheduled to be one of six transport planes enroute to Seattle from San Diego. As he was approaching to board the plane, he was stopped - my father was told the plane was full and he could not board. Dad said "but I have orders to board", but they would not let him on. He was disappointed, as some of his friends were on that plane and he wanted to be with them. He left, and later when he was seen on the base, someone gasped and said “what are you doing here?” My dad disappointedly replied that they wouldn’t let him board. That person told dad that all the Marines on board that plane were lost in a crash on Mt. Ranier.

 

I read somewhere that most of these Marines were assigned to this plane because their name came at the end of the alphabet. I also read that one of them was in fact not supposed to be on that plane, but managed to get on it (don’t know the validity of that, but. . . . ) Was he the one that took my dad’s place? We will never know of course, but I often think about it. One day I'd like to visit Mt Ranier to see the plaque for the missing marines. A full account of the crash into Mt Ranier on December 10, 1946 can be found at the link below.

See More

 

HistoryLink.org- the Free Online Encyclopedia of Washington State History

www.historylink.org