Order of the Cloud and Banner 6th Class (China) - Lt. Cdr. - USN / SACO

[illegitimi non carborundum]

I have just acquired this cased Chinese Order of the Cloud and Banner, 6th Class.  It is numbered 566.  It is in its original inner wood box and outer silk covered box.  The two paper labels are particularly useful.  

 

The label on the edge say (thanks to Google Lens): "Special Lapel" "Attached medal Cloud" "566"

 

The label on the top says (in English): "Lt.-Cmdr. D. W. Heagy USN"  and the Chinese transliterates as "Major Heikki"

 

Daniel Webster Heagy had a fascinating career.

 

He enlisted in the USN in 1918 and served it WWI, Haiti and Cuba.

 

He was originally with the Hospital Corps, attaining the rank of Chief Pharmacist.

 

He also trained in communications and was commissioned at the beginning of WWII. 

 

He served in Iceland in early 1942.

 

He then volunteered for SACO (Sino-American Cooperative Organization) aka US Naval Group China.

 

He was OC the first detachment to be sent to Happy Valley in 1942.  He went on to served at Happy Valley, Hospital 2, Camp 4 and Shanghai.

 

Camp 4 was a particularly important post.   It embodied everything SACO did.   It was the northern most post on the Mongolian border.  Camp 4 was involved in signal intelligence, weather forecasting for the Pacific Fleet, training guerrillas and engaging in sabotage.

 

As the war ended Heagy moved to Shanghai and personally raised the US flag (along with the "What the Hell" pennant of SACO in the city.

 

He went on to served post war, becoming a Captain.   He was the Officer Commanding Naval Communications Unit 35 in Japan and then became one the very first Field Commanders of the newly created National Security Agency.  He was OC at the Alaska post (NSAAL).

 

He died in 1987 and is buried at Arlington NC.   His other medals include: LoM, Navy LS medal, WWI, Cuba, Haiti, WW2 medals.

 

Amazingly I have found online two pictures of Heagy being awarded the Cloud in Banner in China in 1946.   In the one picture he is in the middle standing with Cdr. I.F. Beyerly and the Mayor of Shanghai.  In the other picture you can see the presentation box with its silk cover in the hands of the man in the foreground.

[illegitimi non carborundum]

This is from his obituary in the Washington Post:

 

DANIEL WEBSTER HEAGY JR.,

88, a retired Navy captain who began his career as an enlisted man, died of cardiorespiratory arrest May 6 at his home in Vienna.

Capt. Heagy, who was born in Columbus, Ind., enlisted in the Navy in 1918 and became a pharmacist's mate. In the years between World War I and World War II, he served on various ships and at shore stations in this country and with the Marines in Cuba and Haiti.

He was commissioned early in World War II and his subsequent career was in communications. During the war he helped set up communications stations in China. He later served in Japan and Alaska and he was at the Naval Gun Factory in Washington when he retired in 1956.

His military decorations include the Legion of Merit and an award from China.

Capt. Heagy was a member of the Retired Officers Association, the American Society of Naval Engineers and the Masons. He had lived in the Washington area since 1951.

 

[illegitimi non carborundum]

A link to an article about SACO's "What the Hell" Pennant:

 

https://laststandonzombieisland.com/2020/09/04/75-years-ago-the-what-the-hell-pennant/

 

A link to an article about the role of SACO, written by its Commanding Officer Milton (Mary) MIles in 1946:

 

https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/1946/july/u-s-naval-group-china

 

An newspaper article found on his Find My Grave page about this Secret Mission to China:

 

https://images.findagrave.com/photos/2025/147/49201066_5d0701e5-0b5d-4bec-a28b-189f6bc44b9d.jpeg

 

An excellent article from the Navy Times about SACOs Camp 4:

 

https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2018/12/30/how-naked-world-war-ii-sailors-ended-up-riding-mongolian-ponies-in-the-gobi-desert-to-shoot-bazookas-at-the-japanese/

 

And finally here is an excellent shot of Heagy , Post war, when he was commander of NCU 35.  He is on the extreme right.  His full medal entitlement is present.   I don't know what the second medal (left of second row) is.   

[unclegrumpy]

The mystery "medal" is most likely the U.S. Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon. 

[illegitimi non carborundum]

That would make his medals ...

 

LOM

NUC, Navy LS, WWI

Cuba Occupation, Haiti, Asiatic-Pacific

WW2, WW2, WW2

Cloud and Banner, ???, ???

[GAZOO]

Beautiful Awesome addition congratulations on a great accusation ++++

Interesting I also have a boxed Chinese "Order of the Cloud and Banner" 6th Class. 
BUT Mine is numbered 466 awarded to US Pilot Chuck Older, Flying Tiger Double Ace

Interesting the original box this one was issued in is covered in Blue Silk and red banner down the middle
name written inside top cover, I like the WOODEN BOX much better ++++

Not as fancy as yours as this one is only a cardboard and silk lined box
also this one has damage, missing some Blue enamel at center top in the middle circle

Here is a photo for some additional reference

[illegitimi non carborundum]

Excellent example!   The blue boxes I've seen before, those seem to be more common.  I have seen a few in just the inner wooden box but I had never seen ab example with this pattern.  Honestly without the photographic evidence I'd have been less confident.   I wonder if this type was unique to Navy / SACO examples. 

 

Here are some better shots of the outer box and the labels.

 

[Honcho]

Thanks for sharing these - I think both examples are great.  Wonderful history!👍

 

[GAZOO]

Yes I Love the Photo for confirmation +++
I cant tell but can the wooden box be removed from the lower box leaving just the wooden case ??

I am also curious about the numbering ending in 66
and if that has any significance ? awarded to US service members ??
if there is a 666 
 

[Dave]

Very nice! I saw this medal on eBay and was impressed with the box. I've seen many of the medal, but the box is far rarer than the medal (not like the medal is common either!) I gave a few minutes of thought about buying the medal because of the box but had to remind myself I no longer collect and while super cool, not what I needed. :) Congrats on the great find!

[illegitimi non carborundum]

The box is what sealed the deal for me (along with the story of the recipient).   Without it I'd not have paid half as much.    Heagy is pictured here with the staff of SACO (including Dai Li and Miles) in 1945.   

 

His time as a Field Commander in the early NSA is proving fascinating.

 

I imagine his full group would have included a named LoM(?), a named LS medal and numbered Cuban Pacificiation and Haiti medals.

 

[illegitimi non carborundum]

Yes the wood box comes out from the silk covered one.   Here are some more pictures.  The bottom of the box really displays the beautiful silk fabric cover best.

[illegitimi non carborundum]

Here is another example (not mine) of a 6th class in a sliding top wood "inner" box.   Outer box not present.

[illegitimi non carborundum]

Here is a photo of Madame Chiang awarding Cloud and Banners to members of the Doolittle Raid in 1942.   These must have very low numbers.   (Jimmy Doolittle is in the background ... he got a 3rd Class).   Next to him is Colonel John Hilger who got a 6th.  About to be awarded is Captain Henry Potter).

[illegitimi non carborundum]

I suppose if you were trying to build an "ultimate" collection of "Cloud and Banners" you want one to a:

 

1. Flying Tiger

2. Doolittle Raider

3. Merrill's Marauder

4. OSS Detachment 101

5. SACO

 

One particularly prized one would have to the 9th class awarded to Captain John Birch, OSS (formerly attached Flying Tigers, formerly Christian Missionary in China).  He was the "first casualty of the Cold War" and the man for who the John Birch Society is named. 

[unclegrumpy]

3 hours ago, illegitimi non carborundum said:

I suppose if you were trying to build an "ultimate" collection of "Cloud and Banners" you want one to a:

 

1. Flying Tiger

2. Doolittle Raider

3. Merrill's Marauder

4. OSS Detachment 101

5. SACO

 

One particularly prized one would have to the 9th class awarded to Captain John Birch, OSS (formerly attached Flying Tigers, formerly Christian Missionary in China).  He was the "first casualty of the Cold War" and the man for who the John Birch Society is named. 

 

Question...in your research, or maybe Dave's...and I know this has been asked on the Forum before...but has a list of Cloud and Banner recipients either been found or created?  

 

If not, maybe there needs to be a Cloud and Banner thread listing the attributed ones 

 

[illegitimi non carborundum]

Someone on GMIC (British militaria forum) was trying to do this.   Maddeningly, several years ago I found a Chinese government list online that recorded the names and numbers but I have never been able to find it again.   Also, keep in mind that the vast majority of these were awarded to Chinese recipients.

[unclegrumpy]

27 minutes ago, illegitimi non carborundum said:

Someone on GMIC (British militaria forum) was trying to do this.   Maddeningly, several years ago I found a Chinese government list online that recorded the names and numbers but I have never been able to find it again.   Also, keep in mind that the vast majority of these were awarded to Chinese recipients.

 

I was just thinking about the Americans.   

 

One reason, is selfishly, I have a "mystery" Cloud and Banner group that I would like to someday attribute, but need some names to work with.

[GAZOO]

1 hour ago, unclegrumpy said:

 

Question...in your research, or maybe Dave's...and I know this has been asked on the Forum before...but has a list of Cloud and Banner recipients either been found or created?  

 

If not, maybe there needs to be a Cloud and Banner thread listing the attributed ones 

 

  There is a partial international award list on Wiki 
scroll down to see list 
Neither Heagy OR Older are listed 

Also curious about a few things i just noticed 

Looks like there are additional levels/Meanings according to the Number of RED STARS at the top of the white Star points
OLDERS pictured above has 3 stars and the HEAGY looks to be only one, cant find the resource now but
remember finding a reference about the STARS, anyone know

a quote from emedals
 

Description

A Chinese Order of the Resplendent Banner; 5th Class Commander - (AKA Order of the Cloud and Banner): Silver gilt with blue, white, yellow and red enamels, two red stars on the two star points flanking the top star point designating the award as 5th Class Commander, number "1608"

Also here is a REFERENCE from the same Wiki page showing the RIBBON Colors for Grade must be wrong
as it showing the RIBBON with a WHITE BOARDER is a 4th grade but would have been awarded as a Cravat (Neck ribbon)

[illegitimi non carborundum]

The stars ... I feel I read something about them once but I can't remember now.   

 

Another particularly interesting recipient of the 6th class award was:

 

Lt. Col. Robert Peter Fleming, OBE, Grenadier Guards.  He was the brother of Ian Fleming of James Bond fame. From 1942 to the end of the war, was as head of D Division, in charge of military deception operations in Southeast Asia.

 

 

[GAZOO]

10 hours ago, illegitimi non carborundum said:

The stars ... I feel I read something about them once but I can't remember now.   

 

Another particularly interesting recipient of the 6th class award was:

 

Lt. Col. Robert Peter Fleming, OBE, Grenadier Guards.  He was the brother of Ian Fleming of James Bond fame. From 1942 to the end of the war, was as head of D Division, in charge of military deception operations in Southeast Asia.

 

 

 

 
  I found the reference I was remembering about the STARS, posted by Hsin C in the WMF China section
See Link below
Stars 

3 Stars = 1st class,    2 = 2nd Class  & 1 = 3rd class

James Bond tie in Love it
BTW
Chuck Older went to high school with Betty White and Boss Hog's Wife from Dukes of Hazard also 
Older became a Cal Supreme court Judge and was the Presiding Judge for the MANSON TRIAL, Manson tried
to stab him with a Pencil in the court

The History on some of these guys is Fascinating 

[illegitimi non carborundum]

There really are some interesting stories.   I am going to try to put a list together of the American recipients (that I can find).   I'll post it when I'm finished.   The 5th-9th classes are actually more interesting.  Many of the higher grades are USMC officers who went to China after VJ Day and dealt with repatriating Japanese troops or were there for messiness with Communists in 45-46.  

[Dave]

This was my first Cloud and Banner group. He was OSS in Indochina. 

[Dave]

It is interesting to note that the one starting this thread is number 566; my one (above) was 513. I need to find some pics of others. I think many of these are in the 500 range, thinking about it... 

[illegitimi non carborundum]

Dave, that's a great group.   I use to own this group with a 6th class to General Stilwell's doctor.   It was missing a WWI DSC.   The Cloud and Banner is numbered 871.