Purple Heart (two-piece construction, in bronze gilt with purple, red, white and green enamels, engraved "PETER J. GERSPACH III" on the reverse, measuring 35 mm (w) x 43.5 mm (h), original ribbon with brooch pinback, accompanied by its 35.8 mm (w) x 10 mm (h) ribbon bar and its 17.3 mm (w) x 4 mm (h) enameled ribbon bar, in its hardshelled case of issue, marked "PURPLE HEART" on the lid, case soiled on the exterior); National Defense Service Medal (in bronze, measuring 32.2 mm in diameter, original ribbon with brooch pinback, accompanied by its 35.8 mm (w) x 9.8 mm (h) ribbon bar); Vietnam Service Medal (in bronze, measuring 32 mm in diameter, one bronze service star on its original ribbon with brooch pinback, accompanied by its 35.5 mm (w) x 10 mm (h) ribbon bar with one bronze star); and Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, 1 Clasp - 1960- (in bronze gilt with red, white and green enamels, measuring 38 mm (w) x 43.5 mm (h), "1960- " clasp on its original ribbon with dual push pin points, accompanied by its 35.8 mm (w) x 9.8 mm (h) ribbon bar with "1960- " clasp). Extremely fine. Accompanied by a Combat Infantryman Badge (in silvered metal with blue enamels, marked "L 22" on the reverse, measuring 77 mm (w) x 26 mm (h), dual push pin points); a 101st Airborne Wings Patch (in red, white and yellow embroidery, on a black cotton base, teal wool backer, measuring 78 (w) x 46 mm (h)); along with copies of his Service Records and assorted research papers.
Footnote: Peter Joseph Gerspach III was born on August 26, 1946, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Peter J. Gerspach Jr. of Eggertsville, New York. He had two sisters, Mrs. Alan Pufpaff of Cheektowaga and Pamela Gerspach, along with a brother, Paul Gerspach, the latter two living at home when he was Killed in Action in Vietnam. Gerspach graduated from Seneca Vocational High School in 1964 and was a resident of Eggertsville, New York, when he enlisted with the United States Army, Service and Serial Number 12 747 927, signing on in Buffalo, New York, on February 9, 1966. He began his Basic Combat Training at Fort Dix, New Jersey on February 17, 1966, which was followed by Advanced Individual Training beginning on May 16th at the same location. Gerspach was a Rifleman with Company 'A', 1st Battalion, 509th Infantry Division and served with the United States Army in Europe (USAEUR) as of June 20, 1966, returning to the United States on April 8, 1967. He was soon sent for a tour of duty in Vietnam, arriving on May 3, 1967, where he was assigned to and began service with Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC) Company, 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry, 101st Airborne Division, United States Army Vietnam (USARV). On May 25, 1967, during Operation Malheur, the 1st Battalion fought several engagements with the enemy several kilometers southeast of Đức Phổ District, in Quảng Ngãi Province. Operation Malheur was a series of search and destroy operations conducted by the 1st Brigade 101st Airborne Division operating as part of Task Force Oregon in Quảng Ngãi Province. Operation Malheur began on May 11, 1967 and continued until June 8, 1967. The operation began with airmobile assaults aimed at the Viet Cong (VC) 2nd Regiment in Base Area 124 to the west of Đức Phổ District. The operations mainly consisted of small-scale skirmishes and were successful in disrupting the VC/People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN), but failed to eradicate them. During the fire fights on May 25th, nine men from the 3rd Platoon, 'B' Company, 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry, 101st Airborne Division, United States Army Vietnam (USARV) were killed in action, attributed to hostile small arms fire, as they were ambushed at the top of a no-name hill.
Before the rest of the unit could get to the top to help them, which took the rest of the day, the North Vietnamese had executed those still alive after the initial contact and retreated. One of those killed was Specialist Fourth Class Peter Joseph Gerspach III. The other nine included Lieutenant Benjamin Gareth Wells, Private First Class Alan Wayne Bonney, Sergeant First Class Edward Lewis Tieman, Private First Class Edward Michael McMullan, Staff Sergeant Alfred George Kircher, Private First Class Terry Alan Harding, Specialist Fourth Class Joe Albert Funk II, Specialist Fourth Class Leonard Arvin Enos and Sergeant Gary Allen Rathbun from the 42nd Scout Dog Platoon, along with a scout dog named Thunder and his handler. In an interview with one soldier, he described the events of May 25, 1967: "I was at the Battalion C.P. (Command Post) on the day he (Gerspach) was killed, taking photos for the Brigade P.I.O. We heard the ambush which killed him and half of his platoon, even though it happened about a mile away across the valley. It started off abruptly and attained the level of a loud roar in about a second. I heard some of the radio transmissions, but kind of blanked out when I heard he was killed. The troops who found the dead troopers said the spider holes (a military parlance for a type of camouflaged one-man foxhole, used for observation: typically a shoulder-deep, protective, round hole, often covered by a camouflaged lid, in which a soldier can stand and fire a weapon) of the NVA (North Vietnamese Army) were so close to the trail where the ambush happened, that you could have touched them with you muzzle." Specialist Fourth Class Peter J. Gerspach III was Killed in Action in Quảng Ngãi Province, Republic of Vietnam, on May 25, 1967, at the age of 20, his death officially attributed to hostile small arms fire. His body was recovered and returned to the United States, where his remains were buried in Acacia Park Cemetery in North Tonawanda, Niagara County, New York. Gerspach was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star Medal. In addition, for his Vietnam service, he was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal with one bronze service star, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with palm unit citation, the Republic of Vietnam Military Merit Medal. His other awards included the Parachutist Badge and the Army Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle clasp. In a Summary Court held at Saigon on July 21, 1967, it was determined that his father, Peter J. Gerspach Jr., would receive his personal effects, which included two wallets, a cigarette lighter, a duffel bag, two watches, a pair of jump boots, a ballpoint pen, an Airborne Wing and one group of stationery. A Treasury Check in the amount of $79.19 was also issued to him, as that was the amount that his son had accrued. There were other items in his possession that were destroyed, as they were "found to be worn beyond repair and of obnoxious nature", including miscellaneous cards and papers, a New Testament and two keys on a wire brass collar. Specialist Fourth Class Peter J. Gerspach III is remembered with honor on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, Panel 20E, Line 102.