Help With Id of WW2 AAC medals from picture

[AZPhil]

Hello To All
I'm trying to put together a display case in honor of my Uncle' service.
I have a photo of him and was hoping someone could help identify the medals he is wearing.
Here is a little about Tech Sgt. Joseph Rachunas.
He was attached to the 8thAAC, 384th Bomb Group, 545th Bomb Squadron stationed in GraftonUnderwood,England, He was a tail gunner on the B17 #42-38112 the " Mrs Geezil". They were shot down on April 13th 1944 during the Schweinfurt mission (MACR 3869), he was blown out of the B17 when it exploded, he was able to open his chute and was taken prisoner. He spent the next 13 month as a POW at Stalag 17B.
I know that he was awarded the Air Medal and had three oak leaf cluster's. His unit also did receive a Presidential Unit Citation.
So any help with the ID of the medals he is wearing in this Pic would be greatly appreciated.
Semper Fi
Phil

[JSchmidt415]

I can tell the one in the middle on the bottom is the American campaign Medal, and to the right is the Euro-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal.

Top right might be a purple heart?

And the bottom left might be the American Defense Service Medal, but he would only get that if he was in service from Sept of 1939 to Dec 7th 1941.

[AZPhil]

Thank you Sir for that info!

I have ordered a copy of his service record. But that take's up to 90 days. I guess I'll find out then, about when he started his service.
Thanks Again
Semper Fi
Phil

[vorisekd]

HI, I my grandfather was also on 'Mrs Geezil' when they were shot down, he was the waist gunner I have a photo with the whole crew, but I do not know if it is the 'Mrs Geezil' crew., my email is vorisekd@newpaltz.edu. D.Vorisek

Hello To All
I'm trying to put together a display case in honor of my Uncle' service.
I have a photo of him and was hoping someone could help identify the medals he is wearing.
Here is a little about Tech Sgt. Joseph Rachunas.
He was attached to the 8thAAC, 384th Bomb Group, 545th Bomb Squadron stationed in GraftonUnderwood,England, He was a tail gunner on the B17 #42-38112 the " Mrs Geezil". They were shot down on April 13th 1944 during the Schweinfurt mission (MACR 3869), he was blown out of the B17 when it exploded, he was able to open his chute and was taken prisoner. He spent the next 13 month as a POW at Stalag 17B.
I know that he was awarded the Air Medal and had three oak leaf cluster's. His unit also did receive a Presidential Unit Citation.
So any help with the ID of the medals he is wearing in this Pic would be greatly appreciated.
Semper Fi
Phil

[Masonk]

Top left appears to be the Purple Heart. To the right is most likely the Air Medal with one or two Oak Leaf Clusters. Looks like there is a Campaign Star on the EAME ribbon as well.

Good luck in obtaining your uncles service records. Hopefully they are available as a lot were lost in a fire at the National Archives in 1973.

[Vegard T]

Very nice project, I wish you good luck with your journey, I suppose you've already seen this, but if not, here you go:
NARA - AAD - Display Full Records - World War II Prisoners of War Data File, 12/7/1941 - 11/19/1946

[AZPhil]

You know I need to check back in here more often.
Here I get an email address of somebody who I have been researching and trying to make contact with him or his family and there it was. Then the other's helping me out with more info.
You Guy's are Great
Once again and probably not the last
Thanks You All!!!
Semper Fi
Phil

[Walkwolf]

Hi Phil. Looks like you got a pretty nice representation of the Gunner wings in the photo.
The medals he is wearing are the Purple Heart, Air Medal with Clusters, American
Campaign Medal, American Defense Medal, and the European Middle-Eastern
Campaign with Star ( representing air combat ).

He is also wearing the tan/pink cotton summer shirt.........

[AZPhil]

Thanks Steve
I also found that he was awarded a Good conduct and a Bronze star according to the records I got from NARA. I stll need to find the Bronze star ribbon and add some oak leaf's to the Air Medal ribbon and a star to the European campagne ribbon then I should be able to put his shadow box together.

Thanks Again
Phil

[Walkwolf]

It would be good to assemble the bar like it is in the photo, or all that he was awarded.
There is a specific order of precedence for them:

Bronze Star
Purple Heart
Air Medal
Good Conduct
American Defense
American Campaign
European Middle-Eastern Campaign

He might also have been eligible for the 'WWII US Victory' and 'Army of Occupation'
medals as well, which would follow the EMEC in this order.........