WWII Gallery at NMMC

[VintageJess]

I'm currently in the 13 week training program to become a docent at the new Museum of the United States Marine Corps. The museum will be opening on November 10th of this year (Happy Birthday Marines!) Although, it won't be fully completed--it will open with full galleries for Making Marines, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, and a temporary exhibit on the Global War on Terrorism. Other galleries will follow over time.

Anyway, I can't say enough about what a first-class place this is going to be. We have received excellent training in this program (including from Colonel Joseph Alexander who has been the chief historian on the museum project.) But I thought I would post here a bit about some of the items that will be included in the WWII gallery. There are some pictures posted on the museum website, but hopefully I can snap some more recent ones the next time we are training in the actual galleries.

So here are some of the items to be included in the WWII gallery:

• Chance Vought F4U-4 Corsair
• Dai-Ichi Kaigun Koku Ohka Model 11 Cherry Blossom (captured from Yonton airfiled during the invasion of Okinawa)
• Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat
• Grumman TBF/TBM Avenger
• M3A1 Stuart Light Tank
• M1923-E2 75mm pack howitzer
• Gung Ho Knife
• Raider Stilletto
• M3A1 37mm Anti-Tank Gun
• Ka-Bar Knife
• Mark II Grenade
• Japanese Model 89 Heavy Grenade Discharger
• Ford GPW Jeep
• M4A3 Sherman Tank
• [*LVT1
• ]M1 Rocket Launcher
• Japanese Type 99 Anti-Tank Mine
• Various captured Japanese Swords
• Bugle from Pearl Harbor
• Uniforms
• Patches
• Black Dyed Raider Shirt from the Makin Raid
• Both 1st and 2nd Flags raised and flown over Mt. Suribachi
• Silverware, and other items made by Marines held as POWs

I'll keep you posted with more info as I get it. Probably the most fascinating part of training has been speaking with the other folks there, most of whom are Marine Corps veterans. Always funny to see some bookish historian interrupted in his presentation by a crusty old man raising his hand saying, "That's not the weapon we had at Tarawa--I know because I was there!"

Jessica

P.S. I hope I wrote out all of that info out right--I've been taking lots of notes and studying up, but still have LOTS to learn!

 

[fortworthgal]

That sounds really neat, vintagejess! My husband's grandfather was 2nd Marine Division in WWII, and his son (my husband's father) served in Vietnam and retired a few years ago as a Lt Col. Perhaps we will make it up that way sometime and you can give us a tour!

 

[Dixon Cannon]

Very impressive!

My Uncle Col. Edmond J. Buckley replaced Col. Goettge on Guadalcanal and ran the D-2 Intelligence for the 11th Marines. The Coastwatcher, Martin Clemens reported his findings to D-2. (He authored the book, "Alone On Guadancanal").

Ask around with some of those 'jarheads' if they ever received the 'George Medal' while serving on Guadalcanal. Ed Buckley was the 'Grand Master of the Order' and ceremoniously pinned and presented the 'Faciat Georgius' to a deserving few. Those medals are as rare as hens teeth these days, and to those who still have theirs they are cherished momentos of Operation Cactus.

I'll find a pic and post it for all the other leathernecks out there!

-with the big laundry pin used in the presentation ceremony

-dixon cannon

 

[VintageJess]

My Uncle Col. Edmond J. Buckley replaced Col. Goettge on Guadalcanal and ran the D-2 Intelligence for the 11th Marines. The Coastwatcher, Martin Clemens reported his findings to D-2. (He authord the book, "Alone On Guadancanal").

Ask around with some of those 'jarheads' if they ever received the 'George Medal' while serving on Guadalcanal. Ed Buckley was the 'Grand Master of the Order' and ceremoniously pinned and presented the 'Faciat Georgius' to a deserving few. Those medals are as rare as hens teeth these days, and to those who still have theirs they are cherished momentos of Operation Cactus.

-dixon cannon

Dixon,

Thanks for the info on your uncle--I will have to try to track down that book.

Ah yes, the 'George' Medal. Our instructors have brought it up several times. I am guessing that we will have one in the museum, since they covered it in our notes. I'll have to double check on that. Here is some info about it from the notes that I took from one of our instructive lectures.

• Legendary among 1st Marine Divsion veterans of Guadalcanal
• Designed by then-Captain Donald L. Dickson, adjutant of the 5th Marines, on the order of the Division G-3, then-LtCol Merrill B. Twining
• Only about 50 were cast, in Australia, before the mold gave out
• Those wanting a medal paid one Australian pound for it and received a certificate as well
• In recent years, repros have been cast, and can be identified by the different metal and poor definition in the details
• The suspension ribbon was made of the pale green herringbone twill from the Marine's utility uniform. Legend has it that to be authentic the utilities from which the ribbon were made had to have been washed in the waters of Guadalcanal's Lunga River.
• Inscription is Facia Georgius, "Let George Do It." Thus the name, the George Medal

Jessica

 

[Dixon Cannon]

Fasciat Georgius

VJ, Here is the presentation certificate used during the award ceremony by the "Grand Master of the Order", Col. Edmond J. Buckley 1st Marine Div, 11th Marines, D2, Guadalcanal 1942.

(this is quite large. you can 'save as' and download the .jpg and print it out if you'd like. Sorry to take up so much space!)

-dixon cannon

 

[Dixon Cannon]

Gen. Vandergrift's Staff on Guadalcanal 1942

 

[Dixon Cannon]

1st Marine Div., 11th Marines, D-2 Staff Guadalcanal 1942

 

[Dixon Cannon]

Lt. Col. Edmond J. Buckley, USMC Honolulu, HA 1944

 

[VintageJess]

Dixon,

Wow, fantastic photos! Thank you so much for posting! I am going to include them as part of my notes!

And FortWorthGal, I would love to get to meet you and show you around!!

Jessica

 

[mikepara]

Cheers..

For sharing the George Medal with us non Jarheads. A fascinating item and story. I hope you don't mind me copying your pics and keeping them....cos I'm gonna do it anyway.

I just love that sort of daft unique Service humour, and I miss it.

 

[KaosDad]

Hey - I have one of those!

Hi All! This forum caught my attention while researching the George Medal. I am married to MGEN Rupertus' oldest GrandDaughter and recently rescued all of his medals & such from the youngest's foot locker! To my amazement I found his George, the certificate & what appears to be a design drawing!

(If the images don't load - please come back later - my web server wedges every so often.)

I've also just recieved a custome built display for it and will post a couple pictures once I get good ones.

Anyway, just wanted to let those of you who are interested know that there are a few out here and at least one is in perfect condition!

 

[fortworthgal]

I actually saw one of the George medals on ebay a couple of months ago. I can't remember what it went for, though...

KaosDad - You might want to look up the US Militaria Forum. It is a forum for people who collect militaria - LOTS of knowledge there, and they'd be able to help you out with any questions and research. I'm a member there as well.

 

[Dixon Cannon]

Hi All! This forum caught my attention while researching the George Medal. I am married to MGEN Rupertus' oldest GrandDaughter and recently rescued all of his medals & such from the youngest's foot locker! To my amazement I found his George, the certificate & what appears to be a design drawing!

I've also just recieved a custome built display for it and will post a couple pictures once I get good ones.

Anyway, just wanted to let those of you who are interested know that there are a few out here and at least one is in perfect condition!

KaosDad, You have a real treasure there! Very rare indeed! I am envious of you. My Uncle Ed Buckley died four years before I was born and never had the chance to meet him or see his memorabilia. I can't thank you enough for sharing this with the FL. It's the first I've seen of any history of the 'George' medal. Anthing else in the treasure chest!!???

-dixon cannon

 

[Dixon Cannon]

Here's a page from 'Alone On Guadalcanal'

By Martin Clemens:

-dixon cannon

 

[KaosDad]

I actually saw one of the George medals on ebay a couple of months ago. I can't remember what it went for, though...

KaosDad - You might want to look up the US Militaria Forum. It is a forum for people who collect militaria - LOTS of knowledge there, and they'd be able to help you out with any questions and research. I'm a member there as well.

Already there! And if you rush on over you can see the display I had made!

Dixon - Yes, I am VERY aware of how rare and wonderful it is! I have had a very sepcial case made for it which I will share once I get a GOOD picture. I have all of the General's Awards as well as a boat load of letters & photos.

The middle graddaughter has all of his commissions & such.

I also have the awards of his son (my FIL)

So, I have a bit of USMC history floating around the bar - and then I have my DAD's stuff!!!

 

[Dixon Cannon]

KaosDad, try as I might, I've been unable to dig up any data on the signers of Gen. Rupertus' 'Faciat Georgius' citation.
I've discovered that Schiller was a Rutgers graduate, but that's about it.

"...John Schiller his name was, Rutgers graduate, journalism guy, a very talented guy, joined the Marines and was involved in most of the big action in the South Pacific and his mother, who was a character, I'll never forget her coming to our house and reading some of his letters and saying, at that point, she insisted, there was a book out at the time called Guadalcanal Diary and she came over and he was in Guadalcanal. She said, "You've got to read it, Guadalcanal Dairy." I said, "Ah, poor Mrs. Schiller didn't know daily from diary, but that's okay." .."

Nothing on the other gent at all -
not sure of the spelling of that last name - 'Sugoph'???

If you discover anything new, please let me know!

-dixon cannon

 

[KaosDad]

FG Display is DONE!!!!

Well the display is done!!! Here is the first look:

Now - displayed on the Hero Wall:

Enjoy!!!!

I'll do some more resarch on the certificate signors.

 

[KaosDad]

VintageJess & Dixon -

I cannot send PMs. I am thinking about starting a project around the "George" Medal - an online registry of sorts. I would love to bounce some ideas off you & get any info you have (not already posted). If you are at all interested -I have enabled e-mail in my User CP.

Thanks!

 

[Dixon Cannon]

Attn KaosDad

Hi KaosDad, I hope this reaches you - I couldn't find the alternate email address.

I'm Dixon Cannon and I would be very interested in you ideas regarding the George medal. I can be PM's or post a message and we'll find one another.

-dixon cannon

 

[KaosDad]

ATTN Dixon Cannon

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faciat_Georgius

Please send e-mail to: rbates@smartneighborhood.net

Thanks!!!