Major John E. Baxter USMC Pilot, DFC, Air medal

[ww1collector]

This is a USMC group to a pilot in Blakeney's

 

Baxter, John E.

Rank: Major

Serial Number: 036350

Military Branch: USMC

Date of Death: 1965-4-20

Arlington National Cemetary

 

John Emile Baxter was born October 30, 1920 and died in the Pensacola area April 20, 1965. He was one of only 495 enlisted Marine pilots in WW2. He joined the Marine Corps January 16, 1942. He was promoted to the rank of Major on August 1, 1958. No data is available about his commissioning date. He most likely was on active duty when he died in 1965. He is listed in the book "Enlisted Naval Aviation Pilots of the United States Navy Marines and Coast Guard" on page 3 with a winging date of 1943. He is listed in "The 1959 Register of Commissioned Officers" as a Naval Aviator. He is listed on page 291 of Jane Blakeney's book "Heroes US Marine Corps" for his receipt of the Distinguished Flying Cross in WW2.

 

Baxter's group includes two sets of mounted miniature medals with their original Hillborn Hamburger boxes, 8 individual ribbon bars, DFC and AM lapel pins, WW2 vintage 3rd Amphibious Corps patch, Bullion EGA clutchback blazer patch, Penguin brand lighter with image of Okinawa, numerous rank insignia, USMC tie clip, Officers 1937 pattern overseas cap EGA, small South Korean Marine Corps emblem, shooting badges, tie clip with F8F Bearcat fighter attached, brown plastic buttons for officers Alpha uniform, 3 slide on belt buckles for the Alpha, and two brass buckles for the khaki web belt.

 

Baxter's miniature medals include Distinguished Flying Cross with two stars, Air Medal with three stars, Navy Marine Commendation medal with V for valor, Marine Corps Good Conduct medal with two stars indicating at least 9 years enlisted service, American Campaign medal, Asiatic Pacific Campaign medal, World War 2 Victory medal, Japan Occupation medal, National Defense medal, Korean Service medal with three stars, and UN Korea medal. His ribbons also include the Philippine Liberation, Navy Marine Corps Presidential Citation and Korea Presidential Unit Citation bars.

 

If anyone has additional info on Baxter, please let me know. Dave

 

 

[ww1collector]

More pics

 

[Brig]

another awesome group. love seeing mounted USMC mini medals

[teufelhunde.ret]

Enlisted aviators who become regular Officer's are certainly scarce, have you pulled his files from St Louis?

[History Man]

great grouping, i love the medals :thumbsup:

[Jack's Son]

I've grown to really like this grouping, it just gets better as I revisit it. :thumbsup:

[USMCR79]

He was commissioned on 3/8/44 according to the 1960 Officers Register.

 

Nice Group!!

 

Bill

[teufelhunde.ret]

He was commissioned on 3/8/44 according to the 1960 Officers Register.

 

Nice Group!!

 

Bill

Interesting - the MGC w/ 2 stars :think: Makes tyou wonder if he was reverted after WW2 and or Korea.

[ww1collector]

Thanks for the additional info. Here is the rest of the story about the provenance of the group:

 

This group was purchased by me on ebay in 2007; having been originally purchased in Pensacola in 2003. Provenance: the group was found in Pensacola where Baxter died, and the seller had a high school medal named to Baxter which I missed. The parts of this group that are named are the H&H boxes that are named to Baxter (see photo}.