P-51 Pilot, lost over the English Channel, June 9, 1944

[rrobertscv]

Found this at an estate sale today. Medal is not named.

[gearup1940]

Very cool!

[mes]

Nice find.  Captain Robert h sharp 0-793544 328th fighter squadron  352 fighter group tablets of the missing Cambridge England DFC 2 oak leave clusters. 

[mes]

Went missing along with Capt Richard Pratt while on weather recon mission lost in North Sea. Missing air crew report #5553

[eaglerunner88]

It it wasn't for his brother writing that small bit of critical information on the back of the photo it would have just been another face lost to history. Incredible small grouping! Definitely should be presented in a shadow box IMO.

[marineflyer]

Should have a purple heart as well. 

[doyler]

5 hours ago, marineflyer said:

Should have a purple heart as well. 

 

 

If his death was ruled  DNB (Death None Battle) the incident did not warrant a Purple Heart (as I understand it)  

Being war time and even a weather recon mission was dangerous enough the military or criteria used for the award of the Purple heart may not have been met. I have a jacket that belonged to a P47 pilot who died in a mechanical failure (crash) after surviving the war and no purple heart was awarded in his case. 

 

 

[decwriter]

The government listed his status as a "Finding of Death" and although several sites list him as KIA, it is doubtful his family was issued a Purple Heart.  I have a different grouping that also lists the member's status as a "Finding of Death" but because of the MACR and sources involved, he was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously.  The actual circumstances and eyewitness accounts could be the deciding factor.

[marineflyer]

Both comments are correct, I just missed it in the original post, the wound(death) must have been caused by combatant action