April 2, 201214 yr #26 His Silver Star was awarded as a result of a down-graded DSC recommendation. After the armistice, the GHQ board which approved DSC recommendations continued to process them until the GHQ, AEF was disestablished. The names of all those individuals whose recommendations were were down-graded were published in multi-part GHQ, AEF Citation Orders, first in France in June 1919 and again in March and August 1920 in Washington, DC. His SSM and PH are either late issues or re-issues, based on the serial numbers and the style of engraving. Perhaps he received them after he re-enlisted in January 1942, but the award cards should clear that up. He would have been authorized to wear the CdG ribbon only if it had been an individual award. Most of the Air Corps retreads whom I'm familiar with were commissioned officers who served in staff positions that did not require a rated officer. Your man is the first enlisted retread I've heard of but there must have been many like him. It's a fine group.
May 10, 201214 yr Author #27 Hello everybody, Today I received a very touching letter from the daughter of William Joe. I never expected to find his family, and did not even know he had a child, so I was really surprised to receive a letter from his daughter. In the letter she wrote about her father, who was also wounded during the Second World War. He was shot in his thigh and due to this his leg was amputated. Apart from being a military hero William Joe was also a Republican politician in the Pennsylvania General Assembly and had his own tavern. She wrote that, since she knew the medals are in good hands with me, she is going to send some more stuff from her father like photographs as a gift! :w00t:
June 15, 201214 yr Author #28 Hello all, Today I received another letter from his daughter with some very neat photographs! :w00t: William Joe is the one standing in the middle.
June 15, 201214 yr #31 :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: Nice grouping and some wonderful photos sent onto you to give you more of a sense of the man behind the medals !! Thanks for sharing it with us !! Vic
August 11, 201213 yr Author #32 Hello everybody, Again, I received some very nice photographs from the daughter of William Joe. She is going through his service album and shall send everything she finds towards me, which is really great. :w00t: The photograph below shows William Joe (on the right) in Paris. He wears his First World War ribbons and a Presidential Unit Citation.
August 11, 201213 yr Author #34 This photograph was from the father-in-law of William Joe, Harry, who served either during the Spanish-American War or the First World War. The father of Harry was a German immigrant who served during the American Civil War. Harry's mother was the National President of the Auxiliary to the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War in the 1910's.
January 26, 201313 yr Author #35 Recently the daughter of William Joe sent me some very interesting newspaper articles about him which also mentioned when he was wounded.
January 26, 201313 yr Author #36 Newspaper article with photograph. William Joe is standing on the left.
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