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Combat Infantryman Badge in Action; Photos of CIBs being worn


rd12
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Here is an Expert Infantryman Badge being worn in Vietnam, which was a rare sight. What is interesting about this particular soldier is that he eventually rose to the rank of Command Sergeant Major and his entire career before and after Vietnam was spent in the Infantry, including armored, Ranger and airborne units, but for some reason his sole combat tour was spent in an artillery unit of II Field Force, Vietnam

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  • 4 weeks later...

Came across this pic.

Ribbons look to be DFC, WW2 Vic, WW1 Vic, American Def w/star, AP CAMP w/ silver & bronze star, & Phil Lib.

My guess is that the wearer was in the PI on 8DEC41 as some type of aircrew, even though no wings, and then fought as Infantry.

Picture is from a Clark AB FB page I belong to.Posted Image

 

Sent from my moto z4 using Tapatalk

 

 

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

post-1761-0-19861200-1572641996.jpg

 

 

A little more info on this Chaplain, he's one Earl S. Bloxham a Presbyterian Minister.

 

From My Deep Background.

 

 

A native of New York and a veteran of three wars, Earl S. Bloxham served in the U.S. Army for over 34 years, retiring in 1974. During World War II, he served under Patton;s 6th Armored Division seeing action at Normandy, Bastogne, the Battle of the Bulge, the Crossing of the Rhine, as well as being one of the first Allied soldiers to enter and liberate Buchenwald concentration camp. During the Korean Conflict, Earl S. Bloxham served as a Chaplain and participated in Chipyong, the Battle for Old Baldy, and the Battle of Pork Chop Hill. He served in Vietnam and participated in the Tet Offensive of 1968. Additionally, as an Army Chaplain, he smuggled Bibles through Czechoslovakia to the Iron Curtain countries during the height of the Cold War and served as Post Chaplain at Fort Gordon from 1965 to 1967. Col. Bloxhams military medals and decorations include the Combat Infantry Badge, the Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Bronze Star with Two Oak Leaf clusters, European Campaign with Five Battle Stars, Korean Service with Three Battle Stars, and Vietnam Campaign with Four Battle Stars, and the Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm.

 

From my research I found he became a minister after WWII and reentered as a Chaplain some time before the Korean War, he served as Padre in the 2nd Infantry Division Division Artillery.

 

His listing for the award of the Commendation Ribbon, that will be the Commendation Ribbon with Metal Pendant, the award that would in time be called the Army Commendation Medal. Curiously not finding as of yet his command in Vietnam, but did see by 1972 he was appointed Staff Chaplain 1st Army, probably at Fort Meade (1st Army HQ reassigned from Fort Hamilton Brooklyn NY NY to Meade in 1966)

 

 

CPT Earl S Bloxham General Order: 052-53 Award: CR 2nd Infantry Division Division Artillery CHAPLAIN CORPS Date Of Action: July 21, 1952

 

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post-1761-0-19861200-1572641996.jpg

 

 

A little more info on this Chaplain, he's one Earl S. Bloxham a Presbyterian Minister.

 

From My Deep Background.

 

 

A native of New York and a veteran of three wars, Earl S. Bloxham served in the U.S. Army for over 34 years, retiring in 1974. During World War II, he served under Patton;s 6th Armored Division seeing action at Normandy, Bastogne, the Battle of the Bulge, the Crossing of the Rhine, as well as being one of the first Allied soldiers to enter and liberate Buchenwald concentration camp. During the Korean Conflict, Earl S. Bloxham served as a Chaplain and participated in Chipyong, the Battle for Old Baldy, and the Battle of Pork Chop Hill. He served in Vietnam and participated in the Tet Offensive of 1968. Additionally, as an Army Chaplain, he smuggled Bibles through Czechoslovakia to the Iron Curtain countries during the height of the Cold War and served as Post Chaplain at Fort Gordon from 1965 to 1967. Col. Bloxhams military medals and decorations include the Combat Infantry Badge, the Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Bronze Star with Two Oak Leaf clusters, European Campaign with Five Battle Stars, Korean Service with Three Battle Stars, and Vietnam Campaign with Four Battle Stars, and the Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm.

 

From my research I found he became a minister after WWII and reentered as a Chaplain some time before the Korean War, he served as Padre in the 2nd Infantry Division Division Artillery.

 

His listing for the award of the Commendation Ribbon, that will be the Commendation Ribbon with Metal Pendant, the award that would in time be called the Army Commendation Medal. Curiously not finding as of yet his command in Vietnam, but did see by 1972 he was appointed Staff Chaplain 1st Army, probably at Fort Meade (1st Army HQ reassigned from Fort Hamilton Brooklyn NY NY to Meade in 1966)

 

 

CPT Earl S Bloxham General Order: 052-53 Award: CR 2nd Infantry Division Division Artillery CHAPLAIN CORPS Date Of Action: July 21, 1952

 

 

Found unit in Vietnam, Staff Chaplain II Field Force Vietnam, May 1967 to April 1968.

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  • 2 weeks later...

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A nice full color portrait of one Normando A. Costello, Major General, Fort Jackson South Carolina, Commanding, was taken in 1958, here we see a custom rack with a custom MINI CIB all on a Army Green cloth panel.

 

A lot of gaps in searching, but at least we know some units he was in Costello in WWII was the old man of the 346th Infantry, 87th Infantry Division for around two months, October 1944 to December 1944, before start of the great German Offensive when the Golden Acorn Division enters into combat in the Ardennes.

 

https://history.army.mil/documents/ETO-OB/87ID-ETO.htm

 

He next shows up in command of the 319th Infantry, 80th Infantry Division, taking command in February 1945, don't know what he was doing between the time he leaves the 87th Division and comes to the 80th, maybe kicked upstairs a Corps Staff officer for a bit???

 

https://history.army.mil/documents/ETO-OB/80ID-ETO.htm

 

His Silver Star

https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/102768#57804

 

 

 

Costello mentioned here in an article on the capture of Weimar.

 

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/seattle-man-drawn-to-germany-70-years-after-wwii-surrender/

 

Costello as we see does not serve in Korean during the war, but does take command of the 7th Infantry Division, probably after he leaves Jackson don;t know no more on his further service in the 1960s.

 

. History of the 7th Infantry Division BAYONET! The BAYONET ...

In October 1985 the Division was resurrected as the 7th Infantry Division (Light) at its old post,. Fort Ord, CA. ... The Regular Army units selected to form the nucleus of the. Div are stationed as ...... Normando Antonio Costello - 1958. Maj. Gen.

 

He passes in 1985 and rests at Fort Benning Georgia.

 

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/47809100/normando-antonia-costello

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  • 1 month later...

An unknown Sarge of an unknown unit sometime in mid late 1969 wearing a full color cloth Combat Infantryman's Badge, most unusual for the date.

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

One Private Yun Chung Gi KATUSA with Co K 19th Infantry 24th Infantry Division around September 1950 with his CIB one source the Encyclopedia of the Korean War gives his age as 15, not sure if that's correct, would think GHQ in Tokyo and all the way down the line would not allow 15 year olds in the United States Army no less in combat.

 

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One more photo of Pvt Yun Chung Gi, as we can see standing next to the America GI that he is small, still Koreans are then a short race, at least back then, maybe he's 17?

 

post-34986-0-51038900-1579666946.jpg

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easterneagle87

One more photo of Pvt Yun Chung Gi, as we can see standing next to the America GI that he is small, still Koreans are then a short race, at least back then, maybe he's 17?

 

attachicon.gif24.jpg

 

Are you sure he's not standing next to Sam Elliot? :D

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  • 1 month later...

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Behind the MLR in the early summer of 1953 June, with a 2nd Div GI who's wearing his CIB on his fatiques, not too far behind as we see a slit trench protection from any long range enemy artillery no doubt.

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Embroidered CIB on guy at right.

 

Picture caption read - Korea, June, 1953: Rocky, a two-month-old bear cub presented to Lt. Gen. Maxwell D. Taylor by South Koreans, appears intent on removing a chunk of the hand of Cpl. William J. Richardson of Brooklyn, N.Y. At right is Cpl. Marvin Van Tickle of Freehold, N.J. Rocky, captured by South Korean troops at the front, was put to work as official mascot of the Eighth Army Honor Guard

 

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Hey Guys,

 

Well, it's the same as my avatar, but here's my Dad in 1946 showing his. Sorry, not the clearest pic, but it works.

 

Thanks,

James

I had a good friend at church who was in the 2nd armored, 41 armored infantry. He has passed on now. His name was Roy Waldrop

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  • 3 weeks later...

Embroidered CIB on guy at right.

 

Picture caption read - Korea, June, 1953: Rocky, a two-month-old bear cub presented to Lt. Gen. Maxwell D. Taylor by South Koreans, appears intent on removing a chunk of the hand of Cpl. William J. Richardson of Brooklyn, N.Y. At right is Cpl. Marvin Van Tickle of Freehold, N.J. Rocky, captured by South Korean troops at the front, was put to work as official mascot of the Eighth Army Honor Guard

 

Looks like a metal CIB on the GI on the right, if it was embroidered it would be a direct embroidered one, not seeing that characteristics.

 

post-117117-0-49179300-1582974449.jpg

 

 

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One Malcolm March Co A 36th Armored Infantry Regiment, 3rd Armored Division, wearing both the CIB and the Distinguished Unit Citation on his wool shirt, Distinguished Unit Citation now known as the Presidential Unit Citation. Co A would have two awards of the DUC, Companies A and C The Roer River, and the entire 1st Battalion, The Siegfried Line, he appears not to be wearing the Oak Leaf Cluster for two awards at the time of photo, photo we guess towards the very end of the war.

 

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  • 4 weeks later...
RegularsByGod

3rd Platoon "Sidewinders" Company C 1/22 Infantry IFFV Tuy Hoa, South Vietnam 1970. Left to right: John "Goose" Bryce, Henry "Ski" Jankowski, Mike Hernandez. Ski and Hernandez are wearing metal CIB's. By this time 1st Battalion 22nd Infantry had been relieved from assignment to the 4th Infantry Division and assigned to direct command by IFFV thus the 1st Field Force patch on Hernandez' left shoulder sleeve.post-52735-0-90946700-1586620415_thumb.jpg

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  • 1 month later...
seanmc1114

Brigadier Major General Michael L. Ferguson wearing both a full size Combat Infantryman Badge and a miniature Expert Infantryman Badge in a very unauthorized manner.

CIB.EIB.General.jpg

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2nd Award CIB on noted Military Historian Harry G. Summers Jr, Summers was a EM in Korea, 21st Infantry, 24th Infantry Division, later as a Officer, a Staff Officer at II Field Force Vietnam and later still, Staff Officer 2nd Battalion 2nd Infantry, 1st Infantry Division, Summers passed in 1999.

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John K. Singlaub when he was the Commander of FORSCOM wearing a Mini CIB, Singlaub is still around, he's 98 years of age.

si6yt.jpg

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  • 4 weeks later...

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