Ricardo Posted May 22, 2014 Share #1 Posted May 22, 2014 Hi, In 2005 I bought this set of uniforms from a fellow collector and never gave up to get more information about this veteran. Finally got all the information I wanted and now I share with you all. Thank you so much Geoff of Golden Arrow Military Research!! Group of uniforms and belongings of the Marine Joseph J. "Butch" Bucheck, serial number 916493, 302 Veteran's WPN Co. (302 Weapons Company), 2nd Plt, Weapons Co, HQ BN, 3rd Marine Regiment and native of city of Gary, Indiana, the son of Polish immigrants. Born: January 17, 1920.Died: May 19, 2002 (age 82) in Saint Paul, Ramsey County, MN. Joseph J Bucheck who was rescued from the sinking of the USS Henry Mallory 7 Feb 1943. U.S. Coast Guard has called "one of the greatest rescues at sea by a single vessel under wartime conditions. The Story of the USCGC Bibb's Great Rescue: The rescued men, more than 200 of them, were from a torpedoed U. S. transport which had been known in peacetime as the liner Henry R. Mallory. A German torpedo rammed into the Mallory's side one stormy, snow whipped night, and it was not until many hours later that the surviving crewmen and passengers were picked up. The transport was torpedoed in the middle of the night without warning. Survivors said the crew and passengers had little time after the roar of the explosion to take to life rafts before the vessel went under. From that moment, it was seven perilous hours, seven hours in which the Bibb fought huge, heaving seas, frothing, wind-driven spray, and enemy subs, before the rescue was accomplished.Under severe weather conditions, and Navy man knows that only half of a rescue is accomplished when a rescue ship approaches a stricken vessel, or its survivors, at sea. There have been many occasions when rescue vessels have been utterly helpless, unable because of high seas, to lend assistance. To come too close to a tossing lifeboat at such a time is to risk smashing it. Many a seaman has died within speaking distance of the ship, which came to his assistance. The Bibb had been protecting a fleet of ships on the night the Mallory was sunk. Early next day she sighted flares fired by the survivors. As the cutter neared the scene, lifeboats and rafts seemed to be all around the horizon. It was evident to the Coast Guardsmen that the U-boat wolf pack had had a good night's hunting. Even as they reached the scene they saw half-frozen survivors fall off rafts and slip into the sea. Men could be seen dying and falling, with safety so near. On smaller rafts were corpses. Cook Dunningham's lifeboat, containing 50 shocked and shivering men, was the first one reached.During the seven hours of rescue work, the Bibb's crew were at their battle stations, manning the guns and fire control stations at all times. For the Bibb herself could have been easy prey for U-boats. At times the Bibb was forced to leave the rescue job to hunt for subs, dropping patterns of depth charges. Four times, the escort commander of the unit to which the Bibb belonged messaged the cutter to break off rescue operations, but each time Captain Raney declined and continued the job. The Bibb had saved 202 of the Mallory's men when she headed away from the scene of the tragedy. And two hours later the crew of another ship had reason to be thankful that the Bibb had been in the vicinity. Thirty-five men from another torpedoed ship, a smaller United Nations merchantman, were picked up in a lifeboat. It was seven days before the Bibb, thumping through wintery seas with her own crew's and officer's quarters jammed with survivors, reached a United Nations port where the rescued men could be put ashore for the attention they needed. ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricardo Posted May 22, 2014 Author Share #2 Posted May 22, 2014 ... Date of entry: November, 5 1943 Date of separation: January, 16 1946 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricardo Posted May 22, 2014 Author Share #3 Posted May 22, 2014 ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricardo Posted May 22, 2014 Author Share #4 Posted May 22, 2014 ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricardo Posted May 22, 2014 Author Share #5 Posted May 22, 2014 ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricardo Posted May 22, 2014 Author Share #6 Posted May 22, 2014 Condecorations: Navy Unit Commendation American Campaign Medal Asiatic-Pacific Area Campaign Medal with two battles stars (Guam + Iwo Jima) WW2 Victory Medal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricardo Posted May 22, 2014 Author Share #7 Posted May 22, 2014 Military Specialties: - Half Track Driver - Self Prop Wpns Crewman Pvt 1st class - Jan 14, 1944 Corporal "Line duty" temporary - Jan 16, 1946 Ricardo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devildog34 Posted May 22, 2014 Share #8 Posted May 22, 2014 Fantastic group, Beautiful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raidercollector Posted May 22, 2014 Share #9 Posted May 22, 2014 Very nice group ,And well done research you did, All that waiting paid off. Thanks for sharing . Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mes Posted May 22, 2014 Share #10 Posted May 22, 2014 Great group. the research really makes the group. Thanks for posting. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDK Posted May 22, 2014 Share #11 Posted May 22, 2014 Very nice! Great job on all the research! JD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uplandmod Posted May 23, 2014 Share #12 Posted May 23, 2014 Awesome!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katieony Posted May 23, 2014 Share #13 Posted May 23, 2014 Very nice! Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theorywolf Posted May 23, 2014 Share #14 Posted May 23, 2014 A real historical treasure! This is what collecting is all about! Fantastic! Cheers, Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Dentino Posted May 23, 2014 Share #15 Posted May 23, 2014 Ricardo, a very nice complete Marine grouping and another great display from your collection. Very, very nice indeed!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doomula5000 Posted May 23, 2014 Share #16 Posted May 23, 2014 All I have to say is wow!! Would love to have this one in my collection. Great Research. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patchcollector Posted May 24, 2014 Share #17 Posted May 24, 2014 Outstanding stuff!Mr.Bucheck was blessed to survive through a shop sinking,Guam,and Iwo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattsmilitary Posted May 24, 2014 Share #18 Posted May 24, 2014 Great grouping with awesome jackets and paperwork. Got a treasures there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricardo Posted May 24, 2014 Author Share #19 Posted May 24, 2014 Thank you friends! Regards, Ricardo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Backtheattack Posted May 24, 2014 Share #20 Posted May 24, 2014 A great part of history you own! Very good research for the background. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medalcollector Posted May 25, 2014 Share #21 Posted May 25, 2014 Great grouping and awesome display. Congrats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricardo Posted February 21, 2015 Author Share #22 Posted February 21, 2015 Remember Iwo Jima - 70 years Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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