Mementos My Dad brought home....
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Actual size is about 1/2 inch diameter. |
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This is part of a “short snorter,” on which crew and visitors would sign their names. Money like this would be glued together and stuck up in the crew quarters where it could be signed and examined. Most of the names are VPB-118 guys from other crews. The first name is Conrad Dodl. Dodl survived a ditching in which his PPC, Leland McCutcheon, died, as well as other crew. Also unlucky were E.W. Smith, in the middle, and Mike Marice and Joe Piquette, 2nd & 3rd from the bottom, who were all killed in action. The last name is Vince Abate, who survided his tour with VPB-118 as well as the Battle of Midway. |
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This another section of the short snorter. The tear on the top of this one lines up with the tear on the bottom of the one above. The first name is R.L. McCall, who knew the Shanghai area and directed his PPC (Lloyd) as he led a raid on oil refineries in that area. Several others are from the Thompson and Pettes crews. |
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My Dad brought back this piece of airplane skin. Is he the guy cutting the plane in the picture? |
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Air Medal on the left, Distinguished Flying Cross on the right. The Asiatic-Pacific Theatre bar is next to the DFC. |
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This is about 1-1/2" across. |
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These are all American, so I'm guessing that Dad picked these up off the ground either at Midway, Tinian, Iwo Jima, or Okinawa. The tip of the bullet is slightly dented from impact. |
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I don't know if these cowry shells were picked up off a beach or traded-for from an islander. |
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This is the other medal that my Dad got in the war...I don't know how he acquired this, but it's Japanese. |