Military Order of the Carabao medal numbered to RADM Walter S. Crosley

[aerialbridge]

Dave, that's a great display and I enjoyed reading what I could of the letter. If you ever take it out of the case and do a macro, please post here. You have wonderful documentation of some unique and interesting WW1 service.

[Dave]

Dave, that's a great display and I enjoyed reading what I could of the letter. If you ever take it out of the case and do a macro, please post here. You have wonderful documentation of some unique and interesting WW1 service.

 

Happy to do so! I actually took some pics of it yesterday. It's an absolute bear to get out of the frame, so these are through the glass, but they are still readable...

[DrewM]

Hello,



My name is Drew and I have a question for "Aerialbridge"

I recently found my Great Grandfathers medals including his Military Order of the Caraboa medal # 1278. It is the original round style. I was wonder if you had a page show his name and Carabao number. His name was Albert Moritz. I would appreciate any information you would share.

Thank you,
Drew Moritz

[Argonauts2]

Drew

According to the "Military Order of the Carabao 1900-1913" which lists all members, your grandfather is listed under medal number 1278, Albert Moritz, Commander, USN Retired. So he retired prior to 1913. I cross referenced his name against the USNA Graduates to see if he had attended the Academy, and he had not.

 

Hope this helps. All the best. Joe

[aerialbridge]

Drew, welcome to the Forum and congratulations on having your great-grandfather's USN medals. If you don't already realize it, many of us medal collectors would give our eye teeth to have such good fortune. Joe has confirmed the # for your Carabao medal. I found Albert Moritz listed in my USNA Register of Alumni. As you probably know (but I'll post for others' interest) he was a cadet engineer in the Class of 1881, born in Ohio 6/8/60 and appointed from NY. Retired 6/30/05 and died 1/16/41 at Brooklyn Naval Hospital. Hope you decide to post pictures of your ancestor's medals and any other navy mementos that have been passed down in your family.

[DrewM]

 

Thank you for you assistance. Here are pictures of the medals and a special launch badge from the USS Arizona. I know my Great Grand father worked as an engineer at the Brooklyn Navy Yard till the end of WW1. He was also recommended for the CMOH and I have the Congressional hearing transcripts. Pretty neat stuff.. Unfortunately the Engineer Corps at the time of the action was ineligible for the honor.. It's about 10 pages and Ill try to figure out how to load it. I will post the badge, front and back below..

Thanks again,

Drew

[DrewM]

 

Here is the Arizona Badge, the only other one I have found online is at the University of Arizona library.

 

 

[DrewM]

The story I heard with the badge is after the Spanish-American war the Maine was raised in Havana harbor and was stripped of all its brass and guns. It was then taken out into the Florida Straights and scuttled. The launch badges were made from the recovered metal and given out to VIPs at the commissioning ceremony. The one at the UA library has its ribbon and is in a wood and glass display case.

Drew

[aerialbridge]

My pleasure, Drew, and thanks for posting the pictures of your great-grandfather's medals. The two campaign medals with original type 1 ribbons in excellent condition are very desireable. You're a lucky man to have those and that your family kept them all these years. The Arizona launch badge is particularly nice, since he presumably worked on the engineering of the ship at the NY Navy Yard. Is that a Spanish Campaign or West Indies, and do you mind telling what the rim numbers are on that and the Philippine Campaign medal? You should also be able to see a number on the Naval and Military Order of the Span. Am. War. society badge on the rim of one of the cross-arms. If you post that number, someone might be able to confirm it. The Connecticut commandery of the order is online and purportedly the NY as well-- that your ancestor was probably in -- though I have not found the NY register online. Do yourself a favor and invest $70 to order your ancestor's service file from the National Archives in St. Louis.

 

Here's the link. That will hopefully contain in addition to his complete orders, the documentation confirming the rim numbers on the two campaign medals. Look forward to reading the circumstances that he was considered for the MOH. And feel free to start a thread on your great-grandfather's medals and any research you have. You're welcome to do it on this thread, but they certainly deserve a thread and title of their own!

 

http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/standard-form-180.html

 

 

 

[DrewM]

Morning,

 

The Order Of the Spanish American War Med has the number 949 on one of the crosses, like you said.

 

It is a West Indies Campaign Medal, it is inscribed on the rim:

PA Engineer Albert 904 Moritz USS Saturn.

 

The Philippine Campaign Medal:

Lieutenant Albert Moritz 475 USS Newark and Yosemite.

[aerialbridge]

Morning, All three of those numbers might be traceable even without confirming them through his service file at NARA in St. Louis or records in DC that very likely will have transmittals for the Philippine and West Indies, particularly given the low numbers. I'm honored to have Philippine #691, also rim engraved to another officer "MIDSHIPMAN A. B. REED USS PARAGUA". I believe the Philippine is almost completely traceable through #692, so yours should be in there. That is the exception for most rim numbered USN campaign medals, since they are mostly untraceable, unless found in an indentiable group such as yours. That rim engraving, even if your medal group wasn't "in the woodwork" (still with the original family) would pretty much confirm whose medal it once was. Your next mission is to take some clear, macro photos of those medals, front, back and rims with #s and engraving, and start their own thread. Maybe over the coming 3 day weekend? ;-) All the best, AB

[kanemono]

Here is a later version of the Military Order of the Carabao.

Dick