MWalsh Posted May 2, 2009 Share #1 Posted May 2, 2009 Here is another recent find. This GI was missing / killed in action on June 20th, 1944 in Normandy. The story on him is supposedly that he and another soldier went out on a sniper hunt, just the two of them, and they were never seen or heard from again. Their remains were never found. He was in the 327th Glider Infantry of the 101st Airborne Division, he also received a Bronze Star, whereabouts unknown, if it exists at all I guess. He was from St Paul, Minnesota. The white boxed & cased medals are both very nicely engraved; the Purple Heart with small machine engraving, the Silver Star with angled hand engraving. The forwarding card came with the white boxes, and on the outside of the white boxes is his name; I suspect either for presentation at a ceremony, to his family, or penned on there by the engravers. I am very interested in learning what he did to get his Silver Star especially, but his award of the Silver Star is not in any of the Gleim Silver Star general orders books, so I'm at a standstill for now. I have purchased one of D-Day Militaria's 101st Airborne Division general orders books, so I am crossing my fingers in hopes that his Silver Star award is listed in that publication. I have some other avenues I guess I can try and use if that does not pan out, but I have my fingers crossed that it will! The possibility that I may never find out what he did to get the Bronze and Silver Stars is just driving me nuts - he must have been one heck of a soldier to earn those two awards in such a short time (14 days) in combat... If anyone else has any info on him from any unit histories or research, I'd love to hear from you!! MW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MWalsh Posted May 2, 2009 Author Share #2 Posted May 2, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MWalsh Posted May 2, 2009 Author Share #3 Posted May 2, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted May 2, 2009 Share #4 Posted May 2, 2009 Outstanding set Walsh.Something you found at the show?? Good luck on the research.Would NARA have a file on him?? RD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Baker Posted May 2, 2009 Share #5 Posted May 2, 2009 Wow, another beauty. Where can someone get a hold of copies of Gleim's Silver Star general orders books? Thanks!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MWalsh Posted May 2, 2009 Author Share #6 Posted May 2, 2009 Wow, another beauty. Where can someone get a hold of copies of Gleim's Silver Star general orders books? Thanks!! Jim, As far as I know, the only place you will tend to find those books now is probably going to be on eBay; they have been out of print for at least several years. I want to say that the last time I saw any of them on eBay, they were selling for like $100 or more for each of the three single volumes... MW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MWalsh Posted May 2, 2009 Author Share #7 Posted May 2, 2009 Outstanding set Walsh.Something you found at the show?? Good luck on the research.Would NARA have a file on him?? RD Yes, from a Twin Cities show - like 10 or 12 years ago! Another collector found them there originally. I doubt NARA will have a single page on him - fully suspect his records were most likely burned. I will try them, but will also be shocked if I get anything back... MW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulldog06 Posted May 2, 2009 Share #8 Posted May 2, 2009 I checked Rendezvous With Destiny, the 101st history. Baker is listed as receiving the Silver Star in the decorations table in the back of the book which confirms the award. Hopefully the GO will be available. The table does not include BSM awards. I scanned the Normandy portion of the book but didnt see Baker listed. He is also listed on the Honor Roll of KIAs. Great group, good luck on the citations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MWalsh Posted May 3, 2009 Author Share #9 Posted May 3, 2009 I checked Rendezvous With Destiny, the 101st history. Baker is listed as receiving the Silver Star in the decorations table in the back of the book which confirms the award. Hopefully the GO will be available. The table does not include BSM awards. I scanned the Normandy portion of the book but didnt see Baker listed. He is also listed on the Honor Roll of KIAs. Great group, good luck on the citations. Hey, thanks much for your efforts - I appreciate it! I may have to start blindly requesting GO's from the National Archioves, from the 101st AB Division, and see what I get. "Blindly" is not the best word, I guess logically blindly is better??? What I mean is I will use the GO numbers from other known Normandy awards of the DSC and Silver Star and request those, and see if he is mentioned in them too, as typically a GO awarded a number of men awards at the same time... MW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomV Posted May 3, 2009 Share #10 Posted May 3, 2009 Have you tried Mark Bando's forum? There are a lot of people who have a great knowledge on the 101st. Someone there might be able to assist you. http://www.101airborneww2.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom2001 Posted May 5, 2009 Share #11 Posted May 5, 2009 I doubt NARA will have a single page on him - fully suspect his records were most likely burned. I will try them, but will also be shocked if I get anything back... MW Hey Mike, You might get lucky with the NPRC. Based on info I received from folks who have done a ton or research there--- a lot of the Army files from the beginning and end of the alphabet exist. I got a file for a guy named Araiza. It was burned, but not destroyed. From the copies I got you can actually see where the edges of the paper were singed in the fire. Definitely worth a try. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MWalsh Posted May 5, 2009 Author Share #12 Posted May 5, 2009 Hey Mike, You might get lucky with the NPRC. Based on info I received from folks who have done a ton or research there--- a lot of the Army files from the beginning and end of the alphabet exist. I got a file for a guy named Araiza. It was burned, but not destroyed. From the copies I got you can actually see where the edges of the paper were singed in the fire. Definitely worth a try. Tom Thanks for the tip Tom - I will definately try for his records now, hearing that! Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MWalsh Posted May 5, 2009 Author Share #13 Posted May 5, 2009 Have you tried Mark Bando's forum?There are a lot of people who have a great knowledge on the 101st. Someone there might be able to assist you. http://www.101airborneww2.com/ I had not tried that forum but had considered it. However, I had once been told that Mr. Bando and others there are very reluctant to give out some info, due to their concern that people will use the info to fake up items... I suppose I have nothing to lose though - I will give it a try! MW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank_Smith Posted May 5, 2009 Share #14 Posted May 5, 2009 Great group Mike! You have me drooling. Baker was cited for the Silver Star in GO#21, 1944 issed by the 101st A/B Divison. I know that I have a copy of this GO, but with my move, I can't find anything. If you write the National Archives in College Park and ask for a copy of this GO and mention Baker's name and award, they will copy and mail it to you free of charge. I'm also showing that his only decorations was the Silver Star and the posthumous award of the Purple Heart. I hope this helps. Frank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobgee Posted May 5, 2009 Share #15 Posted May 5, 2009 Great group Mike! You have me drooling. Baker was cited for the Silver Star in GO#21, 1944 issed by the 101st A/B Divison. I know that I have a copy of this GO, but with my move, I can't find anything. If you write the National Archives in College Park and ask for a copy of this GO and mention Baker's name and award, they will copy and mail it to you free of charge. I'm also showing that his only decorations was the Silver Star and the posthumous award of the Purple Heart. I hope this helps. Frank Good info, Frank! ABMC shows him for the Bronze Star as well. Likely this was a later "letter orders" award based on his Combat Infantry Badge. My 2-cents. Bobgee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamski Posted May 5, 2009 Share #16 Posted May 5, 2009 That group is priceless. Amazing find! -Ski Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MWalsh Posted May 6, 2009 Author Share #17 Posted May 6, 2009 Good info, Frank! ABMC shows him for the Bronze Star as well. Likely this was a later "letter orders" award based on his Combat Infantry Badge. My 2-cents.Bobgee Good point on the CIB possibility - I had honestly never considered that, as I had assumed that the Army just probably wouldn't have bothered doing that for a KIA, especially one from so early in the campaign across Europe proper... but you must just be right on the money. Thanks! Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MWalsh Posted May 6, 2009 Author Share #18 Posted May 6, 2009 Great group Mike! You have me drooling. Baker was cited for the Silver Star in GO#21, 1944 issed by the 101st A/B Divison. I know that I have a copy of this GO, but with my move, I can't find anything. If you write the National Archives in College Park and ask for a copy of this GO and mention Baker's name and award, they will copy and mail it to you free of charge. I'm also showing that his only decorations was the Silver Star and the posthumous award of the Purple Heart. I hope this helps. Frank Frank - THANK YOU! I will get a letter off to College Park tomorrow and see what they have. I posted a request for info on him on the Triggertime site last night too, so we'll see how that goes as well. Thanks! Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blake_E Posted May 6, 2009 Share #19 Posted May 6, 2009 Fantastic group! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Baker Posted May 6, 2009 Share #20 Posted May 6, 2009 Mike, Great group. For what it's worth, I sent away for my first GO in April and got a copy in less than two weeks. I don't know if that's normal, but it was sure a pleasant surprise after dealing with St. Louis. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MWalsh Posted May 6, 2009 Author Share #21 Posted May 6, 2009 Mike, Great group. For what it's worth, I sent away for my first GO in April and got a copy in less than two weeks. I don't know if that's normal, but it was sure a pleasant surprise after dealing with St. Louis. Good luck! They sure do tend to be quick Jim - I agree 100% - it is a nice, NICE change!! MW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobgee Posted July 29, 2009 Share #22 Posted July 29, 2009 Mike - Was wondering if ever got the citation for his Silver Star? Bobgee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MWalsh Posted July 29, 2009 Author Share #23 Posted July 29, 2009 Mike - Was wondering if ever got the citation for his Silver Star?Bobgee I did - I forgot to post it though! It's actually pretty generic, I suspect that it was actually for the exact action he got killed in, for going off with one other trooper to hunt down snipers. Neither was ever seen or heard from again, their bodies never were found, both got the Silver Star for the same action and on the same general order. I personally suspect one of these things probably happened: A. They were both killed and their bodies buried by the Germans and the grave left unmarked or the markers obliterated B. They were captured and killed and then buried to hide the evidence and the graves not marked C. Because of their being on the front lines, an errant artillery round, German or US, got them both and totally obliterated any trace of them I guess no one will ever know. The IDPF file for Baker, to loosely paraphrase, makes note of the fact that it was actually very unusual for their to be unknown graves in that area of Normandy, as the farmers and residents there knew the area well, knew from the area and the lay of the land what belonged, what didn't, and what a fresh grave looked like, and that they were excellent about reporting such things. Another sad mystery of war I guess. Heck, maybe some day someone building a road or a new building will find them... Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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