This item is part of A Gentleman's Collection; A Comprehensive Selection of 20th Century American Gallantry & Casualty Awards. Click Here to view all items in this collection.
United States. A Father and Son Group, Jinsen Korea KIA
Second War Veteran Walter H. Magee, Jr.'s Soldier's Medal: in bronze, engraved "MC-3 / WALTER H. MAGEE / U.S.N.R." n the reverse, measuring 35 mm (w) x 35 mm (h), original ribbon with brooch pinback, spotting very light contact, near extremely fine. Accompanied by its 35.5 mm (w) x 10 mm (h) ribbon bar with pinback, in their hardshelled case of issue, marked "SOLDIER'S MEDAL" on the lid, light wear on the exterior, case also near extremely fine. Also included is a coil-bound binder housing: Walter H. Magee, Sr., Army of the United States: two Army of the United States Honorable Discharge Certificates (dated December 14, 1918 at Valparaiso, Indiana, printed in black ink, with handwritten personalized entries in black ink, on a white paper stock, one measuring 202 mm (w) x 276 mm (h), the other measuring 216 mm (w) x 280 mm (h), both with fold marks); his "Delayed" Birth Certificate (printed in black ink, typewritten personalized inscriptions, in a white paper stock, embossed seal of the Orphan's Court of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania at the lower left, dated January 2, 1946, measuring 215 mm (w) x 175 mm (h)); a Letter of Recommendation from the Students Army Training Corps at Valparaiso University (signed by Captain Chandler Smith (Commanding) and two Infantry 2nd Lieutenants, Bolon B. Turner and Walter A. Williams, typewritten on an off-white paper stock, measuring 202 mm (w) x 267 mm (h), fold marks); a Photograph of Walter H. Magee, Jr., United States Navy (colorized black and white, matte finish, illustrating the bust of Magee, Jr. in his United States Navy uniform, in a studio setting, measuring 202 mm (w) x 251 mm (h)).
Twenty-four Photographs (two of Walter H. Magee, Sr. in his First World War Army of the United States uniform, in a studio setting; one of what is likely Walter H. Magee, Sr.'s wife in a studio setting; ten taken in post First World War France, with various locations marked on their reverses; five taken in the field during the 1930s and dated as such on their reverses; one of the wedding of Walter H. Magee, Jr. to Jean Franklin, with his parents on either side of the newly wedded couple; and five miscellaneous family images); two Photographs and an American National Red Cross Identification Card of Mrs. Walter H. Magee (one photo is colorized black and white, semi-gloss finish, measuring 75 mm (w) x 90 mm (h), the other photo is black and white, semi-gloss finish, measuring 35 mm (w) x 42 mm (h), accompanied by an American National Red Cross Identification Card: inscribed "The American National Red Cross / Mrs. Walter H. Magee / whose signature and picture appear on the reverse side of this card is a worker in the Philadelphia Centre for the Allied Prisoner of War Food Packing Service", dated June 21, 1944 and signed by the Chairman, printed in red and black inks, on a cream-colored stock, measuring 101 mm (w) x 63 mm (h)); two handwritten letters from friends written to Walter H. Magee, Jr.'s parents, regarding their son's death (one from "Tom" of Cripple Creek, Colorado, dated December 16, 1945; the other from "Bob Collins" of Detroit, Michigan, dated February 15, 1946); a Poem of Remembrance (typewritten, inscribed "Dear Lord, you gave your Son to / Save the World / You didn't count the cost / In blood and sacrifice. / You gave your Son that we might live, / Dear Lord, can I do less? / I gave the world my son / That he might help to save / The things for which your Son / Nobly died. / If, when the Victory's won, Dear Lord, / And you send back my son, / I'll press him to my breast and / Thank you, Lord. / And if he goes to join your Son / I'll understand; and through my / Tears rejoice / To know my son and the Son of God, / Go hand in hand. / --Anonymous", on an off-white paper stock, measuring 112 mm (w) x 172 mm (h), fold marks); along with various newspaper and magazine articles (including one featuring a photo of Walter H. Magee, Jr. and Jean Franklin before they married).
Footnote: Walter H. Magee, Sr. was born on February 5, 1889 in Warrior Run, Pennsylvania, the son of John Magee and Jane Morris. He was 29 years old when he enlisted with the Army of the United States on August 14, 1918 at Detroit, Michigan, stating that he was Married and that his trade was that of Chauffeur. While with the Army, he trained with Company "B", Students Army Training Corps at Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, Indiana. He did not qualify in marksmanship and horsemanship, nor was he in any battles or sustained any wounds. When he was discharged from Company "B", Students Army Training Corps on December 14, 1918, it was noted that he was in "good physical condition" and that his character was "Excellent". He had been a soldier in the United States Army for four months and had "always been faithful and honest in performance of his duties". He continued to serve in the Army after the war, into the 1930s, as evidenced by the accompanying photographs. His son, Walter H. Magee, Jr., United States Navy was born in 1921 and had been in the service for two years and had done dangerous underwater work during his time with the Navy, when he was killed on the night of October 12, 1945, at the age of 24, while "courageously fighting a warehouse fire in Jinsen, Korea" (the name "Jinsen" given to "Incheon" by the Japanese during the occupation, before returning to its original name).
His parents received a letter from Major General C.X. Cheves, commanding the Army's forces in Jinsen, commending the high courage of their son: "We were within twenty feet of each other. A wall collapsed and he was the only American who failed to escape. The work and bravery of your son were outstanding that night. He went far beyond the call of duty and I am recommending him for an Army decoration." The subsequent award would be the Soldier's Medal that is included with this group, which is issued to those that distinguished themselves by heroism, while not involving actual conflict with the enemy. The store, Strawbridge & Clothier in Detroit, also extended their sympathies to Shoe Buyer of the Fashion Basement, Walter H. Magee, Sr. and his wife. Walter H. Magee, Jr.'s mother was with the American Women's Voluntary Services during the war and had attained total sales in Stamps and Bonds for the year that she worked in the area and as Gallant on the Bond Drives, of $125,560.85, while amassing a total of 363 hours of volunteer work. She was with the American National Red Cross, serving as a worker in the Philadelphia Center for the Allied Prisoner of War Food Packing Service.