Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Group of six attributed to Captain Eleanor V. McLaughlan, U.S. Army Nurse Corps

American Campaign Medal; Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal; Victory Medal 1945; Army of Occupation Medal; National Defense Service Medal; Army Reserve Medal, all unnamed, all crimp brooch mounting

Air Force Commendation Medal, reverse engraved, ‘A. W. Bates, Jr.’, crimp brooch, nearly extremely fine (7) £40-60

Eleanor Veronica McLaughlan (later Pitts) was born on 22 March 1908. She trained as a Nurse at Kings Co. Hospital, New York and was a nurse anaesthetist. She was first commissioned in March 1945 and attained the rank of Captain in July 1951. She served in the occupation forces in Japan and later in Europe. Her records show that she qualified for both the ‘Japan’ and ‘Germany’ clasps to the Army of Occupation Medal.

Sold with several original certificates, including those for promotions to First Lieutenant (1947), Reserved Commissioned Officer (1952), and Reserve Commissioned Captain (1953).

Arthur W. Bates was born on 20 December 1922. Employed as a Draughtsman, he enlisted on 8 February 1944. His home address was 216 Buttonwood Avenue, Bowling Green, Wood, Ohio. During the war he served as a P-51 Mustang pilot with the 339th Fighter Group and completed 69 missions in the European theatre of war with the 8th Air Force. With 300 combat hours and 710 total flight hours and 3 enemy planes to his credit. His papers state he was entitled to the Distinguished Flying Cross; the Air Medal with 7 oak leaf clusters; and a unit citation with oak leaf cluster.

With copied service papers, photocopied photograph and copied newspaper cutting re. Lieutenant Arthur Bates and the escort of bombers and the shooting down of an enemy aircraft.