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WWII Posthumous US Navy Purple Heart Medal to Y2c Leroy Johnson, USS Maryland


KASTAUFFER
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I just acquired this medal this weekend and it represents the " exception " to the rule when it comes to US Navy Posthumous Purple Hearts.

 

Most of the time US Navy posthumous Purple Hearts are US Navy contract medals, meaning the medal was manufactured for the USN. This includes slot brooch TYPE III Purple Hearts. USN slot brooch Purple Hearts are different then US Army contract examples . The planchet on a USN Type III slot brooch medal is exactly the same as a TYPE II wrap brooch one. The only difference is the brooch. They have a "barrel lug" and a gold plated sterling silver suspension ring.

 

The USN did acquire a few US Army Purple Hearts and issued them. This is one of those examples. It has typical TYPE III plain non-faceted engraving, but it is an a US Army numbered contract medal. This medal would have been issued in 1946.

 

Y2c Leroy Johnson was a veteran of the Pearl Harbor attack. He enlisted in the US Navy in 1939 and found himself assigned to the USS Maryland. He served on her during his entire service until his death on November 19, 1944. On that day shortly after sunset, a determined suicide plane dove through the clouds and crashed into the USS Maryland between turrets Nos. 1 and 2. Thirty-one sailors died in the explosion and fire that followed. Leroy died from wounds he received that day.

 

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