WWII Soldiers Medal Grouping to a 1st Infantry Division Soldier

[Allan H.]

 

Here is a recent acquisition that came from the sister of the veteran. Hubert R. Vance served as a member of the Big Red One’s 103rd Anti-Aircraft Battalion. T-5 Vance was awarded the Soldiers Medal for life saving actions in Sicily.

The group includes the medal which has been engraved with Vance’s rank, name, and unit. The pendant is mounted with the reverse showing. The pendant is also numbered “6597.” The medal came in an early, untitled case with a screw back lapel pin and section of ribbon. Included in the group when I purchased it was a three place ribbon bar for the Good Conduct, American Defense, and ETO with four bronze campaign stars. Also included was a sterling Driver’s badge with “Driver-W” bar, an OD wool o/seas cap with red piping and a T-5 rank chevron. There was also a class ring with HRV initials engraved inside. The grouping also includes a small format history of the 1st Infantry Division as well as a Guide to Sicily. The guide is truly outstanding with fold out maps and tons of information.

Shortly after I purchased the medal group, I was contacted by a fellow collector who told me that he had purchased the soldier’s ID card, a single dog tag and a religious medal secured to a piece of parachute cord. There was also an Anti-Aircraft Command shoulder patch. He generously allowed me to purchase these items at a reasonable cost.

I really haven’t had much opportunity to research the award or the soldier, other than finding his obituary online. “Herb” as his friends called him, was born in Madison, Iowa in 1915. The family evidently moved to New York as he appears there in the 1930 and 1940 censuses.

[Brian Keith]

Very Nice Group!

Thanks for posting it.

BKW

[eaglerunner88]

Very nice, can take a close-up of the ring?

[Allan H.]

Sometimes, I wonder why I bother to post items when they get very few comments, and the threads find themselves quickly moving to the bottom of the page, but every once in a while something good comes out of making the post. This grouping was one of those instances where some real good (at least for me) has come from putting the post together. Yesterday morning, a friend of mine sent me a document which I greatly appreciated. The gentleman is a 1st Infantry Division collector, and he managed to find my veteran on a list of New England soldiers being shipped back to the states.

 

[Allan H.]

As if that isn't cool enough, another friend of mine went to the trouble of pulling the guy's Discharge and sending it my way! Notice that the veteran was discharged soon after VE Day, probably from his spending over three years overseas and earning a high decoration?

 

The most impressive thing that happened though was that a member of the forum reached out to me to let me know that he had additional items from the veteran. After a short negotiation, he agreed to sell the balance of the grouping to me so that they could be reunited with the items that I already have.

 

I guess you could say that it is important that you share your collecting interests and treat other collectors as friends or at least not like they are the enemy. I can say that i would have never been able to put the soldier's grouping back together if it hadn't been for those relationships that I have been able to build here on the USMF.

 

I will post a photo or two of the expanded group once the other pieces have arrived.

 

Allan

 

[decwriter]

Nice SM Allan and a fellow friend helped you add to it, which is always welcome.

[FriarChuck]

Thanks for sharing. Neat to see his Driver’s Qual Badge in the group and on his discharge. Cannot wait to see the rest of the grouping.

 

Friar

[Medalman90]

Excellent addition Allan! Glad to see that you and your friend worked out a deal to reunite the group! 

[Allan H.]

It's been nearly a year since I picked this group up. Earlier in the thread, I mentioned that so often, there isn't much to be gained by posting a grouping, as there isn't always a lot of "up side" to doing so. This is one of those situations where the opposite is true. I mentioned that I had another collector contact me after my post and he sold me T-5 Vance's dog tag and ID card. What i didn't mention was that I had a second collector reach out to me who had purchased a different lot from the veteran's sister. It too had been sold on eBay by the daughter. Included in my purchase from this gentleman was an Army Good Conduct Medal, American Defense Medal, Wolf Brown ribbon for the Soldier’s Medal, Marksman shooting badge with “Rifle” bar, screw back enlisted Coast Artillery collar brass, a 1st Infantry Division SSI, five o/seas bars, and the mate to the T-5 rank chevron that came when I purchased the Soldier’s Medal! So, here is the EXPANDED group to T-5 Hubert Vance.

[TBMflyer]

Allen, glad you were able to reunite this vet's items, it is a great group!

Kudos to the others who helped you do so as well and for the research help, good karma all around.

Mark

[Wharfmaster]

Great example of what a WW2 group should look like. Nice !

 

 

W

[Allan H.]

1 hour ago, TBMflyer said:

Allen, glad you were able to reunite this vet's items, it is a great group!

Kudos to the others who helped you do so as well and for the research help, good karma all around.

Mark

Mark,

 

I knew that the dog tag and ID book were out there, but didn't know who owned it. The fact that he reached out to me after I posted the Soldier's Medal speaks volumes to me as to the kind of people we typically have on the forum. The guy could have tried to get a premium out of the pieces, but sold them to me for what he had paid on eBay.

 

I over-simplified the story on the other medals and insignia just a bit. The second collector reached out to me and sold me the other items at a reasonable price BEFORE I got hold of Vance's discharge. Everything lined up perfectly, and the price wasn't out of the realm of "fair," so I am not concerned that the guy might have thrown the items together to try to score some extra cash for some relatively common pieces.

 

I guess that the most important message that i can give from the group is to develop relationships and networks in the hobby. Treat people the way you would like to be treated, and eventually, good things will happen.

 

Allan

[Hermanus]

Allan, what a nice WW2 group you have and what a great story how it came together to you. Perhaps there is more out there.........

 

Regards 

Herman 

[KASTAUFFER]

Group looks awesome now.  I love it when you can get all the other associated items like the dogtags and ribbon bars, 

[Nack]

Nice save!  Looks great!

[Brian Dentino]

Incredible grouping and good to see other pieces that have trickled in, along with information on this group.  Very nice addition to your already impressive collection Allan.