My recent acquisitions

[Rich2]

Aside from collecting British and Commonwealth medals, I also have a small and growing collection of vintage named US medal groups. They must have a named medal as I am are more driven by the research behind the recipient. I especially like them bar-mounted as per USN and USMC.

 

First is a USN group to a Walter S Farmer, with a typo on the GC medal. He served as a submariner throughout his wartime service. I've gained quite a lot from the Muster Lists on Fold3 (as I don't have a US Ancestry subscription) and he was aboard USS Gunnel with Operation Torch, then aboard several boats in the Pacific War - mostly the USS Gurnard, which was rather successful. Walter died young, aged only 40, in 1961, and I have applied online for his records (not sure I did it right as they didn't ask for any $, but says the order is being processed). Seems he also served in the Korean War in some capacity. His medals now sit with my medals to British submariners.

 

Stephen Koval - again, from Muster Lists on Fold3 he was a bootneck passenger aboard several USN transports at hotspots in the Pacific War. Seems to have retired as a MGSgt after also serving in Korea and Vietnam.

 

Lastly, the partial remains of the medal to William N Rozier. Helpful members of the BMF and GMIC have narrowed it down to two men of the same name. It seems to point to a marine who served in the 1930s, or one who served in the 1940s as a recruiting sergeant - possibility it is one and the same.  If it is the former, I am confused by the 1948 award date. I have a blank WW2 GC medal arriving soon so I can rebuild the medal.

 

Hope you enjoy them

 

Richard

[Rich2]

US Army Good Conduct Medal to a Joseph Kwiatowski. The only references I can find on Fold3 to this relatively uncommon spelling of the more common Kwiatkowski relate to an infantry PFC who was injured on 4 October 1951 and returned to duty a month later. I wonder whether it occurred during the First Battle of Maryang-San. His hospital record states at that point he had served in "AUS D" (Army of the United States D?)  for 21 months.  I believe him to actually be Richard Joseph Kwiatowski, born 1929 and resident in Buffalo NY - I'm assuming he had some scope as to what was named on the medal?

[Rich2]

I have just received the service papers for FARMER from the archives. Very impressive results; took a long time but free and worth the wait.

 

It shows he re-enlisted several times. He was additionally entitled to the WW2 Victory Medal (obviously), the Navy Occupation Medal with Asia bar, the China Service Medal (was aboard the USS Besugo, which patrolled off the Chinese Hainan Island during the Korean War) and the National Defense Medal. Plus a Combat Action Ribbon (retro award) and Submarine Combat Badge with one star.

 

Is it possible he never bothered to get these awards mounted and just kept his 'top five' to wear? Could he have got through 6 more years including the odd parade without getting them added to his rack? Otherwise one would assume he'd have had to get them remounted in one row of 3 and a bottom row of 5? 

 

Also, if anyone has a period mounted bar with the above four medals mounted on them I'd be very interested in them, to complete his entitlement.