WW1 Purple Heart Group found at Hells Kitchen Flea Market 78th Div?

[johnny12550]

I found this medal group about 7:30am this morning at the Hell's Kitchen Flea Market in Manhattan. I decided to go early and hit the tables before the dealers go out and make their deals before customers arrive. They all look pretty damn minty and look like they have been stored away for a long time. The dealer had just put them out and had no other military, so he was not a militaria dealer, and at $75 for the set I can guarantee he does not deal in military items. The PH is named and looks to be a WWI vet issued from the 30s. John Buckley ia a common name, but doing a little research on Ancestry.com I think it belonged to John J. Buckley of the 78th Division. HIs info from Ancestry is attached. Any input is appreciated. Thanks

[johnny12550]

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[dhcoleterracina]

Great buy, the early worm...

[268th C.A.]

Nice score!

[johnny12550]

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[TreasureHunter]

Nothing like an early morning find to make the rest of the day great. Very nice.

[tarbridge]

Great find.

[scottplen]

great flea market find !!!

[KurtA]

Great find and in really nice condition too. (You're lucky the Pope didn't beat you to it.)

[johnny12550]

Thanks for all the well wishes. I am guessing that the John Buckley who's card I posted from Ancestry.com is the owner of these medals, but if anyone thinks it may be another Buckley please let me know. Like I said John Buckley is a very common name. It took a while to narrow what I found down, but there could possibly be another John Buckley who earned this medal. I based my opinion on the name and the other medals that came with the PH.

[katieony]

Outstanding group at a great price...congratulations!

Mike

[Terry K.]

Great find!

[Championhilz]

The Omaha World Herald (Nebraska) has a list of killed and wounded in the October 16, 1918 issue. Among the "Severely wounded" is John J. Buckley of Newark, New Jersey.

[johnny12550]

Championhilz,

 

Thanks for the info. Do you have a link you can post, so I can read what you found? I tried to Google the info and could not find it. Thanks--John

[lightningdivision]

Fantastic find!!!Hope the info is correct

[Championhilz]

Here is the article, it is from genealogybank.com:

 

 

[johnny12550]

Championhilz, Thanks for the information.

[Tennessee]

It still amazes me how much information can be found on line now! It's great that this medal group 's history is now saved for posterity! I wonder if there will ever be a data bank among us collectors/historians which might make it possible to determine if there are other items such as uniform and pictures from this vet that are still in existence. I have a group to a vet from Orange County , NY that had only a last name on the back of a German medical canteen. It was later determined in VA burial records that the fellow had been a local American Legion district commander, and the uniforms , etc. all went together to the same man!! There have been so many times over my decades of collecting that families would sell everything but the medals, and, just think- this might be one of those medal groups originally kept by a family member, and now it would have been lost in obscurity, but now it too is saved in context.

 

Great work Johnny!!

 

David

[johnny12550]

I received the AGO card from RED BIRD RESEARCH yesterday. It confirms that the John Buckley I was referencing did apply for and receive a Purple Heart in October of 1933. The number on the medal is 40942, but the card says number 40715. I thought I read somewhere that the number on the AGO cards and medals were off by several hundred numbers and never did exactly match. If anyone remembers hearing about the difference in numbers or remembers a posting please let me know. Thanks

[tarbridge]

The higher the Purple Heart number the higher the discrepancy.

[aerialbridge]

Beautiful group, congratulations!