kanemono Posted October 22, 2019 Share #1 Posted October 22, 2019 This is one of my favorite groups to PHM2 John Ernest Wicker who served as a Navy Corpsman with Marines during World War One. His Purple Heart is one of only 146 Purple Hearts awarded to Navy personnel during the First World War. Only Army personnel or those who served with the Army received Purple Hearts. Wicker applied for a Purple Heart and the request was denied by the Navy and the Army because they said he was not wounded. However, Wicker was wounded (gassed) and over a series of letters he proved it to the Army and Navy. Wicker was a Washington lawyer so he knew how the system worked. I am posting the series of letters, I think you will find them very interesting. Navy Corpsmen were among the most highly decorated in the entire American Expeditionary Force, 146 Navy Corpsmen were wounded and 16 killed in action while attached to the Marine Corps during World War One. John Ernest Wicker was born in Burlington, North Carolina on February 26, 1899. He graduated from High School in Graham, North Carolina, and enlisted in the United Stated Navy at Raleigh, North Carolina on August 16, 1917. After basic training at Newport, Rhode Island he was assigned to the Hospital Corps. After completing training at the League Island Naval Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Wicker was rated as Hospital Apprentice 1st class. He was then assigned to the Second Replacement Battalion, Second Division, United States Marine Corps, American Expeditionary Force, in France. In September Wicker was assigned to the 81st Company, 6th Machine Gun Battalion, United States Marine Corps. The Marine Corps had no medical personnel of its own and relied on the United States Navy for its medical requirements. Whenever a Marine was wounded on the field of battle he would call out for a “Corpsman!” This would attract a Pharmacist’s Mate or Hospital Apprentice from the Navy Medical Department to his side to render first aid. Navy Corpsmen were among the most highly decorated in the entire American Expeditionary Force, 146 Navy Corpsmen were wounded and 16 killed in action while attached to the Marine Corps during World War One. Wicker “engaged in the advance from Limeyto, and the capture of Thieacort, Jualny and Xammes in the Mihiel Sector from 12 to 13 September 1918. And in open warfare against the enemy in Champagne Sector, France, taking part in capture of Blanc Mont and St. Etienne. (Signed) T.S. Moring, Surgeon, United States Navy.” Wicker was gassed on September 5, 1918 and spent a year at the Naval Hospital, Norfolk, Virginia before returning to duty. In 1926 Wicker was assigned to serve on the USS Isabel based in Shanghai, China. The Isabel served as a member of the Yangtze patrol and as its flagship. Based at Shanghai, USS Isabel spent the low-water period on the river at Hankow returning to the coast in the summer. She and the other small gunboats of the U.S. Navy in China performed the arduous task of protecting American interests during numerous incidents and threats to American nationals. Wicker retired from the Navy as a Pharmacist’s Mate Second Class in 1929. He later served as an Attorney in the District of Columbia for the Federal Communications Commission. John Ernest Wicker died in Arlington, Virginia on August 24, 1963. He is buried at the Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kanemono Posted October 22, 2019 Author Share #2 Posted October 22, 2019 Here are the letters detailing the battle Wicker fought to receive his Purple Heart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kanemono Posted October 22, 2019 Author Share #3 Posted October 22, 2019 next... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
everforward Posted October 22, 2019 Share #4 Posted October 22, 2019 That's a great grouping...! Quite a storied career. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kanemono Posted October 22, 2019 Author Share #5 Posted October 22, 2019 USS Isabel based in Shanghai, China. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris3bs Posted October 22, 2019 Share #6 Posted October 22, 2019 WoW!! Burlington, N.C.!! Practically 10 min from the city. Great seeing this grouping.. Thank You for sharing.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beerdragon54 Posted October 22, 2019 Share #7 Posted October 22, 2019 Freaking amazing!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagjetta Posted October 22, 2019 Share #8 Posted October 22, 2019 Wow. What a group! Thank you for sharing. I really enjoyed reading all the details leading up to the award of his Purple Heart. Again, thanks for taking the time to share such a neat piece of history. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devildog34 Posted October 22, 2019 Share #9 Posted October 22, 2019 spectacular! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffs1130 Posted October 22, 2019 Share #10 Posted October 22, 2019 Very cool grouping! Love the research documents! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobgee Posted October 22, 2019 Share #11 Posted October 22, 2019 Great group & research, Dick. Semper Fi - Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hermanus Posted October 23, 2019 Share #12 Posted October 23, 2019 Wow, very nice group. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEAST Posted October 23, 2019 Share #13 Posted October 23, 2019 Fantastic group! Love the supporting documentation! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted October 23, 2019 Share #14 Posted October 23, 2019 Not often seen! Thanks for showing it, Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warguy Posted October 23, 2019 Share #15 Posted October 23, 2019 Absolutely stellar, I love Corpsman groupings with this kind of provenance. Thanks for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottplen Posted October 23, 2019 Share #16 Posted October 23, 2019 Very nice ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurt Barickman Posted October 24, 2019 Share #17 Posted October 24, 2019 Thats another great group in Dicks collection; thanks for sharing ? Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
French Sam Posted October 24, 2019 Share #18 Posted October 24, 2019 Very very very NICE !!! Thanks for sharing. FS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katieony Posted October 24, 2019 Share #19 Posted October 24, 2019 A top-notch group...thank you for sharing the images and his story! Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6th.MG.BN Posted October 24, 2019 Share #20 Posted October 24, 2019 Outstanding group! Thanks for sharing. Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhcoleterracina Posted October 24, 2019 Share #21 Posted October 24, 2019 Great and rare group, well done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigJohn#3RD Posted October 25, 2019 Share #22 Posted October 25, 2019 Sick As always an awesome medal group and research. Thank you for sharing this unique medal group and the paper trail the veteran had to go through to get his earned award. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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