Platoon Sergeant Edmund F. Keough USMC Group

[0811gysgt]

 

 

 

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Platoon Sergeant Edmund F. Keough (MCSN: 253297), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving as a Platoon Sergeant of Company G, Second Battalion, Twenty-second Marines, SIXTH Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces at Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands, 13 May 1945. During the assault of a strongly defended enemy ridge near Sugar Loaf Hill, Platoon Sergeant Keough, realizing that his platoon's advance was held up by fire from a hostile machine gun emplacement, voluntarily braved the enemy fire and charged into the enemy position head-on. Firing an automatic rifle, he killed two of the enemy and destroyed the emplacement as a source of fire, thereby enabling his platoon to continue the advance. By his indomitable fighting spirit and courageous devotion to duty, Platoon Sergeant Keough upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

[0811gysgt]

USMC Good Conduct Engraving

[0811gysgt]

I have been meaning to post this group on the Forum for some time now. Ironically, I missed out on purchasing Keough's offically named WIA Purple Heart Medal back in November of 2013, just weeks after I purchased this group. The Purple Heart that I purchased with this group is not engraved and it was not until I received his file that I came to the conclusion that he was most likely awarded a Purple Heart Medal on two occasions, with the engraved Purple Heart Medal being awarded nearly two years after he was wounded at Guadalcanal.

Keough enlisted in the Marine Corps on 8 July 1936 in Boston, MA. He served in Shanghai, China with Company D, 1st Battalion, 4th Marines from 30 June 1938 through 18 May 1940. His record book indicates that he was awarded China Service Medal #749, but the China Service Medal that I purchased in the group is obviously not numbered, since it is the second type. His record book did show official correspondance rquesting a China Service Medal in the mid-1940's. I do not know the whereabout of his USMC China Service Medal #749. He was awarded his only award of the US Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal on 7 July 1940, which is engraved and numbered B1806. He was recommended for a Good Conduct Medal for his second enlistment, but never received a subsequent award because of the way that his enlistment dates fell during WWII.

Keough was assigned to Company F, 2nd Battalion, Fifth Marines, 1st Marine Division at the onset of WWII. He landed at Guadalcanal and was wounded on 16 September 1942, after taking a Japanese 25 calibre bullet to the right thigh. He spent the next few months recovering from his wounds and was assigned to the Marine Barracks at the Boston Navy Yard, which is back home for him. He served as Sergeant of the Guard during his assignment at the Boston Navy Yard from 15 March 1943 through 1 November 1944.

During this time, he applied to be commissioned as a Marine Warrant Officer and was endorsed all the way up his chain of command, but was denied, due to his medical issues from the wounds that he received on Guadalcanal. He must have missed the fight because by 2 March 1945 he was assigned to Company G, 2nd Battalion, 22nd Marines, 6th Marine Division.

He received correspondance from the Marine Corps on 16 August 1944 that he would be recieving the Purple Heart Medal as soon as the medal was received from the engraver. The correspondance states that he previously was sent the Purple Heart ribbon bar, but I believe that he was awarded a Purple Heart Medal that was not engraved, while he was recovering from his wounds in the hospital. Like I previously mentioned, the US Mint Type I Purple Heart Medal that I purchased with this group is not engraved. The engraved Type I Purple Heart Medal that is officially engraved to Keough is in the hands of a collector and was sold here on this Forum from one Forum member to another, who sold it to another collector. If anyone here has that Purple Heart, please post a picture of the engraving on this thread.

On 1 April 1945 he landed on Okinawa with G/2/22, 6th Marine Division. He was later decorated with the Silver Star Medal for gallantry in action on 13 May 1945 in the area of Sugar Loaf Hill on Okinawa. The Silver Star Medal is not engraved. The Silver Star Citation reads as follows:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Platoon Sergeant Edmund F. Keough (MCSN: 253297), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving as a Platoon Sergeant of Company G, Second Battalion, Twenty-second Marines, SIXTH Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces at Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands, 13 May 1945. During the assault of a strongly defended enemy ridge near Sugar Loaf Hill, Platoon Sergeant Keough, realizing that his platoon's advance was held up by fire from a hostile machine gun emplacement, voluntarily braved the enemy fire and charged into the enemy position head-on. Firing an automatic rifle, he killed two of the enemy and destroyed the emplacement as a source of fire, thereby enabling his platoon to continue the advance. By his indomitable fighting spirit and courageous devotion to duty, Platoon Sergeant Keough upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

Keough was later assigned to Company K, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines on 19 September 1946 through 19 December 1946, where I believe he served on ship for sea duty. He served in the Aisatic area from 8 January 1945 through 5 January 1947. I assume this was occupation duty, perhaps in China. There is an unusal silver star attached to the ribbon of his China Service Medal, but none attached to his China Service Ribbon in the group.

He was then assigned back at the Marine Barracks in Boston on 22 January 1947. His service was extended for 127 days at "The Convenience of the Government" and he was discharged on 21 April 1947. There is correspondance with the Marine Corps awards branch in regards to receiving subsequent awards of the Marine Corps Good Conduct medals for his 7 years, 11 months, and 23 days of service from 1940 - 1947. In 1950, Jane Blakeney provided a written response explaining that his second enlistment was in the Marine Corps Reserve and his third enlistment, even though he was now enlisted on an Active Duty FMF elistment, was just shy of a second award of the Good Conduct Medal, by approx. 7 days?

I fell in love with this group when I first saw it and could not purchase it fast enough. This is a Marine who participated in combat with the Japanese during one of the the Marine Corps first campaigns at Guadalcanal and then again during the last campaign against the Japanese at Okinawa, and he was decorated during both campaigns with a Purple Heart and a Silver Star.

[MWalsh]

Very nice Rocco, thanks for the posts on it.

 

Sugar Loaf. Quite the fight from what the history books tell us, I am sometimes surprised at how seldom things from there, and Okinawa in general, tend to show up.

[Raidercollector]

Rocco ,

Nice Group , Like Mike said you seldom see groups like this from Okinawa , Why ,I do not know, Since it was the biggest land battle for the marines an the greatest lost of life for the marines. It would be great if who ever owns that purple heart on this forum , would give you the option to buy it ,So it would be not split up any more.Maybe he even owns the china medal to. The second Heart should also have a gold star on it. I also own several marine silver star groups that are broken up to to someone else got the purple heart. Marine groups like the one you own are so hard to find. Did you get his file ? Also you did a very nice write up on this fine marine who fought for are country,

 

Nick

[BagmanL6]

Rocco - Good morning and Semper Fi. Great group and I appreciate you taking the time to post it. Enjoyed reading every word. Quick question if I may. If I read it all correctly he didn't earn a 2d award to his GCM because he was USMCR? If that is true than am I safe in assuming Marines in the reserves in general couldn't earn a GCM? Thanks.

[Dirk]

Excellent group! Looks like your man started his first Asiatic cruise in Peiping China at the Mar Det before going to Shanghai in May of 1939 which might explain the star on his medal. Interesting that he started in Peiping before going to Shanghai....most Marines started in the 4th and then transferred to the Embassy Det to finish out their Far Eastern cruise. A true China Marine! Congrats on a wonderful group!!!

[katieony]

Rocco,

A very nice addition to your collection! Thank you for posting the images and telling this Marine's story.

Mike

[0811gysgt]

Rocco ,

Nice Group , Like Mike said you seldom see groups like this from Okinawa , Why ,I do not know, Since it was the biggest land battle for the marines an the greatest lost of life for the marines. It would be great if who ever owns that purple heart on this forum , would give you the option to buy it ,So it would be not split up any more.Maybe he even owns the china medal to. The second Heart should also have a gold star on it. I also own several marine silver star groups that are broken up to to someone else got the purple heart. Marine groups like the one you own are so hard to find. Did you get his file ? Also you did a very nice write up on this fine marine who fought for are country,

 

Nick

Thank You Nick. My goal this year is to get caught up on research and post some of these great groups.

 

Let me clarify his award of a single Purple Heart...

 

Keough was only wounded once on 16 September 1942 at Guadalacanal. Based on the entries in his record, I suspect at he was awarded the Purple Heart that I have, an non-engraved Type I US Mint Purple Heart, while recovering from wounds in the hospital. I believe he later received the officially engraved Type I Purple Heart over two years after he was wounded durin September of 1942, because he received official notification that it was being engraved on August 16, 1944. So, I suspect that he was awarded the Purple Heart twice for the being wounded on 16 September 1942.

[0811gysgt]

Excellent group! Looks like your man started his first Asiatic cruise in Peiping China at the Mar Det before going to Shanghai in May of 1939 which might explain the star on his medal. Interesting that he started in Peiping before going to Shanghai....most Marines started in the 4th and then transferred to the Embassy Det to finish out their Far Eastern cruise. A true China Marine! Congrats on a wonderful group!!!

Dirk,

 

You are correct. I looked a little closer at his file and he did serve in both Peiping and Shanghai during 1938-1940.

 

I still suspect that he ended up in China post war, but his file only shows "Asiatic" for that period.

 

This was another selling point for me. I love China and Bannana War groups.

 

Thank You for your insight.

 

Rocco

[0811gysgt]

Rocco - Good morning and Semper Fi. Great group and I appreciate you taking the time to post it. Enjoyed reading every word. Quick question if I may. If I read it all correctly he didn't earn a 2d award to his GCM because he was USMCR? If that is true than am I safe in assuming Marines in the reserves in general couldn't earn a GCM? Thanks.

Thank You Jeff. I am sure that we have similar interests in collecting.

 

I don't believe that the fact that he was considered USMCR from 1940-1944 was the disqualifier for the awar of the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal.

 

When I get home I will post exactly how Jane Blakeney explained him not being eligible for a second, or subsequent award, from 1940-1947, which was 7 years, 11 months, and 23 days.

 

I believe that this was simply the Marine Corps strict adherence to the regulations at the time. I do know that from 1940-1944 it was a four year award, which then changed to a three year award during 1944. So either way he just missed the criteria for a second and third award.

 

The official correspondence explains it best.

 

Rocco

[BagmanL6]

Makes sense now. The clock kept resetting when he moved between USMC and USMCR

[Kurt Barickman]

Very nice group! Thanks for sharing. Good luck on the reunion.

 

Kurt

[kanemono]

Rocco, that is a great group. I hope you find the Purple Heart.

Dick

[BigJohn#3RD]

Rocco,

Excellent endeavor researching and presenting this Marine’s service. Good luck at reuniting the Purple Heart with the rest of the group.

John

[0811gysgt]

Jeff,

This was the official response provided to PltSgt Keough in regards to his request for subsequent awards of the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal.

Also, he passed a written exam and board and was on the promotion list for Gunnery Sergeant just prior to his discharge.

 

Rocco

[BagmanL6]

Thanks Rocco. I really don't know what to think. Regulations are regulations and I certainly understand the logic. It does seem someone could have made the realistic decision as well. With all due respect the ying and yang of our Service.

[Blondell22]

I have the engraved ph of Keough

[Kurt Barickman]

Rocco, clean out your messages.

 

Kurt

[0811gysgt]

Done, my apologies. Work has me pretty busy in these unprecedented times.

[bobgee]

Wonderful USMC group. Hope that named Purple Heart ends up back with it.

 

The USMC GCM issue in this case is really interesting. As most USMC GCM collectors know, during WWI, for example almost every Marine who enlisted for the duration and served honorably received a rim-numbered GCM regardless of the length of service be it 2 weeks or 2 years. I have a Purple Heart group to a Marine who enlisted in 1916 for 4 years. He served in the Dominican Republic and in France where was wounded. He was Honorably Discharged in 1919 due to his wounds, but short of the completion of his 4 year enlistment and the qualifying period for the GCM. He did not receive a GCM. Go figure!

 

In Keough's case I believe te disparity involves the particular enlistments not being considered as continuous service. His 2nd hitch was not recognized as 'continuous' His 3rd failed to meet the minimum required time. U think had he appealed to higher headquarters it migh have had a different than the one Mrs. Blakeney made. Semper Fi, Mac! - Bob

[0811gysgt]

Thank You for your comments Bob. I guess “timing is everything,” as in this case.

 

Rocco

[0811gysgt]

The engraved Purple Heart that was issued in late 1944 for then Sgt. Edmund F. Keough.  Still in the hands of another Forum member.