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WWI Purple Heart


MasonK
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Hi Eric,

As soon as I saw the GO for 1 Jan 1920 for Silver Star and Purple Heart I figured that it was 1st Div as there were many SS issued on that date for Soldiers WIA, not all as some would have you believe, but many which diminishes the value in some collectors eyes. I digress; I checked my copy of Brandon T Wiegand's Index to the General Orders of the 1st Infantry Division in World War I which I believe is pretty accurate over all. You should be able to request his AGO cards for both awards from St Louis but if not I recommend Lori at Red Bird Research as I have been pretty lucky with her work.

Regards,

John

 

PS The state Veterans Administration should have a burial on him and that would more than likely list his unit.

 

Thanks again, John. After reading more on the forum about AGO cards and the difficulty sometimes surrounding St. Louis locating them, I wound up reaching out to Lori. I figured in addition to the AGO cards, she would have a better chance of locating other documents compared to the researchers at NPRC.

 

I'll also give Wyomings VA a try as you recommended.

 

Much appreciated!

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  • 3 weeks later...

Well, yesterday I recieved the AGO cards for Schlachter's Purple Heart and Silver Star from Lori at Redbird Research.

 

Considering so many Purple Hearts were awared under the January 20th AGO, would this explain the large difference between the numbering on the Purple Heart and the AGO card?

 

post-29885-1347369672.jpg

 

post-29885-1347369677.jpg

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dhcoleterracina

Eric, your PH and the card number are off about 1000 which seems right. The reason they are off at all is because of the MSCC [i believe anyway]. The Meritorious Service Citation Certificate numbers between 1000-2000 awards [a guess] and those awards threw off the numbers on the cards. The MSCC was a Purple Heart Medal award for service, not for being wounded.

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Eric, your PH and the card number are off about 1000 which seems right. The reason they are off at all is because of the MSCC [i believe anyway]. The Meritorious Service Citation Certificate numbers between 1000-2000 awards [a guess] and those awards threw off the numbers on the cards. The MSCC was a Purple Heart Medal award for service, not for being wounded.

 

Thanks for the info, dhcoleterracina. I'm quite green when it comes to WWI Purple Hearts. I figured the numbers were so far off because so many were issued under that GO and that seems to be the case.

 

I also understand a number of them were issued retroactively for service and not wounds. However, with respect to Schlachter, he was indeed wounded as evident by the newspaper articles as well as the reason provided on the AGO card. Was his just grouped into this GO to simplify things even though his Purple Heart was for wounds and not service? Or was being gassed not considered a legitimate wound?

 

Thanks in advance!

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dhcoleterracina

Being gassed counts as being wounded, those descriptions are horrible, I think I would rather be shot. Remember also that if you were in the First Division and received the Purple Heart, you also qualified for the Silver Star.

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Having talked with veterans and read accounts of it. I would go for being shot. Great pickup on the Purple Heart good luck finding the star. Seems I never find Wyoming stuff at home it always seems to be somewhere else. Good luck on your research. Ryan

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Thanks, Gentlemen! Two of the earlier articles mention that Schlachter was gassed and shot (in the arm), however subsequent articles only mention him being gassed. He may have had to endure both injuries, although from what I have read as well, being gassed was far more excruciating.

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Here is the Silver Star. Check out this link.

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...=125638&hl=

 

C.

 

Wow, thanks for the heads up, Chester! I just sent Weaver45 a PM.

 

Funny thing is, I just called Joseph's son-in-law today as I figured he or his wife were the ones who sold them. I didn't speak with him but left a message and am hoping for a call back.

 

Guess I won't need to ask if he knows where the Silver Star is!

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No Problem. I hope you can get these two back together!! :thumbsup:

 

C.

 

Thanks, Chester! Unfortunately, the photo posted by Weaver45 was from a dealers website and is no longer on the site for sale. I sent the dealer an email in hopes that he can pass my contact info onto the person who purchased it. So close, yet so far!

 

*Update - I just heard back from the dealer and the photo is not from his site. Does anyone recognize the background from this photo from another dealers site?

post-29885-1347543186.jpg

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