Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Vietnam Distinguished Flying Cross/Bronze Star/Air Medal group of nine awarded to Warrant Officer Jerrold S. Pearlstein, 229th Aviation Battalion, 1st Air Cavalry Division, killed by ‘friendly fire’, 19 June 1969

Distinguished Flying Cross, crimp brooch; Bronze Star, crimp brooch; Purple Heart, crimp brooch; Air Medal, with ‘V’ and ‘30’ emblem on ribbon, crimp brooch; Army Good Conduct Medal; National Defense Service Medal; Vietnam Service Medal, bronze star on ribbon; South Vietnam, Military Merit Medal; Service Medal, 1 clasp, 1960-, all unnamed, extremely fine (9) £500-600

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

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Jerrold (Jerry) Sherman Pearlstein, was born in Los Angeles, California on 18 April 1949. He attended The Orville Wright Junior High School, Los Angeles and graduated from Westchester High School, Los Angeles in June 1967. He enlisted in the Army for Warrant Officer Flight Training in August 1967 and completed his basic training at Fort Polk, Louisiana, and W.O. Candidate School and Rotary Wing Training at Fort Wolters, Texas and Fort Rucker, Alabama.

Warrant Officer 1st Class Pearlstein arrived in Vietnam in November 1968 and was assigned to ‘C’ Company, 229th Aviation Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division - serving as a UH-1H “Huey’ pilot.

For his heroism in the air on 31 March 1969, Pearlstein received the Distinguished Flying Cross. His citation reads: ‘When word was received that an embattled ground unit was in dire need of a resupply of ammunition, WO Pearlstein immediately volunteered for the dangerous mission. Arriving at the landing zone, WO Pearlstein’s aircraft came under intense ground fire. Unable to land due to the thick vegetation, he expertly hovered his helicopter over the friendly unit as his crew dropped ordnance to them.’

Pearlstein was killed on 19 June 1969 when his helicopter was struck by friendly artillery fire. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Air Medal with ‘V’ device.

With original Certificates of Award for the Distinguished Flying Cross; Bronze Star, with citation; Purple Heart; Air Medal, eighth through twenty-fourth oak leaf clusters, with citation; Air Medal, twenty-fifth oak leaf cluster. Also with school year books (4) for the above schools, each bearing his photograph and with numerous messages and signatures. With a quantity of copied service papers. Together with riband bars, unit citation bars, cloth and metal badges and insignia for display purposes.

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