My largest pickup of recent times is the nearly complete USAF grouping of multi-war veteran Colonel Raymond E. Buckwalter. I obtained all of these items from another collector. He was able to pick all of this up about eight years ago on ebay, spare a few items. (which i'm on the lookout for btw). He was well known for his part in the Berlin airlift and all of the humanitarian missions he had flown after that. He was also commander of the 28th Bomb squadron when the famous b-29 "Command Decision" was operating.

All of the units he commanded as well as dates are listed below.

8/49-10/49 15th TCS Maj

5/52-11/52 28th BS LTC

5/53-4/55 9th BS LTC

        -6/64 390th SW (Torrejon Sp.)

8/64-7/65 509th BW Col

7/65-9/65 100th BW Col

9/65-9/66 68th Wing/53rd Elec War group Col

9/66-10/68 DSC/M 8th AF Col

 

Picture overload time!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you have made it this far.....

 

All the items below are what was split up from the group and what I am trying to obtain 

The two items I couldn't find pictures of are...

His named full size medals

Award plaques

Named flightsuit

white pilot helmet

 

Really motivated to reunite group

 

 

 

This is a fantastic grouping! Congrats on acquiring it. I'll bet that COL Buckwalter found himself as a flight instructor in WWII, and didn't get the chance to fly in combat until Korea.

 

Allan

I love this group.

 

The ribbon bars are great as is the baseball cap.

 

He might have flown costal patrols before and during the war.

 

Would anti submarine patrols qualify you for the Air Medal?

 

If so one of his Air Medals could be from WW2?

He received his first AM under HQ USAFE as a Major in 1949 and two oak leaf clusters under HQ FEAF in Aug and Oct 1952.  

Great items! Of special interest for my own is his cigarette case with the town of Hof and Selb marked on the US Occupation Zone 1948. More common is the town of Bayreuth south of both.

Bringing this to the Top, I’m still looking for his other items…I will pay a Bounty.