KIA Purple Heart - Phillippines - January 27, 1945

[Guest Darrell]

Here's a nice looking PH I received in the mail today. It was given to the widow of this Portland Oregon soldier KIA on January 27, 1945. Included in the group was the Letter from Philadelphia Quartermaster Depot, a newspaper clipping announcing the Death of Ervin J. Nelson and the white Cardboard packing carton. The protective tissue paper is not shown but came in the case as well.

I did a little research based on the whereabouts of the 27th Inf. Reg., 25th Inf. Div. and it places them around the San Felipe / Binalonan area (within 10 miles of the Lingayen Gulf beach in the northen Phillippines) during the period of 27 Jan 1945.

1. Case Top:

[Guest Darrell]

2. Case in the white Protective Carton:

[Guest Darrell]

3. Medal in Case 1:

[Guest Darrell]

4. Medal in Case Reverse 1:

[Guest Darrell]

5. Closeup of Engraving:

Edited June 16, 2008 by Darrell

[Guest Darrell]

6. Paper Clipping announcing the death of PFC Nelson.

[Guest Darrell]

7. Letter from the Quartermaster that came with the PH.

[Guest Darrell]

8. The Lingayen Gulf in the Phillippines (red circle):

[Guest Darrell]

9. Closeup of the Lingayen Gulf and the approximate location of the 27th Inf. Reg., 25th Inf. Div. on Jan. 27, 1945 (Red Circle).

Edited June 16, 2008 by Darrell

[Guest Darrell]

10. From the Monuments Commission Site:

[Guest Darrell]

11. From NARA:

[scottplen]

Nice Pacific KIA! KIA pacifics getting pretty tough to find ! I sold a 77th div KIA leyte a while back And now kicking myself!!!! :speechless:

[Guest Darrell]

Nice Pacific KIA! KIA pacifics getting pretty tough to find ! I sold a 77th div KIA leyte a while back And now kicking myself!!!!

That's so true Scott. Most of the KIA's on the market are from late '44 or '45 from Northern Europe (France / Germany). Not many from the Pacific or other areas of Europe pre-'44 come along very often.

[Guest Darrell]

To round out this thread. As posted elsewhere, here are two other named PH's I took out for a snapshot today.

1st up another KIA. This time for a Normandy June 15, 1944 - PFC Joseph Roginski (47th Infantry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division).

[Guest Darrell]

2nd, a WIA. CPL - William Naparty. Nice engraved PH. Not much known about this one yet.