December 14-17, 2021 Collectible Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/15/2021
Very nice World War II Purple Heart Medal engraved to Fletcher H. Guess Jr. Born during 1916 in Tampa, Florida, Guess had enlisted in the US Army before America's entrance in World War II and was assigned to Battery B, 70th Coast Artillery Battalion (AA) and was stationed in Fort Screven, Georgia where he served as a bugler. After the outbreak of World War II, Guess reenlisted in the Army and began his new enlistment as a member of the US Army Air Forces. As an eager young man ready to begin his reenlistment, Guess would perfectly fulfil the role of a waist gunner on B-24 Liberators in the 44th Bomb Group, the "Flying Eightballs." Fletcher flew most of his missions early in the air war and was present during the Kjeller Raid over Norway on November 18, 1943. It was during this raid that he would earn his Purple Heart, as according to his medical records, his hand was injured during the mission. Guess survived the war and moved to Maryland, where he was a member of his local VFW post and served as their bugler, chaplain, and chairman of youth activities. He is also mentioned to have played Santa Claus at Hochshild Kohn's department store and the Leukemia Society. Mr. Guess passed away at the young age of 56 after a fulfilling life of serving his country and his community after the war. The lot includes Guess's US Army engraved style slot brooch Purple Heart medal with his ribbon bar and Army Motor Vehicle Permit contained in the Purple Heart coffin case. The ribbon bar features a Purple Heart ribbon, American Defense ribbon with campaign star, and World War II Victory ribbon with campaign star denoting service overseas. The pinback ribbon bar is pinned securely to the lining of the case. The lot also includes several pieces of research including enlistment records and newspaper articles that briefly document Guess's service. CONDITION: The medal is very clean and the engraving remains crisp. The case exhibits scattered blemishes on the reverse but is overall clean. Overall very good. JLD
Item Dimensions: 7" X 4"