Posthumous WW2 Purple Hearts & Thier Recipient's

[Kilroy Was Here]

***Hello to All. I will post this here in a separate thread as I think I "hijacked" Steven M. threads about these medals. He had mentioned that he feels the PH medal is in same ranks as the Medal Of Honor. I, agree and will paste my statements from here from the "hijacked thread", Sorry again Steve, I will try make my own posts. *****

I agree with Steven M, the Purple Heart is synonymous with "Honor" to your country....especially in my Uncle's case, he received this medal the ultimate honor to your country, giving his 26 year old life.

**** I would like to start a thread about Posthumous awarded Purple Hearts.

****How many other members also have one of their Families, or another they have found on the collector market?

Here is my Family Purple Heart given to my Grandmother in about 1947. Her Son, my Mothers older brother, and my Uncle, Marvin Robert Weiner 1st Lt. Navigator, B-24 Liberator, was shot down and KIA with the whole crew over Salerneca, Greece , 1943. My Mother gave this PH to me along with all items remaining from him that she had, when I was about 7 in 1964. These items are what got me started on a lifetime of WW2 military interest and collecting.

He also chose to stay on after his 25 missions, and the 28 or 29th mission was his...and the crews last mission. Maybe not wise to stay, and pushing his luck, but very honorable. My mother told me he had the option of coming back to the states to train new airmen, but chose to stay. I have 30-40 letters he wrote to my mother, a couple guns, a "Short Snorter" about 3 feet long, a "Capri bell" a silk scarf with hand embroidered squadron insignia, and all sorts of items he sent back to my Mother after the war. I am the curator now.

Here are two nice photos of him I took out of the frame and scanned, In the crew pic, he is the one kneeling on left.

I have looked at this crew photo for close to 50 years now, and never get tired of looking at it when I do. Everything about this picture has always fascinated me, and also has made me very proud to have had such a patriot and warrior in our family. Also very proud of my Father & his Dad, my Grandfathers service, although they were not too much in the "warrior" category.

The other crew members in this photo look to be real characters, especially the look of the tall fellow on right in back, looking away from camera, and also the Captain right next to my Uncle "Buddy" I have other photos also, but this one is my favorite.

I hope you like looking at these items, and enjoy them as much as I have for many years.

Regard, Steve
"Dr.Ruby" p.s. ...You need to click crew picture a couple times to enlarge real big for details.

[Steven M]

Hi there,

I didn't think you hijacked the thread, no problems there . I am always careful is my postings about items like this as the usual "cool" or "great items" simply does not have any place concerning them.

These awards mark the end of a life, and are deserve the same reverence as a grave stone; in a way, that is what they are. I can only imagine that mixed with the pride of the loved ones service, there is an overshadowing feeling of sorrow and regret for the loss.

While these mementos of a heroes service are badges of honor, I am sure that the family would much rather not have them at all...if you know what I mean. They are however, a chapter in the book of your family's history, and at least you have the pride of knowing that there is bravery and honor in the your blood line...

[Kilroy Was Here]

Hi there,

I didn't think you hijacked the thread, no problems there . I am always careful is my postings about items like this as the usual "cool" or "great items" simply does not have any place concerning them.

These awards mark the end of a life, and are deserve the same reverence as a grave stone; in a way, that is what they are. I can only imagine that mixed with the pride of the loved ones service, there is an overshadowing feeling of sorrow and regret for the loss.

While these mementos of a heroes service are badges of honor, I am sure that the family would much rather not have them at all...if you know what I mean. They are however, a chapter in the book of your family's history, and at least you have the pride of knowing that there is bravery and honor in the your blood line...

My Mother is still alive and is 90. She still misses him, and she is always willing to speak to me about when they were kids etc. but when when she does I can see the true sadness in her face.

I have his Eagle Scout uniform and other items from the 1930's also. I am not sure what to do with all these items as I have no children, and probably won't at my age. The only direct family member on that side is my first cousin, a woman, and she does not have children. My older brother has no children either. Quite a dilema.

I will probably leave everything to my 4 cousins on my Fathers side of family, along with all the WW2 items from my Father and Grandfather who served at the same time in ETO.
Those 4 cousins all have children, and seems the family tree will continue on that side. Who knows, maybe I'll be buried with everything I own to let people have fun with their metal detectors in 100 years.

Regards, Steve
"Dr. Ruby"

[Kilroy Was Here]

Steve & Ade, Thank's for cleaning this post up. I bet you have been busy today Ade!! A lovely way to start the week eh? I saw what he he did to all the members posts last night, not just this one.

Regards, Steve
"Dr.Ruby"

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Steve, no problem. We have a zero tolerance policy on idiots and trouble makers here.

Thanks for showing these very special items.

Cheers, Ade.

[Kilroy Was Here]

Hi Steve, no problem. We have a zero tolerance policy on idiots and trouble makers here.

Thanks for showing these very special items.

Cheers, Ade.

Sure Ade, good policy. I am glad you enjoyed looking at these items, they are very special indeed.

Regards, Steve

[Steven M]

Steve,

Just an observation. If my eyes do not deceive me, I believe both of the medal cases are of leatherette covered aluminum instead wood. Is this correct?

[Kilroy Was Here]

Steve,

Just an observation. If my eyes do not deceive me, I believe both of the medal cases are of leatherette covered aluminum instead wood. Is this correct?

Hi Steve, interesting, never really thought about this, or really cared. I just looked them in comparison, and the 2 cases are different.
The Air Medal case has a larger hinge, and I carefully checked it.......The Air medal box is wooden it appears, and the Purple Heart is metal it looks like. Both appear to be real leather, not fake leatherette though. It is worn slightly on corners and looks like leather to me.
So the Air medal box must be an earlier WW2 case then.

As I remember the Purple Heart was given to my grandmother in 1950, along with a big casket sized 48 star flag which I also have.
While my Mother is still alive, and thinking straight, I will ask her again exactly when my Grandmother received this PH, I believe 1950 though.

Here is an interesting letter dated 1949 to my Grandmother about her "Son" not "Husband" I guess the Army was a little busy to get this correct when they sent her the letter!! This may be interesting for other members and yourself to see. I gives a little insight into our War Dead return procedures.

Regards, Steve
"Dr.Ruby" P.S. He is buried in Golden Gate National Cemetery, San Francisco not Italy. He was returned to the states.

[Pompa Mike]

Wow, that letter.... I know they had to take care of business but damn.... I sure hate the thought of some poor Mom to have to read that about her son. I know it had to be done but..... Damn, pretty brutal. I guess this is where the term God's Speed comes from. God know at a time like that God's Speed was needed.

Yours
Mike

[Steven M]

Hi Steve, interesting, never really thought about this, or really cared. I just looked them in comparison, and the 2 cases are different.
The Air Medal case has a larger hinge, and I carefully checked it.......The Air medal box is wooden it appears, and the Purple Heart is metal it looks like. Both appear to be real leather, not fake leatherette though. It is worn slightly on corners and looks like leather to me.
So the Air medal box must be an earlier WW2 case then.

Hi (other) Steve,

Thanks very much for the additional photos. the reason I asked was that I have heard different dates for when the aluminum cases were introduced, and from what I have been able to ascertain, 1944 was the year they first appeared.

I know these awards could have come in a paper sack , and not lost any of their meaning - and rightly so. When I mentioned leatherette, I didn't mean that in a diminishing way. All of the cases during WWII were a very high quality material that looks very much like leather.