mvmhm Posted August 21, 2020 Share #1 Posted August 21, 2020 So the week has sucked...I was out of work for three days with a back injury, and my "only $500" car repair suddenly ballooned to $1,465.00...but the Collecting Gods took pity upon me. I had gotten an email earlier in the week from a man asking if we took donations of old newspapers and LIFE Magazines - Sure, these are always good to have on hand. So I stopped by last night to pick them up... Mark Conrad, MSgt, USAF (Ret) "Poor is the nation that has no Heroes...shameful is the one having them that forgets." The Miami Valley Military History Museum: http://www.mvmhm.com https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Miami-Valley-Military-History-Museum/111268115594349 Official Partner of the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration: www.vietnamwar50th.com Official Partner of the United States of America World War I Centennial: www.worldwar1centennial.org Link to post Share on other sites
mvmhm Posted August 21, 2020 Author Share #2 Posted August 21, 2020 So, while we're discussing how he came to have them, he casually asked "I've still got my Dad's Navy stuff from WWII. You probably wouldn't ant that would you? He was in the submarine service you know." Gulp. He ended up keeping a stack of photos, but he's making scans for us...in the meantime, here's the artifacts of QM2c(T) Gilson, crewmember of SS-393, the USS QUEENFISH. He served aboard her the entire time from commissioning to the end of WWII: Mark Conrad, MSgt, USAF (Ret) "Poor is the nation that has no Heroes...shameful is the one having them that forgets." The Miami Valley Military History Museum: http://www.mvmhm.com https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Miami-Valley-Military-History-Museum/111268115594349 Official Partner of the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration: www.vietnamwar50th.com Official Partner of the United States of America World War I Centennial: www.worldwar1centennial.org Link to post Share on other sites
mvmhm Posted August 21, 2020 Author Share #3 Posted August 21, 2020 Here's his discharge folder...note the miniature combat badge in the center...and a closeup of the same.... Mark Conrad, MSgt, USAF (Ret) "Poor is the nation that has no Heroes...shameful is the one having them that forgets." The Miami Valley Military History Museum: http://www.mvmhm.com https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Miami-Valley-Military-History-Museum/111268115594349 Official Partner of the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration: www.vietnamwar50th.com Official Partner of the United States of America World War I Centennial: www.worldwar1centennial.org Link to post Share on other sites
mvmhm Posted August 21, 2020 Author Share #4 Posted August 21, 2020 ...and the award card that was tucked inside... Mark Conrad, MSgt, USAF (Ret) "Poor is the nation that has no Heroes...shameful is the one having them that forgets." The Miami Valley Military History Museum: http://www.mvmhm.com https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Miami-Valley-Military-History-Museum/111268115594349 Official Partner of the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration: www.vietnamwar50th.com Official Partner of the United States of America World War I Centennial: www.worldwar1centennial.org Link to post Share on other sites
mvmhm Posted August 21, 2020 Author Share #5 Posted August 21, 2020 There's no uniforms left...but he did save his Rate and sub badge...and there's a commemorative medal. Mark Conrad, MSgt, USAF (Ret) "Poor is the nation that has no Heroes...shameful is the one having them that forgets." The Miami Valley Military History Museum: http://www.mvmhm.com https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Miami-Valley-Military-History-Museum/111268115594349 Official Partner of the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration: www.vietnamwar50th.com Official Partner of the United States of America World War I Centennial: www.worldwar1centennial.org Link to post Share on other sites
mvmhm Posted August 21, 2020 Author Share #6 Posted August 21, 2020 This is a neat Home Front item.... Mark Conrad, MSgt, USAF (Ret) "Poor is the nation that has no Heroes...shameful is the one having them that forgets." The Miami Valley Military History Museum: http://www.mvmhm.com https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Miami-Valley-Military-History-Museum/111268115594349 Official Partner of the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration: www.vietnamwar50th.com Official Partner of the United States of America World War I Centennial: www.worldwar1centennial.org Link to post Share on other sites
mvmhm Posted August 21, 2020 Author Share #7 Posted August 21, 2020 aaaand there's this framed selection of important docos and insignias: Mark Conrad, MSgt, USAF (Ret) "Poor is the nation that has no Heroes...shameful is the one having them that forgets." The Miami Valley Military History Museum: http://www.mvmhm.com https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Miami-Valley-Military-History-Museum/111268115594349 Official Partner of the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration: www.vietnamwar50th.com Official Partner of the United States of America World War I Centennial: www.worldwar1centennial.org Link to post Share on other sites
mvmhm Posted August 21, 2020 Author Share #8 Posted August 21, 2020 ...and the full size combat badge with mounted stars.... Mark Conrad, MSgt, USAF (Ret) "Poor is the nation that has no Heroes...shameful is the one having them that forgets." The Miami Valley Military History Museum: http://www.mvmhm.com https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Miami-Valley-Military-History-Museum/111268115594349 Official Partner of the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration: www.vietnamwar50th.com Official Partner of the United States of America World War I Centennial: www.worldwar1centennial.org Link to post Share on other sites
BILL THE PATCH Posted August 21, 2020 Share #9 Posted August 21, 2020 Awesome , sub stuff is hard to come by. Sorry about your car.Sent from my moto g(7) play using Tapatalk Link to post Share on other sites
mvmhm Posted August 21, 2020 Author Share #10 Posted August 21, 2020 Original crew photo.... Mark Conrad, MSgt, USAF (Ret) "Poor is the nation that has no Heroes...shameful is the one having them that forgets." The Miami Valley Military History Museum: http://www.mvmhm.com https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Miami-Valley-Military-History-Museum/111268115594349 Official Partner of the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration: www.vietnamwar50th.com Official Partner of the United States of America World War I Centennial: www.worldwar1centennial.org Link to post Share on other sites
mvmhm Posted August 21, 2020 Author Share #11 Posted August 21, 2020 Message congratulating the crew for rescuing a downed PBY crew, as well as the PUC Mark Conrad, MSgt, USAF (Ret) "Poor is the nation that has no Heroes...shameful is the one having them that forgets." The Miami Valley Military History Museum: http://www.mvmhm.com https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Miami-Valley-Military-History-Museum/111268115594349 Official Partner of the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration: www.vietnamwar50th.com Official Partner of the United States of America World War I Centennial: www.worldwar1centennial.org Link to post Share on other sites
mvmhm Posted August 21, 2020 Author Share #12 Posted August 21, 2020 Commissioning photo and FDC.... Mark Conrad, MSgt, USAF (Ret) "Poor is the nation that has no Heroes...shameful is the one having them that forgets." The Miami Valley Military History Museum: http://www.mvmhm.com https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Miami-Valley-Military-History-Museum/111268115594349 Official Partner of the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration: www.vietnamwar50th.com Official Partner of the United States of America World War I Centennial: www.worldwar1centennial.org Link to post Share on other sites
mvmhm Posted August 21, 2020 Author Share #13 Posted August 21, 2020 The QUEENFISH was involved in an (at the time) controversial sinking of the Japanese transport AWA MARU, for which the Skipper was ultimately court-martialed. There's a period piece, as well as a newspaper article from the 1970s. You can read about the ship at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_Awa_Maru_(1942) Mark Conrad, MSgt, USAF (Ret) "Poor is the nation that has no Heroes...shameful is the one having them that forgets." The Miami Valley Military History Museum: http://www.mvmhm.com https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Miami-Valley-Military-History-Museum/111268115594349 Official Partner of the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration: www.vietnamwar50th.com Official Partner of the United States of America World War I Centennial: www.worldwar1centennial.org Link to post Share on other sites
mvmhm Posted August 21, 2020 Author Share #14 Posted August 21, 2020 One of the photos being scanned is of the crew with their battle flag (I'll post that when I get it)...aaaand, he has the flag "somewhere" and it should be headed our way when he finds it. Oh, and there's also the comprehensive book of bios, which is loaded with info. ...and so it goes. Mark sends Mark Conrad, MSgt, USAF (Ret) "Poor is the nation that has no Heroes...shameful is the one having them that forgets." The Miami Valley Military History Museum: http://www.mvmhm.com https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Miami-Valley-Military-History-Museum/111268115594349 Official Partner of the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration: www.vietnamwar50th.com Official Partner of the United States of America World War I Centennial: www.worldwar1centennial.org Link to post Share on other sites
huntssurplus Posted August 21, 2020 Share #15 Posted August 21, 2020 Awesome! Can't wait to see the flag! I am an amateur collector of US military items of the 20th century. Looking for items related to: -The Aleutian Island Campaign of WW2, Alaskan Theater, Alaska Defense Command, and more specifically the Battle of Attu -Items related to the 50th Combat Engineer Regiment/Battalion -Items related to Wheelus Air Force Base Libya, particularly from 1957-1960 -WW2 items belonging to service members from Northern Virginia -WW2 Uniforms (all branches and services) -Cheap/Throwaway WW2 named uniforms -Smaller WW2 Groupings -7th Infantry Division Items -WW2 Photos and Letters (all branches, theaters, services, etc) ^^ PM ME!! Instagram: @surplus_central https://instagram.com/surplus_central/ eBay: http://www.ebay.com/usr/giovachm Link to post Share on other sites
jmd62 Posted August 21, 2020 Share #16 Posted August 21, 2020 Very nice!! I really love the Discharge Folder and contents, so cool. Link to post Share on other sites
Greginva Posted August 23, 2020 Share #17 Posted August 23, 2020 Wow, great find! Link to post Share on other sites
Josh B. Posted August 24, 2020 Share #18 Posted August 24, 2020 Great pickup! Thanks for sharing. A uniform of one of his shipmates resides in my collection. -Specializing in WWII (and earlier) Submarine material. Enthusiast of history and artifacts from all service branches. Link to post Share on other sites
Josh B. Posted November 20, 2020 Share #19 Posted November 20, 2020 Hi Mark Quick question if you still have this group handy... If you hold the PUC citation up to the light, is it printed on watermarked paper? Thanks Josh -Specializing in WWII (and earlier) Submarine material. Enthusiast of history and artifacts from all service branches. Link to post Share on other sites
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