ichiban1.org

Guys,

As you may already know, I have obtained copies of what the National Archives has for our General Orders. What I have is substantial, but far from complete...since many orders did not survive the trip from war to the archives.

The orders I obtained have not been catalogued by name yet, but are in number/date order and grouped by major command. They will be available for you to view at our reunion.

I ask that you please bring a copy of your orders for variuos awards. Any General and/or Special/unit orders are welcome, but what I am really interested in are General Orders. Those with large groups of names are particularly important...as they may help document an award we do not know of for our men killed in action.

You may also find that you were awarded a medal you were not aware of...particularly if you were badly wounded and did not return...or returned after a long recovery. I have already found two men who were quite surprized to learn of awards they had not realized they received: Wendell Barnes (Bronze Star) and Jim Fitzgerald (Army Commendation Medal)

It's been such a long time ago that I first met James Fitzgerald, when we were able to connect with one another regarding my brother Donald Lowe. Many of his friends knew he deserved a medal for his heroic actions on May 5, 1968, but as he told me, he lost two of his best friends in the Battle of An Boa; Donald and Robert Allen, and refused any praise or reward for what he had done.

Those who knew James, knew the kind and gentle man he was, not one for receiving attention for any of his actions. Thank you Jim Sheppard for making sure that James was awarded his well deserved Army Commendation Medal. Thank you for all you do for the 1st and 50th, Bill Lowe