ww1collector Posted January 28, 2012 Share #1 Posted January 28, 2012 Atwell Jr, Merrill H Rank: Aviation Radioman 3rd Class Serial Number: 8073924 Military Branch: USS Shangrila, CV-38, VB-85 Origin: Connecticut Date of Death: 1945-4-29 Honolulu Memorial ARM3C Merrill Hadley Atwell Jr. enlisted in the Navy on April 2, 1943 in Hartford, Connecticut. He was born in Eden, Vermont on August 22, 1924. He was the son of Merrill and Marjorie Atwell of Newington, Conn. He had been the President of his senior class in Newington High School. He was assigned to train at the US Naval Training Station in Sampson, New York. He was transferred to the Naval Air Training Center in Memphis, Tennessee April 10, 1943 for Aviation Radioman School. He was promoted to S1c October 16, 1943. October 30, 1943, he was transferred to Naval Air Gunner's School in Jacksonville. His rate was changed to ARM3c on November 20, 1943. He was transferred to NAS, Daytona Beach for operational training on December 6, 1943 and completed that training March 6, 1944. He was assigned to Bombing Squadron 85 on May 15, 1944. On August, 15, 1944 he had completed his 3 month's training and was qualified radio and radar operator and aerial gunner. He was a gunner in a Helldiver in CVG 85 stationed on the USS Shangri-La. His plane was piloted by Lt.(jg) Robert Elmore. Accompanying paperwork shows his plane to be an SB2C-4E, BUNR 20755. His was one of three VB-85 planes lost that day. A pilot Ensign Charles C. Brownmiller was killed, but his crewman, AMM3c Frederick Coffee was rescued having received burns. The report of the loss is detailed in "USS Shangri-La" published by Turner in 2002 follows: "Later that same morning, Shangri-la launched three dozen aircraft to attack targets on Kikai Jima. The raid encountered moderate but accurate anti-aircraft fire and three of Air Group 85's planes were shot down. The Helldriver flown by Lt.(jg) Robert Elmore had a wing shot off, causing it to spin violently into the sea with no chance of survival for Elmore or his gunner, ARM3 Merrill Atwell, Jr. Elmore and Atwell were Shangri-La's first combat casualties." The group includes Atwell's posthumous officially engraved Type 3 Purple Heart and its presenattion case plus the outside wrapper of the Registered Mail for the shipping box, that has his parents address on it. Also included is a copy of his service record from St. Louis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ww1collector Posted January 28, 2012 Author Share #2 Posted January 28, 2012 Registered package addressed to his father. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhcoleterracina Posted January 28, 2012 Share #3 Posted January 28, 2012 I've never seen the packaging before, very interesting but always sad. Nice heart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom2001 Posted January 28, 2012 Share #4 Posted January 28, 2012 Nice one, Dave!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottplen Posted January 28, 2012 Share #5 Posted January 28, 2012 :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ww1collector Posted January 29, 2012 Author Share #6 Posted January 29, 2012 ARM3c Atwell's picture from the St. Louis file. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SA1794 Posted January 29, 2012 Share #7 Posted January 29, 2012 Another great medal . :thumbsup: Thanks for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted January 29, 2012 Share #8 Posted January 29, 2012 Nice medal Dave! I never get tired of the Naval Aviation examples, Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vicjoy1945 Posted January 29, 2012 Share #9 Posted January 29, 2012 :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: Classic type III Navy posthumous PH. These PHs tend to very interesting because many times they are late/post war issues to sailors who were MIA during the war and were then later declared KIA after all enemy sources were checked...i.e. POW liberation rosters, etc, etc. Many times these PHs were issued for gallant aviators or submariners. Thanks for showing !! Vic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ww1collector Posted May 9, 2013 Author Share #10 Posted May 9, 2013 I was just able to acquire Merrill's Campaign medals, wool Navy cap, un-named posthumous good Conduct medal, and his named, squadron insignia painted M422A leather flying jacket. I will post pics soon. The squadron emblem is a yellow circle with a crosshair on it and what looks like a serpeant. Does anyone have a good pic of a VB-85 patch to compare it to? Thanks, Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navy Dan Posted May 11, 2013 Share #11 Posted May 11, 2013 Outstanding PH ! Good to see the grouping coming together. God bless this sailor. Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack's Son Posted May 11, 2013 Share #12 Posted May 11, 2013 I was just able to acquire Merrill's Campaign medals, wool Navy cap, un-named posthumous good Conduct medal, and his named, squadron insignia painted M422A leather flying jacket. I will post pics soon. The squadron emblem is a yellow circle with a crosshair on it and what looks like a serpeant. Does anyone have a good pic of a VB-85 patch to compare it to? Thanks, Dave What a group this will turn out to be!! Great work following up, and getting the supporting pieces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ww1collector Posted May 11, 2013 Author Share #13 Posted May 11, 2013 Correction-the GCM is named and un-dated. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
History Man Posted May 12, 2013 Share #14 Posted May 12, 2013 Very nice heart, glad you were able to acquire the rest of the group. Looking forward to the update. Philip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ww1collector Posted May 12, 2013 Author Share #15 Posted May 12, 2013 Here are pictures of the new additions to the group. The whole medal group Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ww1collector Posted May 12, 2013 Author Share #16 Posted May 12, 2013 The GCM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ww1collector Posted May 12, 2013 Author Share #17 Posted May 12, 2013 Jacket front Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ww1collector Posted May 12, 2013 Author Share #18 Posted May 12, 2013 Jacket back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ww1collector Posted May 12, 2013 Author Share #19 Posted May 12, 2013 Jacket with collar turned up showing stenciled "USN" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ww1collector Posted May 12, 2013 Author Share #20 Posted May 12, 2013 Close up of the painted patch on back-can anyone clarify what this is? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mach Posted May 13, 2013 Share #21 Posted May 13, 2013 Very nice! Glad you were able to reunite this grouping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted May 14, 2013 Share #22 Posted May 14, 2013 From the VB-85 War Diary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted May 14, 2013 Share #23 Posted May 14, 2013 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted May 14, 2013 Share #24 Posted May 14, 2013 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ww1collector Posted May 15, 2013 Author Share #25 Posted May 15, 2013 Many thanks to Kurt for getting this info. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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