DakotaDave Posted December 26, 2013 Share #1 Posted December 26, 2013 Well, they don't come much rarer than this, an Army issue Purple Heart for the Dec 7 attack on Pearl Harbor. This one is numbered 73247 thus making it one of the first block of 200 numbered PH's sent by the PQMD to the Hawaii Department about 10 days after the attack. Upon receipt of the medals the Hawaiian QM Depot made arrangements to have them engraved by local engravers on Oahu in the same pattern as WWI PH's probably using WWI engraved PH's of veterans on the island as working examples. The medals were then presented to the WIA's in mass ceremonies at Hickam and Wheeler Air Fields in April 1942. To repeat what I had previously posted on earlier Forum discussions (see links) the PH numbers as reported by Albert Gleim in the 80's for these Army PH's are as follows: 73188 - 73266 73269 - 73387 73541 - 73740 73941 - 74108 For a total of 566 medals. I feel comfortable in making the logical assumption that the engraving on these medals should be considered "Official" even though done by local commercial engravers, since it would have been the HDQMD that made the official arrangements for their local engraving. I currently know of only 4 reported numbered PH's awarded to Army WIA's for the Pearl attack: Frank L Wallace 73247 - reported in this topic Carmel R Calderon 73669 - earlier reported in the Forum http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/149978-wia-december-7th-hq-sq-11th-bg/ James E O'Donovan 73578 - earlier reported in the Forum http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/150097-army-pearl-harbor-purple-heart/ Ernest Marino 74007 - Illustrated in the "Call of Duty" Frank L Wallacel had originally served in the Coast Artillery Corp from 1933 to 1936 as a 155mm gunner, was discharged then reenlisted in the Air Corps in Oct 1939 and served continuously until his retirement in Apr 1957. While with the Air Corp in Hawaii he graduated from Aircraft Mechanics school at Hickam Field in Jan 1941 and was assigned as an A&P mechanic to the 6th Pursuit Sqd (Int) at Wheeler Field where he was wounded in the Dec 7 attack. He continued with the 6th until Jul 1943 then went stateside for the remainder of the war. He was transferred to the Air Force in 1948, participated in the Korean War being stationed at Kunsan, Korea during 1951 and 1952. He retired as a Staff Sargent in 1957 and died in 2001 while residing at Linn, OR and is buried at the Willamette National Cemetery at Portland, OR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DakotaDave Posted December 26, 2013 Author Share #2 Posted December 26, 2013 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottplen Posted December 26, 2013 Share #3 Posted December 26, 2013 wow very nice a dream PH medal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herman v Posted December 26, 2013 Share #4 Posted December 26, 2013 I know one more: # 73296 awarded to Pvt Vernon W. Fairbanks Jr. He was with the Coastal Artillery and WIA on dec 7, 1941. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuftStalg1 Posted December 26, 2013 Share #5 Posted December 26, 2013 Holy Guacamole, great find! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KurtA Posted December 27, 2013 Share #6 Posted December 27, 2013 Here's another: http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/101833-pearl-harbor-wia-army-ph/?hl=%2Bjames+%2Btolen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhcoleterracina Posted December 27, 2013 Share #7 Posted December 27, 2013 Great piece, congrats Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DakotaDave Posted December 27, 2013 Author Share #8 Posted December 27, 2013 KurtA and Herman v, my thanks for your input, the list grows on! DakotaDave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katieony Posted December 28, 2013 Share #9 Posted December 28, 2013 A very rare medal to find...congratulations! Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDK Posted December 28, 2013 Share #10 Posted December 28, 2013 Great PH! Thanks for sharing! JD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted February 24, 2018 Share #11 Posted February 24, 2018 I just picked this one up. He was a 1st LT in the Army Medical Dept stationed at Hickam Field and WIA 12/7/41. The number is slightly outside the Gleim known Pearl Harbor PH number range above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted February 24, 2018 Share #12 Posted February 24, 2018 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted February 24, 2018 Share #13 Posted February 24, 2018 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted February 24, 2018 Share #14 Posted February 24, 2018 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mghcal Posted February 24, 2018 Share #15 Posted February 24, 2018 Nice pickup Kurt! Does that say he enlisted in 1915? Wow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huntssurplus Posted February 24, 2018 Share #16 Posted February 24, 2018 Some great Purple Hearts on this thread! Thanks for sharing! Hunt Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete-o MSU Posted February 24, 2018 Share #17 Posted February 24, 2018 Kurts medal knowledge and hard work made this find possible. Which is exactly what I told him at the show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottplen Posted February 24, 2018 Share #18 Posted February 24, 2018 Great find ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FFZFlyer Posted February 24, 2018 Share #19 Posted February 24, 2018 Recipient's first name is "Ervin". Medal is engraved to "Edvin". Oops!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wharfmaster Posted February 24, 2018 Share #20 Posted February 24, 2018 Recipient's first name is "Ervin". Medal is engraved to "Edvin". Oops!!!! Yep, having the dog tags too is a very good thing. Wharf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CNY Militaria Posted February 24, 2018 Share #21 Posted February 24, 2018 Great find! A nice research confirmation for the history. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hermanus Posted February 24, 2018 Share #22 Posted February 24, 2018 Great! Another one from the woodwork and with a nice number too! Adjusting my info now. Regards Herman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaddyDog Posted December 18, 2021 Share #23 Posted December 18, 2021 Here is my contribution to this subject and addition to the database. https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/365659-wia-pearl-harbor-survivor-group-72nd-pursuit-squadron-15th-pursuit-group-wheeler-field/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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