Named Purple Heart find at flea market

[Tonomachi]

I don't know a lot about medals but I picked up this small grouping yesterday at the flea market. The seller told me that they came out of a storage locker in Fremont, California and apparently he had spoken to the wife who didn't want these medals. It is too bad that the seller didn't get more identifying information concerning Richard Schwartz which I found out later is a very common name. These medals look mint so I'm assuming they are replacement pieces as I did a check on the Internet and the Korea Defense Service Medal is a recent medal that was only created in 2002. The ribbon is missing off of the Purple Heart Medal but I was wondering about the style of engraving. I'm sure it is post war but was it privately done or does the government engrave replacement medals?

 

I checked the Internet for Korean War Veterans with the name of Richard Schwartz. There were eleven that I found. One USMC, two Navy, three USAF and five Army. Due to the combat infantry badge I was able to eliminate the sailors, marine and airmen. Of the five Army Veterans only one resided in California and only 85 miles from where these medals were found. In addition his obituary (see link) states that he was in an infantry type of unit in Korea and was wounded in action. They mention in the obituary that he was airborne qualified but described his unit as the 5th RCT under the 11th Airborne Division. I didn't think the 5th RCT was ever part of the 11th Airborne Division as I checked the Internet and the 5th RCT started off under the 7th Infantry Division, then the 25th Infantry Division, then the 1st Cavalry Division before being under the 24th Infantry Division.

 

https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/newspress/obituary.aspx?n=richard-c-schwartz&pid=182979478

 

 

 

[Tonomachi]

Backs

 

 

[Tonomachi]

Close up of Purple Heart Medal

 

 

[unclegrumpy]

There appears to be two guys this could be, though I agree Richard C is the most likely.

 

 

Name: Richard E Schwartz Race: White Home State: Wisconsin Casualty Date: 19 Aug 1950 Casualty Country: South Korea Casualty Type: Returned to Duty (FECOM) Group: Returned to Duty (FECOM) Branch: Infantry Component: USA - RA (Reg Army) Rank: Private 1st Class Pay Grade: Private First Class Previous Detail: Seriously wounded in action by missile Disposed Date: 31 Aug 1950 Organization: In Div - 25th Element Sequence: Cv Div Cav Regt Inf Unit #: 0027 Service Occupation: Food Service Apprentice

 

 

Name: Richard C Schwartz Race: White Home State: California Casualty Date: 9 Oct 1951 Casualty Country: North Korea Sector Casualty Type: Returned to Duty (FECOM) Group: Returned to Duty (FECOM) Branch: Infantry Component: USA - RA (Reg Army) Rank: Private E-2 Pay Grade: Private E-2 Previous Detail: Seriously wounded in action by missile Disposed Date: 19 Nov 1951 Disposed Place: Japan Organization: In Rgt Unit #: 0005 Service Occupation: Light Weapons Infantryman

[Tonomachi]

 

There appears to be two guys this could be, though I agree Richard C is the most likely.

 

 

Name: Richard E Schwartz Race: White Home State: Wisconsin Casualty Date: 19 Aug 1950 Casualty Country: South Korea Casualty Type: Returned to Duty (FECOM) Group: Returned to Duty (FECOM) Branch: Infantry Component: USA - RA (Reg Army) Rank: Private 1st Class Pay Grade: Private First Class Previous Detail: Seriously wounded in action by missile Disposed Date: 31 Aug 1950 Organization: In Div - 25th Element Sequence: Cv Div Cav Regt Inf Unit #: 0027 Service Occupation: Food Service Apprentice

 

 

Name: Richard C Schwartz Race: White Home State: California Casualty Date: 9 Oct 1951 Casualty Country: North Korea Sector Casualty Type: Returned to Duty (FECOM) Group: Returned to Duty (FECOM) Branch: Infantry Component: USA - RA (Reg Army) Rank: Private E-2 Pay Grade: Private E-2 Previous Detail: Seriously wounded in action by missile Disposed Date: 19 Nov 1951 Disposed Place: Japan Organization: In Rgt Unit #: 0005 Service Occupation: Light Weapons Infantryman

 

Thanks for this additional information.

[Dave]

That's an officially government engraved replacement Purple Heart. I have seen and photographed that style of engraving in the early 2000s, so it's entirely possible this group may date from that time period.

[Tonomachi]

That's an officially government engraved replacement Purple Heart. I have seen and photographed that style of engraving in the early 2000s, so it's entirely possible this group may date from that time period.

Thanks for this information.