WW2, Important USMC Aviation Pioneer & Korean War POW Col. Frank Schwable

An important and historic WW2 Marine Corps aviation group. Highest decorated Night Fighter of WW2. Highest ranking USMC POW of the Korean War.

Additional Schwable items were later acquired and they are include in the sale (an Iron Cross that Schwable cut from a German glider during his 1941-2 North Africa tour, his photos of the glider, a high school wrestling medal, and an audio recording of his USMC oral history interview). This is an excellent opportunity for the advanced collector to add an important group to his collection - rarely does such an important piece of history come on the market. Militaria From The Pacific War: Discovering Their Stories.

In addition to the Legion of Merit with Combat "V" and two gold Stars in lieu of second and third awards, Schwable was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with three Gold Stars, the Air Medal with two silver stars in lieu of ten awards, the Nicaraguan Cross of Valor, Second Nicaraguan Campaign Medal, American Defense Service Medal with base clasp, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with four bronze stars, American Campaign Medal, the World war II Victory Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal, and the United Nations Service Medal. Legion of Merit: Note: carbon copy only for original LOM - see three explanatory notations below. Legion of Merit citation (original carbon copy only) - September 11, 1943 to February 18, 1944.

There are three sets of documents that accompany the LOM citation carbon copy that I have titled below as Notes. " These documents explain the circumstances leading to the missing original citation (particularly "Notes #B and C). The Legion of Merit citation (original carbon copy) is accompanied by a one-page letter dated 21 March 1946 to Schwable from Major General Mitchell (signed) describing his regret that Schwable was not awarded the Navy Cross (instead of the LOM). The Legion of Merit citation (original carbon copy) is accompanied by a two-page letter (also carbon copy) dated 26 March 1946 to General Mitchell from Schwable.

Discussing the possibility of having the LOM changed to the Navy Cross. The only endorsement on that basic recommendation stated simply: Forwarded.

Recommend approval of the Navy Cross. It appears, however, that Schwable sent the original LOM citation rather than the original carbon copy. Also included with this letter to Mitchell is a three-page Enclosure, a carbon copy list of pertinent items that Schwable thought may help re-write the citation. The Legion of Merit citation (original carbon copy) is accompanied by a three-page letter dated 4 April 1946, and a three page Enclosure written to The Board Of Review for Decorations and Medals, Washington D.

With recommendations for upgrading Schwable's LOM medal to a Navy Cross. Both of these documents are original carbon copies. Gold Star in lieu of a second Legion of Merit - 6 March to 1 November 1944.

Gold Star in lieu of a third Legion of Merit. 25 April to 8 July 1952. Air Medals: all citations are present (two documents for each award). Air Medal: Solomon Islands Area from 14 September to 9 October 1943. Gold Star in lieu of a second Air Medal from 11 October to 19 October 1943. Gold Star in lieu of a third Air Medal from 23 to 28 October 1943. Gold Star in lieu of a fourth Air Medal from 8 to 13 November 1943. Gold Star in lieu of a fifth Air Medal from 14 to 21 November 1943. Gold Star in lieu of a sixth Air Medal from 22 to 29 November 1943.

Gold Star in lieu of a seventh Air Medal from 14 to 23 December 1943. Gold Star in lieu of an eight Air Medal from 25 December 1943 to 6 January 1944. Gold Star in lieu of an ninth Air Medal from 7 to 14 January 1944. Gold Star in lieu of a tenth Air Medal from 6 to 14 February 1944. Distinguished Flying Cross: Note: one citation missing.

The first Distinguished Flying Cross this document is missing. Gold Star in lieu of a second Distinguished Flying Cross 1-7 November 1943. Gold Star in lieu of a third Distinguished Flying Cross 6-14 December 1943. Gold Star in lieu of a fourth Distinguished Flying Cross 15-30 January 1944. Nicaraguan Cross of Valor: citation and relevant documents present. Nicaraguan Cross of Valor (two documents) 27 August 1932. Note: There are several other documents relating to this award. There is also paperwork for the Second Nicaraguan Campaign Medal, signed A. #1 begins in 1930 he was a 2nd Lt. #2 1932 - June 1933. #3 June 1933 - January 1935. #4 February 1935 - Sept. #5 October 1936 - July 1938. #6 August 1936 - September 1940.

#7 October 1940 - April 1946. #8 - Missing and presumed captured, or submitted as evidence during his Court of Inquiry. #9 - Note: His last log is not numbered. It begins November 1953 and ends in June 1959.

Schwable's uniforms, ribbons, etc. As pictured, and named service cap. One matching pair of trousers are also included, but not pictured. From bottom up: a bound copy of Schwable's 1983 official USMC oral history interview plus an audio CD of the interview, although the sound is somewhat faint; a file of letters from Americans offering their support to Schwable during his Court of Inquiry ordeal; a transcript of a Chinese propaganda broadcast featuring Schwable and his co-pilot, Major Bley; followed by a folder with letters of inquiry from publishers and others who communicated with Schwable after his trial. Next: an onion skin transcript of his 1941-2 warfare operations tour to North Africa and England (a very interesting read). Then: a squad log for Night Fighter Squadron VMF(N)-531 - November'42 - April'43. These are followed by documents in archival sleeves, including those relating to his medals. Next: a typewritten document by Schwable describing is ordeal as a POW of the Chinese in North Korea, and a file with photographs from early in his career until his release in Operation Big Switch in 1953. There is also a photographic copy of Schwable's pencil sketch depicting the 4 x 7 foot "lean-to" inside which he was held as a prisoner, isolated from all but his interrogator for many, many months (the location of the original sketch is currently unknown). Also included is a photograph of his mother holding this same reproduction of his drawing, taken by a news reporter during his trial (his lean-to is depicted in the foreground of the sketch). Who lives in the house?

Replied Schwable when asked in his USMC oral history interview about the sketch. There was an old lady and a younger daughter, and she had two girls and one boy.

All the men were gone - they were in the war. They had beautiful chestnuts up there, I've never seen anything like it, and these two kids in going to school in the morning, they had a pocket full of chestnuts, and they had to walk across this little open space to get on down to school, and they were pretty good at knowing which guards were which. They would look at me and I could see them get in their pocket, and they'd drop a chestnut and then they would go a little further and they would drop another chestnut. Court of Inquiry Diary (photo #5).

Schwable's unpublished diary covers the days of his famous Court of Inquiry that took place after his 1953 release in Operation Big Switch. His case was a media sensation and stories about his capture, torture, and subsequent trial appeared in newspapers world wide, including the NY Times, Time, Life, and other publications. His wife Beverly amassed a large collection of these news clippings and magazine stories which are included in the sale (some with notations and personal comments).

Among the twelve opinions and three recommendations that the court issued were that Schwables confession resulted from menticide and that no disciplinary action be taken against him. General Shepherd, nevertheless, administratively punished Schwable, preventing him from commanding again and effectively ending his career. Perhaps the most significant outcome of Schwables case was the subsequent creation of the Armed Forces Code of Conduct , a standardized set of rules for all members of the armed forces that governs behavior in captivity.

Note: Raymond Lech wrote a book about this period of Schwable's career titled, Tortured Into Fake Confession: The Dishonoring of Korean War Prisoner Col. 1941-2 North Africa and England tour notebooks (photo #9): Fascinating notebooks with sketches from when Schwable was briefed by the English on radar, other weapons, and night fighting. Everything in the photos is included if not mentioned in the description. The purchaser of Frank H. Additionally included is a bill of sale to the second owner dated October 1, 2001, and bill of sale to the third owner (myself) on 18 November 2015 - documenting an unbroken chain of ownership.

The item "WW2, Important USMC Aviation Pioneer & Korean War POW Col. Frank Schwable" is in sale since Thursday, July 15, 2021. This item is in the category "Collectibles\Militaria\WW II (1939-45)\Original Period Items\United States\Medals & Ribbons". The seller is "pollard5583" and is located in Blue Earth, Minnesota. This item can be shipped to United States.