Quite the soldier.

[cagedfalcon]

I've had this uniform for just over a year now. I knew he served 72 months in theater but I didn't know what all of the ribbons were for, I just went by the list that was in the pocket, I picked it up at an antique shop.
 
I asked[mention=34986]patches[/mention] to look over the ribbon bar to see if this was a legit bar and he said it looked good, also with the Order of the Million Elephants & the White Parasol (knight order which is Laos' highest award) may have tied him to Operation White Star https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Hotfoot_(Laos) He also said the Czech ribbon for the 60th anniversery of the ending of WW2 MAY be incorrect but possible. His CIB was missing but is showing marks on the rayon lining above the bar. It will be restored if I can find out who this soldier is. This in as found condition besides the missing cap eagle & visor strap & screws.
 
There is no name or laundry marks but just today while taking pics I noticed above the makers label another label with initials M.K. or K.M. Is it possible to do research by someome with more access to info then myself based on initials, patrches, insignias and ribbons?
 
Thanks for looking.
 
 
*Armored unit
*Jump wings
*6th Army patch
*Military Assistance Command
*72 months in theater
* Commemorative Medal for the 60th Anniversary of the End of World War II- Czech Republic
*Legion of merit-3
*Meritorious service
*Air medal-3
*Army commidation medal-2
*EAME campaign medal-2
*American campaign medal
*National defense medal-2
*Army occupation medal
*Armed forces expeditionary ribbon-2
*WW2 victory medal
*Vietnam service medal-5
*Order of the Million Elephants and the White Parasol-Knight grade from Laos
*Vietnam campaign medal
 
*Right pocket, from the Czech Republic,
Commemorative Medal for the 60th Anniversary of the End of World War II
 
 
 
 
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[Martinjmpr]

If this officer served in WWII and Vietnam then he was long retired by the time Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia, so that had to have been added later.  

 

Even if he was an 18 year old private at the very end of WWII in the ETO that would be a birth date of no later than mid 1927 which means he would have hit 60 (mandatory retirement) in 1987.  The Czech Republic wasn't formed until the early to mid 90's.  

 

And of course, 60th anniversary of the end of WWII was 2005 when this officer would have been no younger than 78.  

[cagedfalcon]

If this officer served in WWII and Vietnam then he was long retired by the time Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia, so that had to have been added later.  
 
Even if he was an 18 year old private at the very end of WWII in the ETO that would be a birth date of no later than mid 1927 which means he would have hit 60 (mandatory retirement) in 1987.  The Czech Republic wasn't formed until the early to mid 90's.  
 
And of course, 60th anniversary of the end of WWII was 2005 when this officer would have been no younger than 78.  

I misspoke(?), it was for Czechoslovakia not the Czech Republic.

I know, ifs' & maybes' but could he of been with the tank battalion attached to the 1st infantry division that ended the war in Czechoslovakia? And if so, wouldn't he be given a ceremonial ribbon? Maybe that's why it wax backwards originally when I found the uniform, he just put it on because he could.

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[patches]

6 hours ago, cagedfalcon said:

I misspoke(?), it was for Czechoslovakia not the Czech Republic.

I know, ifs' & maybes' but could he of been with the tank battalion attached to the 1st infantry division that ended the war in Czechoslovakia? And if so, wouldn't he be given a ceremonial ribbon? Maybe that's why it wax backwards originally when I found the uniform, he just put it on because he could.

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That's my belief too, this ribbon was aquried some time in that time fram and was with his stuff, maybe he added it to his old uniform or someone else. These one clue, he served probably into the 70s as that jump badge is 1/20 SILVER FILLED, these start to come out in the late 60s.

 

On the left pocket, was there markings for any unit citations, please look, hopefully if there were that Czech ribbon hasn't thrown it off.

 

 

[patches]

On this guy being a WWII Tank Officer and or Cavalry, (Cavalry and Armored Forces merged into Armor Branch in 1950), he might of been, but he also might of been infantry and transfered to Armor post WWII. If so, that CIB may have been for WWII, if so and he did serve in Laos in White Star, then he may have received a 2nd Award of the CIB.

[patches]

For reference

 

Combat Infantryman Badge criteria Vietnam era for Laos

 

(4) In Laos from April 19, 1961 to October 6, 1962, a Soldier must have been—

(i) Assigned as member of a White Star Mobile Training Team while the team was attached to or working with a unit of regimental (groupment mobile) or smaller size of Forces Armee du Royaume (FAR), or with irregular type forces of regimental or smaller size.

(ii) A member of MAAG-Laos assigned as an advisor to a region or zone of FAR, or while serving with irregular type forces of regimental or smaller size.

(iii) Personally under hostile fire while assigned as specified in paragraphs (d)(4)(i) and (ii) of this section.

 

[patches]

I forgot to ask, did you check for name in the two caps, check under both the sweatbands.

 

[cagedfalcon]

I forgot to ask, did you check for name in the two caps, check under both the sweatbands.
 

Thanks for the further info on the CIB.
I have looked everyplace on all e pieces, nothing except what I believe to be his initials M.K. or K.M.

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[patches]

I think this might be your man, Kurtz J. Miller, Jr. I found him by going under the assumption that fancy tag with the monogram was his initials, so checking the 1969 Active Officers Register, first going thorough the Ks with first name started with Ms that were Colonels that were Armor, and then the Ms with first name started with Ks that were Colonels that were Armor.

 

The ribbons are of a different configuration, but they match up mostly, and he was awarded a EIB, rather than a CIB. The key points are his service in Laos, not as a White Star operator in 61, but as Senior Attaché to the Laotian government in 67-68, this jiving with that high Laotian award, and the 6th Army organizational patch, this jives as his very last assignment when he retired was Deputy Chief of Staff  Presido of San Francisco, San Fransisco California, The Presido falls under the direct command of 6th Army, in fact The Presido is the HQ of 6th Army in them days.

 

No date on photo, but it will be when he was assignment a one point to the 4th Armored Division in West Germany, clearly well before he retires, The DI's he wearing indicate some staff assignment in either the 4th Armd Div HQ or in one of the division's brigades. That French Fourragere that's on the uniform you have there, I.m pretty much convinced it was the one he had to wear when he was in the 4th Armored Division, and he had with his stuff and someone just adeed it, as the Czech ribbon, just put in on.

 

More Research is needed, to find his service when he was a younger officer, will see what we can find.

 

 

[cagedfalcon]

I think this might be your man, Kurtz J. Miller, Jr. I found him by going under the assumption that fancy tag with the monogram was his initials, so checking the 1969 Active Officers Register, first going thorough the Ks with first name started with Ms that were Colonels that were Armor, and then the Ms with first name started with Ks that were Colonels that were Armor.
 
The ribbons are of a different configuration, but they match up mostly, and he was awarded a EIB, rather than a CIB. The key points are his service in Laos, not as a White Star operator in 61, but as Senior Attaché to the Laotian government in 67-68, this jiving with that high Laotian award, and the 6th Army organizational patch, this jives as his very last assignment when he retired was Deputy Chief of Staff  Presido of San Francisco, San Fransisco California, The Presido falls under the direct command of 6th Army, in fact The Presido is the HQ of 6th Army in them days.
 
No date on photo, but it will be when he was assignment a one point to the 4th Armored Division in West Germany, clearly well before he retires, The DI's he wearing indicate some staff assignment in either the 4th Armd Div HQ or in one of the division's brigades. That French Fourragere that's on the uniform you have there, I.m pretty much convinced it was the one he had to wear when he was in the 4th Armored Division, and he had with his stuff and someone just adeed it, as the Czech ribbon, just put in on.
 
More Research is needed, to find his service when he was a younger officer, will see what we can find.
 
 

Damn, great research.
Thank you

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[patches]

Here's another view of him, in this we see the pocket badge for Office of the Secretary of Defense a permanent decoration worn for the remainder of an individual's military career.

 

[patches]

Here's his O Register Entry as of 1 Jan 64, I summoned the help of my undercover operator to decipher this a bit and get his thought as this is all over the road.

 

 

So in a nut shell.

 

 

MILLER Kurtz Jesse Jr 065024 -- self-explanatory.

 

B-Ohio 30 Sep 20 -- born Ohio Sept. 30, 1920

 

A-Ohio -- entered on active duty from Ohio (see the attached enlistment record details -- note that he was was enlisted from the enlisted reserve corps).  

 

LM CR (OLC) -- Legion of Merit and Commendation Ribbon with one oak leaf cluster (i.e., his decorations as of the year of the register you are using).

 

E -- military education -- Engineer Basic, Graduate U.S. Army Command & General Staff College 1962, Armored School Company Officer Course 1944, (Armored) Office Advanced Course 1955.  Bachelor of Science in Agriculture at Ohio State University 1959 (WAG:  This most likely was a one-year degree completion deal as his WWII enlistment record shows that he had 3 years of college when he was enlisted in 1943.  

 

Enl 15 July 42 to 6 July 43  --  enlisted service

 

2lt AUS 7 July 43 to Lt Col AUS 19 Jan 61 -- appointed 2nd Lt. in the Army of the United States (WAG:  he was commissioned via OCS) and served continuously in the AUS until reaching the rank of Lt. Col. in 1961.  

 

RA 1lt Inf 25 Aug 51 D/R 1 Jan 51 -- appointed 1st Lt. in the Regular Army 25 Aug 1951 with retroactive date of rank of 1 Jan 1951.  

 

Transferred Armor 24 Aug 53 -- self explanatory..

 

So that Eng entry, It seems to me he was at first an Engineer, I gather now as an Enlisted Man for that year he was an Engineer  I don't know why the inserted the 1962 C&GS there in the WWII era, should of entered that last LOL. But what had stumped, is the Armored Forces O Course in 1944, do we take it he was still and engineer? There's as we see no mention he transferred to Armored Forces, maybe he did and the just neglected to list it?

 

With that one Star on his ETO Ribbon, we take it he got over real late and got credit for Central Europe only, but was it in a Tank Battalion? and which one, divisional or separate? was he still an engineer? I guess we might never find that out barring seeing his records jacket.

 

 

He was a Infantry Officer for like two years, 25 Aug 51 24 Aug 53 then in Armor in 53, this might explain the EIB he's wearing, BUT I scanned his 1962 C&GS portrait from The Bell, and guess what, he ain't wearing that EIB here, nor is he wearing a Good Conduct medal, which he could f recieved as he was an EM for year in WWII.

[patches]

And his C&GS College portrait of 1962, note no EIB, guess he earned it when he was a Infantry Officer from 51 to 53 but chose not to wear here, and he has not yet attended Airborne School yet, if he did, then he chose not to wear his wings, though don't know why, just like his EIB, but then many officers portrayed in this yearbook in the years of the 50s and 60s choose not to wear certain insignia, ribbon and badge wise, some wearing nothing at all save for their U.S. and BOS insignia, and some of these officers were real heroes..

[cagedfalcon]

Once again, nice detective work!

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[Nkumburis]

Very cool! I like this one and the information you were able to dig up. 

[seanmc1114]

That could be his uniform, but I have some serious questions about the overseas stripes. They represent roughly six years of overseas assignments in a combat zone and he did not serve in Korea. 

[FT.Monmouth1943]

He might have served in the Dominican Republic and possibly somewhere else since he has the Armed Forces Expeditionary Ribbon with star. Between that, WWII service, and service in Vietnam, it seems possible that he could have racked up that much time overseas.

 

- Jakob

[patches]

While he has only one Campaign Star on his EAME Ribbon, which lets say gives him at least 6 months to a year, the finial part on occupation duty, he has 4 on his Vietnam Service Ribbon, his service info is sparse unfortunately, but he may have been in Vietnam in the early 60s, after Levenworth in 63-64, this accounting for the Armed Forces Expeditionary medal, though I can't account for the Star there, maybe the Dom Rep as member stated, then again later a some point, more service with MACV plus the 1 year's service in Laos in 1967-68.