Cpl. Punishment Posted March 14, 2017 Share #1 Posted March 14, 2017 So, my uncle was 1st Lt. Paul F. Sayre of the 90th Bomb Group 320th bomb squadron. He was KIA April 16th, 1943. My family has his Purple heart and air medal grouping in our posession and not long ago, an almost identical grouping came up for sale from another 320th bomb squadron member who was killed April 16th as well. With a little research it was obvious that this medal group belonged to a crewmember of my Uncle's plane! Long story short, I bought the medals from a fellow forum member and they arrived in the mail today! I am so excited to reunite these two medal groupings! I need to research the man these medals belonged to as i would love to find his picture but here is what i got! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cpl. Punishment Posted March 14, 2017 Author Share #2 Posted March 14, 2017 ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tarbridge Posted March 14, 2017 Share #3 Posted March 14, 2017 It is always nice to bring these mates back together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cpl. Punishment Posted March 14, 2017 Author Share #4 Posted March 14, 2017 ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tarheeltim Posted March 14, 2017 Share #5 Posted March 14, 2017 Awesome - I'm happy for you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David D Posted March 14, 2017 Share #6 Posted March 14, 2017 That's incredible. Thanks for preserving their memory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blacksmith Posted March 14, 2017 Share #7 Posted March 14, 2017 Here is the rest of the crew of your uncle's plane, which was B-24 Serial Number 41-24077, and crashed on 4/16/43 : Pilot 1st Lt Paul F. Sayre, O-438556 (MIA / KIA, BR) OH Co-Pilot 2nd Lt James L White Jr., O-662847 (MIA / KIA, BR) Santa Barbara, CA Bombardier 2nd Lt Robert l. Block O-728332 (MIA / KIA, BR) Chicago, IL Navigator 2nd Lt Robert R Null, O-727650 (MIA / KIA, BR) Los Angeles, CA Crew TSgt Earl E Godsey, 17028285 (MIA / KIA, BR) KS Crew SSgt John P DeMartini, 39840907 (MIA / KIA , BR) CA Crew TSgt Homer L. Bartlett, 15017791 (MIA / KIA, BR) WV Crew SSgt Milton E. Barber, 39093956 (MIA / KIA, BR) MN Crew SSgt Harold P. Hetelle, 16052683 (MIA / KIA, BR) IL Crew Sgt Mark H. Briggs, 15059395 (MIA / KIA, BR) IN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffs1130 Posted March 14, 2017 Share #8 Posted March 14, 2017 Great find!!! Back together again over the wild blue yonder! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAHOOMAN Posted March 14, 2017 Share #9 Posted March 14, 2017 Nice Grouping. Its good to have this grouping reunited. Best of luck in finding a photo of Briggs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GDMortarman Posted March 14, 2017 Share #10 Posted March 14, 2017 It is cool, but sad on the other end as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuftStalg1 Posted March 14, 2017 Share #11 Posted March 14, 2017 That's wonderful CP! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerialbridge Posted March 14, 2017 Share #12 Posted March 14, 2017 Congratulations- they are in beautiful condition. Hope to see pix of the entire group and research. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonlight Gecko Posted March 14, 2017 Share #13 Posted March 14, 2017 Amazing. Glad the medals from these two men are now together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge8 Posted March 14, 2017 Share #14 Posted March 14, 2017 This is a photo from Ancestry. It's from a 1936 Culver Military Academy yearbook. His name was Marcus Hurd Briggs, but went by Mark. Born 30 Dec 1918 in Allen, Indiana to Robert Hurd Briggs and Esther Elizabeth Kennedy. Buried in the Phillipines. Sarge8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurt Barickman Posted March 14, 2017 Share #15 Posted March 14, 2017 Very nice story, it was meant to be. Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEAST Posted March 14, 2017 Share #16 Posted March 14, 2017 That's really nice that you were able to reunite two crewmembers. If you want to check newspapers, Briggs was from Kokomo, Indiana. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellasilva Posted March 14, 2017 Share #17 Posted March 14, 2017 Incredible stuff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blacksmith Posted March 14, 2017 Share #18 Posted March 14, 2017 To the CPL, both your uncle and Mr. Briggs were buried in the same cemetary that "Sarge 8" referred to, the Manila American Cemetary. Your uncle was interred in Plot L, Row 6, Grave 106. Mr. Briggs was interred in Plot D, Row 4, Grave 171. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris3bs Posted March 14, 2017 Share #19 Posted March 14, 2017 It's hard to believe the rarity of bringing back the crew in this way. To heaven and back! Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garandomatic Posted March 14, 2017 Share #20 Posted March 14, 2017 Totally. Twice in one week, for cpl! His family friend was on the same plane as the owner of one of my favorite 8th AF uniforms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge8 Posted March 14, 2017 Share #21 Posted March 14, 2017 Maybe should think about playing Powerball -LOL ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cpl. Punishment Posted March 14, 2017 Author Share #22 Posted March 14, 2017 THANK YOU GUYS!!! Seriously!!! I can't begin to tell you how lucky i feel to be able to reunite these medals. Its really such a moving experience and i would like to thank WAHOOMAN for making it happen. I will be taking a trip up north to see my aunt in the near future and will get pictures of these medals with my uncle's medals, so stay tuned! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWS Posted March 14, 2017 Share #23 Posted March 14, 2017 Amazing and so lucky to put them together, yet so sad. There are memorials for both men on FindaGrave, although no photos of either man. Still worth a look and you can add info to the memorial. Thanks for posting this. Perhaps their was a crew photo taken at some time? Lt. Paul F. Sayre-56766063 Sgt. Mark H. Briggs-56759144 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmar Posted March 14, 2017 Share #24 Posted March 14, 2017 That is an awesome find, and my hat's off to you to reunite the memory of these two crew members, and to honor them here. I'm sure your uncle would be proud of you! As a side note, they both made the ultimate sacrifice on the exact day, 12 years before I was born, April 16. Thank you again, I really enjoyed your post. Best wishes! Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmar Posted March 14, 2017 Share #25 Posted March 14, 2017 The_Post_Register_Wed__May_19__1943_ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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