September 5-7, 2023 Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/7/2023
An excellent World War II Navy medal and insignia group attributed to Lt. Harry J. Minarik. The group consists of medals, including a Navy Cross and Air Medal as well as Pacific Theater campaign medals, each accompanied by their correct US Navy style 1/2" ribbon bars. Also included are 5 pairs of naval aviator wings, 1 embroidered, 1 clutch back marked "AMICO / 1/20 10KG ONS", 1 pinback marked "HH 1/20 10 K.G.F.", 1 beautiful wing made by Tiffany & Co. marked on reverse "14K Tiffany N.Y." with Harry J. Minarik engraved on reverse, and lastly a 1 - 1/2" pinback wing marked "1/20 10 K.G.F.". Also included in the display case are several pieces of rank insignia, post-War veteran association pins, and 2 1" navy insignia for overseas hats both marked "HJ STERLING" on reverse. At center is a VT-16 patch, and bottom left corner is a great photo of Minarik in the cockpit of his TBF Avenger with his 2 crewmen perched on the wing. Harry grew up in the small town of Sanford, Florida where his father worked for the railroad. After finishing high school he planned to spend 3 years at Stetson University in Deland before entering medical school, but the looming threat of war made that unlikely. Instead, he entered the Civilian Pilot Training program and earned his Private Pilot’s license in September 1941. After the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, the Navy sent him to Atlanta for primary flight training, where he flew the N2S Stearman. He was commissioned an Ensign on August 31st, 1942, and received his wings as a Naval Aviator on September 21st, 1942. He was qualified to fly the TBF Avenger torpedo bomber and joined Torpedo Squadron 16 aboard the carrier USS Randolph. Shortly after VT-16 boarded the USS Randolph, the task force she was attached to began attacking the Japanese home islands. On July 24th, 1945, VT-16 attacked Japanese forces in the Inland Sea with the mission objective to sink the Japanese Battleship Hyuga after she was damaged and towed to a new position within Hiroshima Bay. Harry’s actions during the ensuing battle resulted in him being awarded the Navy Cross. His citation reads: "For extraordinary heroism as Pilot of a Torpedo Bomber Plane in Torpedo Squadron SIXTEEN, attached to the U.S.S. RANDOLPH, in action against enemy Japanese forces in the Inland Sea on July 24, 1945. Pressing home an aggressive attack against a hostile battleship-carrier in the Kure Naval Base, Lieutenant Minarik succeeded in scoring a direct hit and near misses despite intense and accurate antiaircraft fire, thereby contributing materially to the destruction of the hostile vessel. His skillful airmanship and courageous devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service." After the War Harry achieved his initial dream of becoming a doctor and practiced in Virginia. He passed away at age 94 on March 19th, 2015. Also included with the group is a binder of research regarding Harry's service as well as an original unit history of VT-16, another VT-16 patch, original Navy Cross citation, photo, and most interestingly, an old newspaper article regarding a letter that an Australian POW wrote to Minarik after the war that states Minarik killed Japanese soldiers during a food drop to a POW camp. The POW, Johnny Mason states that a food bag crushed 4 Japanese soldiers after it was dropped and that Mason wanted to contact Minarik because Minarik's crew had written their names on the bag. The reason he only wrote to Minarik was because "The big white bag that had your name on it was all covered with blood and the rest of the names could not be read, but i put yours down". This is an excellent medal group with great history. CONDITION: Medals and insignia exhibit a nice patina, paper items exhibit tears and yellowing but remain intact. Good.
ADDENDUM: Photos added.
Item Dimensions: 18" X 12" X 5"