Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A well documented Army Distinguished Service Cross group of eight named to Air Trooper and Specialist 4th Class Larry E. Godlewski, 2nd Battalion 7th Cavalry, wounded in action, Vietnam, 6 November 1968

Army Distinguished Service Cross (2) unnamed, slot brooch, with lapel badge, in plastic case; another, more modern, reverse machine engraved, ‘Larry E. Godlewski’, slot brooch, no case; Purple Heart (2), with oak leaf cluster, unnamed, slot brooch, with lapel badge, in case; another, more modern, reverse machine engraved, ‘Larry E. Godlewski’, with oak leaf cluster, slot brooch, no case; Army Commendation Medal (2), unnamed, with ‘V’ emblem on ribbon, crimp brooch, with lapel badge, in plastic case; another, more modern, reverse machine engraved, ‘Larry E. Godlewski’, with ‘V’ emblem on ribbon, crimp brooch, no case; Army Good Conduct Medal; National Defense Service Medal; Vietnam Service Medal, two bronze stars on ribbon; South Vietnam, Gallantry Cross, with palm on ribbon; Service Medal, 1 clasp, 1960-, enamelled, unnamed, generally extremely fine (11) £1000-1400

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Named and Attributable American Medal Groups.

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Awarded the Army D.S.C. whilst on a search and clear mission in the jungle near Landing Zone ‘Billie’, on 6 November 1968.

‘Coming upon a large enemy force, his company was pinned down and 8 men hit. He personally killed two NVA enemy, and the American wounded were rescued. He then volunteered and went on a reconnaissance with the Company C.O. (Capt. Siders) and one other trooper. In the thick bush they spotted, attacked and destroyed an enemy bunker, but Captain Siders was badly hit. As Godlewski and his fellow trooper went to his aid, the pair came under a hail of fire from another concealed bunker, and Godlewski placed himself in front to defend the C.O. and the trooper. Godlewski then received shrapnel wounds from a rocket propelled grenade. As two medics reached them and carried the dead C.O. away, they were also hit by an RPG, killing one and wounding other men close by. Despite his own severe wounds and under a fusilade of heavy enemy fire, Spec. 4 Godlewski continued to fire his rifle to cover his comrades withdrawal. He then crawled to a wounded soldier, and personally dragged him back to the evacuation area.’

With a photo album containing a letter to his mother, dated 4 July 1968, with envelope; another, undated, 1968, with envelope; a letter to his father, dated 6 June 1968, with envelope; another, dated 26 July 1968, with envelope; another, dated, 31 July 1968, with envelope (in it he explains that the letter has been torn by a piece of shrapnel from a mortar); another, dated 7 November 1968, with envelope; a letter to his mother and father, dated 28 November 1968, with envelope (written from his hospital bed at Okinawa) (all letters are with a typed transcription); copied photograph of the recipient; several original military photographs; copied D.S.C. and Commendation Medal citations and other copied service details.

The letter to his father dated 7 November 1968, was written the day after the battle in which he was wounded and earned the D.S.C.

Also with riband bar; Presidential and South Vietnam Unit Citation Bars and other badges and patches for display purposes. Note: first three medals in cases bear a label, ‘Original medal for Larry E. Godlewski 7th Cavalry’.

This lot is sold as seen and is not subject to return. Please see saleroom notice on lot 280 for fuller details.