KASTAUFFER Posted October 12, 2008 Share #1 Posted October 12, 2008 These medals were part of a larger lot on Ebay described as " Military Medals and Misc" . The seller was only 1 mile from my house, so I won the lot today and picked them up from him a couple of hours later at his house! No PAYPAL fees or Shipping on this deal This is a set of 3 medals to Pvt August Benson . He was a 22 year old Swedish immigrant who enlisted in 1898 at Portland to serve with the 2nd Oregon Volunteers. He served with them in both the " War with Spain" and the " Philippine Insurrection ". The 2nd Oregon is a notable unit because they were the 1st US Army unit to arrive overseas to fight the Spanish during the war. This lot includes the 2nd Oregon Volunteer medal awarded by the state of Oregon , a Spanish Campaign Medal ( MNO 2331 ), and Philippine Campaign Medal ( MNO 3341 ). You typically see MNO medals in groups to volunteer units because not many of them stayed in the US Army long enough to have received NO. numbered medals. The 2nd Oregon Medal is officially hand engraved A. Benson , Co. L. Here is a website with some history of the unit : http://www.spanamwar.com/2ndoregon.htm Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted October 12, 2008 Author Share #2 Posted October 12, 2008 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KurtA Posted October 12, 2008 Share #3 Posted October 12, 2008 Great group. It's nice the one medal was named, enabling the other two to be attributed. Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IMPERIAL QUEST Posted October 12, 2008 Share #4 Posted October 12, 2008 You really outdid yourself on this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobgee Posted October 13, 2008 Share #5 Posted October 13, 2008 Great find, Kurt! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted October 13, 2008 Author Share #6 Posted October 13, 2008 Thanks for the comments guys! Here is a scan from the unit history. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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