NY Father (CGM, Sampson Medal - WW1) & Son (SGT, “K” Co., 7th IR, 3rd ID, Cisterna Silver Star, Anzio “Breakout” KIA Purple Heart)

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The medal group of this Navy father and Army son from Long Island, NY covers pre- Spanish American War through WWII service. Fifty years from 1894-1944. It consists of 10 federal medals, ribbons, certificates, documents and the Gold Star flag scanned below. In order to ship them cross-country, it was necessary for the seller to remove the medals from two frames they were in for many years that were also sent to me. All but two of the documents /certificates were removed from frames that were apparently too damaged to salvage. As for the macro medal scans later in this post, I would like to have pure white backgrounds, but without a lightbox I would have had to overexpose the medals. Instead, I’ve tried to show them as natural as possible. This is a long post, since I think the history and sacrifice that the medals represent, particularly Anzio, is worth recalling. The last photo scan is the final resting place of this father and son at Long Island National Cemetery, NY.

 

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Chief Gunner’s Mate John H. Rosloof, USN and Sergeant James H. Rosloof, USA.

 

John Halmar Rosloof (aka Rosloff) immigrated to the United States from Rauma on the west coast of Finland on 8 January 1889. The Grand Duchy of Finland, the predecessor to the modern Finland, existed between 1809 and 1917 as an autonomous part of the Russian Empire and was ruled by the Russian Czar as Grand Duke. Sixteen-year old John embarked at Ellis Island and settled in New York City. On 16 January 1894, he enlisted in the Navy and reported aboard his first ship, USS Wabash. During the Spanish American War, he was a Gunner's Mate 3d class on the protected cruiser USS New York (CA-2) that was RADM William T. Sampson’s flagship.

 

Admiral Sampson's flagship, the U.S. Armored cruiser "NEW YORK" firing on a coast-guard of Spanish cavalry, off Cabanas, 29 April 1898.

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Practice loading of one of the cruiser's midships 8/35 guns, circa 1898.

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A USS New York gun crew.

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USS New York underway in New York Harbor during the victory fleet review, 21 August 1898, accompanied by local tugs and other craft. Rear Admiral William T. Sampson's two-star flag is flying at the mainmast peak.

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Still attached to USS New York after the war, Rosloof petitioned for naturalization at New York and became a citizen on 18 October 1899, renouncing all allegiance to the "Czar of Russia".

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Following the war Gunner’s Mate Rosloof served on many ships, including USS Franklin, USS Monongahela, USS Lancaster, USS Raleigh, USS Castine, USS Massachusetts, USS Hancock, USS Marietta, USS Olympia, USS Virginia, USS North Carolina (where he was stationed per the 1910 Census), USS Severn, USS Vermont, USS Maine and USS Robin. He earned a Sampson Medal and West Indies Campaign medal # 3721 for his service on USS New York during the Spanish American War and a Good Conduct Medal (USS New York) on 19 January 1900 at the end of his first six year enlistment. He later earned four subsequent awards at the end of enlistments in 1904, 1912, 1916 and 1920 over his 34-year career. He transferred to the Fleet Naval Reserve on 6 May 1916 but remained on active duty and served during WW I as a Chief Gunners Mate, earning a WWI Victory Medal with Escort clasp.

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Reverse of Fleet Reserve Certificate.

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On 3 August 1917, at Pasquotank, North Carolina, the 45-year old Rosloof married Etta Rose Dwyer, 32, of New York City.

 

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Per the 1920 census, John Rosloof was living in Brooklyn with his wife and oldest daughter, probably stationed at the Navy Yard.

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Still on active duty with the Navy, in 1923 the Rosloofs settled at Hempstead, on Long Island, where they raised a family of four children, Margaret [Van Orden] (b. 1918), Evelyn [Kammerer] (b. 1922), James (b. 1924) and John (b. 1925). John was 52 when James was born and they shared an April 6 birthday.

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Chief Gunner’s Mate John Rosloof retired from the Navy on 28 January 1928. He was 55 and went to work as a gardener for the New York State Parks, where he was still working in 1940 at age 68.

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Home life.

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Both John and Etta were active in the American Legion, Robert Van Cott Post 1139, on Long Island. Etta was sergeant- at- arms in the women’s auxiliary and headed the Americanism committee. She continued actively volunteering with the Legion into the 1950’s.

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During his four decades in the Navy, Chief Rosloof never sent his Phase I Sampson Medal, impressed “JOHN H. ROSLOOF, G.M. 3d. C.” back to the US Mint to add the 6 bars that USS New York was entitled to in Phase III of the Sampson issue.

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Rim naming on USS New York Sampson Medal.

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He also never bothered to re-ribbon the red and yellow Type I ribbon on his West Indies Campaign medal after 1913 when it was changed to the blue and yellow Type II ribbon as a conciliatory gesture to Spain.

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Rim of Bailey, Banks and Biddle West Indies Campaign Medal, #3721.

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Judging by the ribbon wear, Chief Rosloof wore his service medals, particularly his 1900 USS New York, Good Conduct medal, Continuous Service Contract (CSC) #12332 with engraved 1904 “beehive” pin and three bars. The original Good Conduct ribbon drape was a tattered fragment and the bars were already off when it was mounted in a frame years ago. The original pin brooch that was fortunately also stuck in the frame is interesting since it doesn’t have holes drilled in it for thread to pass through like other early examples that I’ve seen.

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1900 USN Good Conduct Medal with four bars.

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Close up of planchet engraving.

 

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Engraved “beehive” pin and subsequent Good Conduct award bars.

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World War I Victory medal with “Escort” clasp.

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After he graduated from Hempstead High in 1942, 18-year old Jim Rosloof enlisted in the Army at New York City on 24 October 1942. He was sent to the Infantry Replacement Training Center at Camp Croft near Spartanburg, South Carolina. He reported on 16 November 1942 and was assigned to Company "A", 31st Infantry Training Battalion. He completed his training as "an Infantryman of a Rifle Company" on 13 February 1943.

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PVT Rosloof was assigned to “K” Company, 3^rd Battalion, 7^th Infantry Regiment (3-7), one of the oldest and most highly decorated Army regiments. In its 200-year history the Seventh Infantry Regiment has participated in 12 wars, been awarded 78 campaign streamers, and had 14 unit decorations. The regiment has served in more campaigns than any other infantry unit in the United States Army. Known as the "Cottonbalers", for the unit's historic service in 1815 at the Battle of New Orleans under Gen. Andrew Jackson when its soldiers held positions behind a breastwork of cotton bales during the British attack, the 7^th was part of the 3^rd Infantry Division, formed in 1917 and known as the "Marne Division" from its World War I service when the 7^th Machine Gun Battalion of the Third Infantry Division rushed to Château-Thierry amid retreating French troops and held the Germans back at the Marne River. While surrounding units retreated, the 3^rd Infantry Division, including the 30^th and 38^th Infantry Regiments, remained steadfast throughout the Second Battle of the Marne, and so earned its nickname, the "Rock of the Marne".