MY first named Purple Heart

[easterneagle87]

I got this medal a little while ago and thought I would share the story. So I see this on one of those new odd sites that sells stuff. I make contact and arrange to buy and ship it. I practically walk the guy through everything to get it. I sent a pre-labelled, small priority box to get it to come back to me. The ad pictured a Purple Heart resting on top of the a presentation box. I see the medal is named, so cool, I'm in and we do the deal. I get the box back and these items are just rattling inside of it. This was your grandfathers and you treat it like this?!?! I told the guy I want to preserve the history, but when I git it, I'm just shaking my head.

 

So I write back, Where's the box? He replies back, you sent a small box and that's all I thought you wanted. I'm scratch my head. I know a coffin style presentation box will fit in a small priority box. So he agrees to send the box. Now here's where it gets interesting. I get an over sized dresser box, but the lid of the Purple Heart has been glued to the lid of the jewelry box. No wonder they didn't send it along the first time.

 

So the Heart is named to, Melvin L. Eatherton. A news paper clipping shows him in Army uniform and there is an un-named GC that was included.

 

I tried to come up with a little research, but failed. Can anyone help me ID this soldier to a unit?

 

PS, there is a bring back type Dog tag that has Japanese or maybe Chinese writing on it. ID it? Pacific Theater.

[easterneagle87]

The Heart is barely hanging on by a thread to the ribbon. Here's a shot of the box.

[McDermut99]

You have to wonder how people like that operate daily.

 

Nice little grouping though!

[Graybeard]

Too bad about the case but fortunately those are pretty easy to replace. I can't imagine why someone would glue half a case to something else. I am in the same dilemma, a named and numbered PH but no success in finding out more.

[Bodes]

Your dogtag is Japanese....Bodes

[Bodes]

You have to wonder how people like that operate daily.

 

Nice little grouping though!

 

Ain't that the truth....I bought a small WW2 German bust with marble base from a guy on eBay....When I picked up the package at the post office, it had a strange rattle to it....When I opened the package, the head of the bust was severed....The guy had basically tossed it into an empty cardboard box....I e-mailed him and all he had to say was that he would reimburse my money....No care whatsoever that a piece of history had been destroyed.....Bodes

[easterneagle87]

OK, so I have a grouping from a Pacific Theater vet Army vet. Once again, any help of the name?

 

Melvin L. Eatherton

[BEAST]

OK, so I have a grouping from a Pacific Theater vet Army vet. Once again, any help of the name?

 

Melvin L. Eatherton

It looks like he was on Okinawa. He was interviewed for a St. Louis newspaper. You can see the OCR article here, but it is a bit of a jumble to decipher. https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/139814047/

 

"....where Pvt. Eatherton is recovering at an Army hospital from a fractured arm and bullet wounds in his side suffered on Okinawa."

[Brig]

 

No care whatsoever that a piece of history had been destroyed.....Bodes

Remember in high school when we were all called nerds for liking history? Well those guys are now the ones tossing their grandparents stuff in a box. Without them, we wouldn't have collections. Double edged sword, I suppose

[easterneagle87]

THANKS!! Beast!

 

Here is what I was able to copy and piece back together.

 

Pfc. Melvin L. Eatherton, husband of Mrs. Ruth E. Eatherton, Valley Park, said he felt sorry for the first Japanese women he saw in Okinawa until he saw them tossing grenades which killed two American soldiers, according to an Associated Press dispatch from ion. where Pvt. Eatherton is recovering at an Army hospital from a fractured arm and bullet wounds in his side suffered on Okinawa. He was in combat 10 days.

 

What major Army Divisions served in the Okinawa campaign?

[Brig]

THANKS!! Beast!

 

Here is what I was able to copy and piece back together.

 

Pfc. Melvin L. Eatherton, husband of Mrs. Ruth E. Eatherton, Valley Park, said he felt sorry for the first Japanese women he saw in Okinawa until he saw them tossing grenades which killed two American soldiers, according to an Associated Press dispatch from ion. where Pvt. Eatherton is recovering at an Army hospital from a fractured arm and bullet wounds in his side suffered on Okinawa. He was in combat 10 days.

 

What major Army Divisions served in the Okinawa campaign?

Here's a couple links discussing the order or battle at Okinawa...

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Okinawa

 

And one discussing the Order of Battle in the PTO:

 

https://archive.org/stream/OrderOfBattleUsArmyPtoWw2/OrderOfBattleUsArmyPtoWw2_djvu.txt

[Bodes]

Remember in high school when we were all called nerds for liking history? Well those guys are now the ones tossing their grandparents stuff in a box. Without them, we wouldn't have collections. Double edged sword, I suppose

 

We're still the nerds.....I was at an estate sale two days ago and there were some items from a WW2 vet....I was toting around a German peak visor while another gentleman was asking me questions about a large German flag....Two women behind us were talking about how eerie the flag and hat were and that they wouldn't want them in their houses....But yeah I do understand your point.....Bodes

[GrandDaughterofVet]

Holy Moly! What are the chances I'd ever come across this! Genealogy is a hobby of mine and I'm always scouring the web for military information of any kind about my Grandfather to add to his ancestry profile.

My name is Debbie. Melvin Leroy Eatherton was my maternal Grandfather. I saw the scar on his side from the bullet wound many many times as a child. My mom was super proud of her dads service & of his Purple Heart! 

I saw my grandpa's Purple Heart dozens of times growing up. Sadly, after my mom passed in 2002, my step-father wouldnt allow us to have any of my moms possessions. She was the keeper of his Purple Heart....

HOWEVER...I have never seen this collection.  I can only make a guess that perhaps these personal effects were accidentally left behind by my grandfather with his first wife after their divorce in Missouri 1946. After that he moved to Michigan where he married my Grandmother. He did have 2 children with his 1st wife. I was never close to them due to distance and never met any resulting cousins from my Half Uncle & Aunt. I suppose it's possible this collection was sold by someone connected to his 1st marriage.

 

My grandpa passed way in 1989 after receiving a supply of the wrong blood type during a surgery.  He was 69. I was 11. He was a jovial, positive man who gave me rides on a trailer attached to his riding lawn mower. I helped him puck green beans from his garden and shared his top secret hidden stash of black licorce with me. And even though I hated black licorice, I loved that he let me in on the hiding spot of his favorite treat.  After his funeral, I looked in his hiding place and found a single half eaten piece of his beloved black licorice that I still have to this day. Lol. 

 

I would love to purchase this collection if possible. I do understand if not. Even some quality photographs of each relic so I can document it in my family tree.  Ive been buying & selling antiques/vintage for 20 years. Im a collector too (not of military) so I understand if it's not for sale. 

[GrandDaughterofVet]

[GrandDaughterofVet]

Melvin Leroy Eatherton 

 

[aznation]

Source:  Newspapers.com

 

 

[aznation]

Source:  Newspapers.com

 

[aznation]

Source:  Newspapers.com

 

[aznation]

Source:  Newspapers.com