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New USMC Uniform - Need a 73rd MG Company Photo


RobertE
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Hello,

 

I lucked on to a USMC officers uniform set, and was hoping the estate would have photos of the Marine, but it appears it may be a dry hole. However, this Marine was an officer with the 73rd Machine Gun Company, 6th Marines, so any yard long should have him in it.

 

Does anyone have such a photo that might show the company officers, perhaps one of the occupation unit photos? I'd really appreciate the help.

 

s/f Robert

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Maybe the better question is, does anyone know where there may be a repository of Marine unit photos (I've contacted the Marine Corps Museum near Quantico) or someone who is a USMC machine gun unit enthusiast? Are any of the forum members Marine yard-long collectors?

 

s/f Robert

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Hi Robert, once again this grouping of your is amazing and congrats once again. I don't recall personally seeing a photo of this particular unit, not to say say there might not be one out there. I have come across a few through Fold3 in Ancestry, but never this unit. There were a series of photos by Antrim taken in Germany during the occupation. These typically show a particular company or Battalion shot with officers out front and the group gathered in downs behind them.They are an 8X10 format not yardlongs. I have one of the 1st Battalion 6th Marines and the 43rd Company fifth. Some of these depict a smaller group as I believe they have only the battle hardened veterans in them or in some cases the men that started with the unit at beginning of the war and not replacements. Anyway, those I think are your best bet but they are rare images. Not sure you will be able to ID your guy that way though even if you find the photo. Good luck. Kevin

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Hi Kevin,

 

Thanks for responding, I do appreciate it. Since I know his rank and name in a relatively small outfit, I'm hoping I can spot him - but it's a long shot. Couldn't have been more than four or five Lieutenants at that time, and I know his relative size. Who knows!

 

I have 1919 dated yard longs for a couple battalions of the 5th and 6th Marines, and the 6th Machine Gun Battalion and I suspect specialty units - like the two regimental machinegun companies - may have got unit photos but just don't know. I'm hoping for the best, and I've got an national archives request in.

 

I posted more of this uniform on the WAF; it's got a purple lining on the overseas cap and foreign-made EGAs - it's even cooler in hand! Thanks again for coming up on the net.

 

s/f Robert

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Yeah I sympathize with your efforts. I have an extensive grouping belonging to a Lt. In the 17th company 1/5, and have poured over my yard long on that unit to try to find him (I have a very clear and beautiful studio shot of him taken when he arrived stateside). Even with my photo for comparison, I cant for the life of me find him in the yardlong in front of the Capitol. I have even tried to locate his commanding officer, who happens to be the famed John W. Thomason Jr (plenty of photos of him out there) but cant find Thomason either. The two were close friends and I thought maybe they stood together for the photo, but no luck. Anyway, I hope you have better luck than I have. I was interested to hear you also have a yard long for the 6th MGB. I have that one as well, and I know there aren’t many of them out there. I lucked into mine with a period frame in mint condition in a Boise antique store a few years ago. That was a good day. I believe a photo of the 8th Co (fifth Marines MG unit if I recall correctly) is known but is one of the Antrim 8X10 formats I previously mentioned. I will keep my fingers crossed for you and will look at your updated pics on WAF. The pruple lining on the hat sounds like a really neat touch. Kevin

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I know a yardlong collector, I can ask in a month or two when he's settlI will also take a peak next time I'm in the photo archives at Quantico, probably in a couple of weeks. Never know, maybe we'll get lucky

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Brig, I'd really appreciate it. As Kevin pointed out, it's a long shot but may pay off. This officer was with the 73rd MG company from beginning to end, so he'll hopefully appear in any full company photos.

 

s/f Robert

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If you guys find one, please be sure to share it. I will keep an eye out as well. Robert it just dawned on me, you might reach out to another Kevin here on the forum, Devildog34. He is writing several volumes on Belleauwood and has amassed quite a bit of history on individual Marines in WWI. Who knows, he might have some info for you on your Marine or even a picture somewhere. He is a very nice gentleman and I have found him eager to help others. Kevin

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  • 2 weeks later...

Back. There was also a separate piece of paper with it where the vet wrote out the names of the personnel in the photo.

 

I have an original 8th (MG) Co. group photo also.

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Eric, that is fantastic and I really appreciate you posting it. I can't believe you had the one company I needed!

 

I'm not sure why Lt Wilcox did not sign the photo - maybe he was absent the day the picture was taken? He was with the 73rd from 1917 through the rotation back to the States.

 

s/f Robert

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You know Robert,I didn't think of this before, sorry. If you haven't done this, check to see if your officer was perhaps assigned to the 3rd composite battalion. Because the uniform is French made, he could have been wearing this while on Occupation duty and if he was assigned to the Composite Battalion, (a lot of Fourth Brigade combat Marine vets were) then he would have joined them in early May for the remainder of the Summer of 1919. He could have procured another uniform with that patch if that was the case. Just a thought.

 

The Composite Battalion had Marines in Company E, and was used for special functions, parades, ceremonies and such primarily in and around Paris. Good news is if he was assigned to this, there is a gorgeous yardlong of this unit accessible online through Fold3.

 

Also, I have a group, (mentioned above) I have researched where my Lt. was with the 17th Company, but I have a letter reflecting he had been re-assigned for a short time to a headquarters unit in Paris in April on 1919, which corresponds to when a number of these unit photos were being taken. It is possible the same type of thing occurred with your guy. So unfortunately, I can't find him in many of these photos even though I possess several pictures of the right units. Kevin

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My grandfather was commissioned in Dec. 1918 and assigned to 67th Company, 1/5. I have the panoramic they sent to him that was taken in the Spring of 1919. Unfortunately, he is not in it because he was detached to III Corps / 3d Army for a few months and was absent when the unit photos were being taken. I suspect that during that occupation period it was fairly common for junior officers to be detached for temporary duty to do all they busywork of garrison duty at higher headquarters.

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It's very possible he was absent for the picture; I know he was assigned various primary and collateral duties after November. He was a train commander and attended at least one school in early 1919 (A.C. School?), so he could have been absent. Good suggestion.

 

I see at least three officers in the picture though, and one could be him. Maybe he didn't sign. There's around 150 Marines in the photo; did around that many sign?

 

s/f Robert

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  • 1 month later...

I found a picture of Lt Wilcox sometime before Nov 1918 - Dec 1918. Great photo, showing him with his wartime army uniform set-up and only two overseas stripes but his wound stripe as well, so should be shortly after getting out of the hospital from his September wounds.

 

Eric, is it possible to check the four officers in the center of your photo to see if any of them look like this Marine officer? I see four Marine officers center mass on your photo; the Marine on the far left of the photo is also a leader of some type but could be a senior SNCO. Could be him though...

 

I got his records and he was with 1/5 until April 1918, but then transferred to the 73rd from April until summer 1919 - he might of missed the photo, but he was 73rd all the way.

 

s/f Robert

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Wilcox was promoted from Corporal to 2nd Lieutenant with the 73rd MG Company in late June 1918 during the Belleau Wood fighting. Pretty neat the same unit diary promoting him up shows why - lots of Marines WIA during this initial fighting, including one 1st Dan Daly.

 

s/f Robert

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Congratulations Robert on finding that photo, what a wonderful image and puts life to your amazing grouping. Please tell us how you located that? Out of curiosity, did he go to the Army infantry school in Andilly France in August after his promotion? That is where a Lt. In one of my groupings travelled after his promotion to Lt. From Cpl. After the July 18-19 battle of Soisonns (he travelled with John W. Thomason both serving the 49th company 5th Marines who also attended the training in the lull before St. Michael). Kevin

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Kevin, just lucked out on the free Ancestry site maintained by the Mormons; had this photo and some post-service ones as well. He reported to some type of training 28 June, so it's possible he went to some form of shake and bake officers training or army formal training.

 

Sounds like you have a great 5t Marines Lt group!

 

s/f Robert

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  • 1 year later...
Eric Queen

Hello Robert,

 

In May 1919 there were five (5) officers assigned to the 73rd Company, including Wilcox as a 1st Lt. 

Wilcox 1.jpg

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Eric Queen

There are only four (4) officers pictured in the group photo and they are identified as follows (L > R)

 

2nd Lt. Kirkpatrick, Capt. Duncan, 2nd Lt. Darnell, 2nd Lt. Connette

PSpivey x.jpg

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Eric Queen

How they are identified on the piece of paper which came with the photo (from the 73rd vet)

zzxxcc.jpg

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