LoM, BS, ARCOM grouping to WW2 WAC officer LTC R. King

[USMarineCorps]

Hi all,

 

I recently picked up the neat grouping to LTC Ruth King.

These pictures show the core of the grouping (her medals, miniature medals, and insignia), but there were a lot more insignia included in the grouping (including several Gaunt made ones).

What makes this grouping especially interesting is the Bronze Star: I read somewhere that only 565 Bronze Stars have been awarded to women during WW2.

All medals appear to be 1940's vintage, except for the LoM which dates from the 60's (awarded to her for 25 years of service).

In addition, both the Bronze Star and the LoM are engraved, though I am not sure when.

I am also not sure why there is an enlisted WAAC insignia in this grouping, but that's how I got it.

 

Unfortunately I haven't found much information on her, so feel free to share anything you may find on this female officer.

 

Thank you for looking!

 

Fred

 

[USMarineCorps]

Here's a close-up of her miniature medals:

 

[collectsmedals]

Fred, I have attached a file location for an ebook of the Proceedings of the United States Senate Volume 107, Part I. If you cut and past this into your web browser it will take you to the file, then scroll to page 288 and you will find the nomination for King, Ruth A. to Lieutenant Colonel in the Woman's Army Corps in 1965. You can download a .PDF of the book from that page, but unfortunately it is a 35 Mb  file, much too big to attach here. Hope you find this useful. Jeff

 

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Journal_of_the_Executive_Proceedings_of/8gCHAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Colonel+Ruth+A+King+Women's+Army+Corps&pg=PA288&printsec=frontcover

[USMarineCorps]

Thank you for the info! I just noticed I have the insignia in the wrong order (and the WAC Officer Training School insignia upside down). The 1LT one is a WW2 era Gaunt made piece. The captain bars appear to be 40's vintage as well. I assume she was promoted to Major somewhere in the 50's before her final promotion to Lieutentant Colonel?

[USMarineCorps]

I think the Lt Ruth King mentioned in this article from the Berlin Observer (May 17, 1946) may be a match:

 

[Dave]

Great group!

I have a BSM to a WAAC for WW2 service. I'd be very interested in getting the source of the number of BSMs awarded as I haven't been able to find a total number in the past. 

 

Thanks!

[USMarineCorps]

Here's the source I got the info from: https://history.army.mil/brochures/wac/wac.htm

 

"Three WACs received the Air Medal, including Sgt. Henrietta Williams, assigned to an aerial reconnaissance mapping team in the China-Burma-India theater. Ten women received the Soldier's Medal for heroic actions (not involving combat). One such incident occurred at Port Moresby, New Guinea, when an oil stove in the women's barracks caught fire and three WACs brought the fire under control by smothering it, sustaining severe burns in the process. Sixteen women received the Purple Heart, awarded during World War II to soldiers injured due to enemy action. The majority of the WACs received their injuries from exploding V-l bombs while stationed in London. The Bronze Star was awarded to 565 women for meritorious service overseas. A total of 657 WACs received medals and citations at the end of the war."

 

This is actually the second WAC BSM group I picked up this year. Earlier this year I purchased several engraved medals (2x ARCOM and 1 BSM) to a WAC officer who was one of the 16 PH recipients.

 

Fred