Hey guys, I just wanted to show you what I picked up yesterday morning. I was at a local flea market and found a box that was labeled 'Purple Heart'. I opened it and sure enough, the medal was right there. I noticed the back of it was engraved 'Oscar D. Ekberg MM1C USN', and I managed to pick it up for only $65. I think that is a pretty good price for this? I also bought a Navy service medal with the same name engraved on the back. When I got home, I researched the name and it turns out this guy was stationed on the USS Houston, which fought in some big naval battles in WWII. On the night of February 28 1942, the Houston and an Australian warship, the Perth, ran into a Japanese fleet off the coast of Java, and a big surface naval battle ensued (I found multiple accounts saying it was the biggest surface naval battle since WWI). The Japanese sunk the Perth, and the Houston fought alone until shortly after midnight on March 1 1942, where it was torpedoed and sunk. The Japs lit it up with spotlights and machine gunned the decks as it was sinking. I found crew records of Oscar Ekberg for the USS Houston, and it listed his date of death as March 1, 1942, which was the night the Houston was sunk. I attached a few photos of the Purple Heart, as well as the Navy service medal. I figured you guys would like it.
the navy "sevice" medal is really the navy good conduct medal. I was going to add that. He must have had no descendants and/or no surviving relatives who gave a good rat's rip for what he did to let them go.
I was going to add that. He must have had no descendants and/or no surviving relatives who gave a good rat's rip for what he did to let them go. Don't know if that is true because my Granddad who was at Arnhem did not really care about his medals.
I was going to add that. He must have had no descendants and/or no surviving relatives who gave a good rat's rip for what he did to let them go. Don't be so quick to condemn. Sometimes veterans' medals are stolen or lost. In the past year I've helped two WW2 veterans obtain replacements for medals that were stolen. Lost medals are not that uncommon either as things are put away, and lost track of over time. Fortunately the US government will replace lost or stolen awards free if charge. The process takes time, but it's a damn fine program that clearly honors our veterans by making certain they or their families have the awards they earned while in military service. Thanks to this program more than one veteran infantryman I have known has gone to the grave wearing his CIB. ((For the record, I know you can buy replacements, but somehow it does not seem the same as when the federal government steps up and says: You earned them, and we are happy (if slow) to replace your lost or stolen award as a gesture of respect for your service.)) In one case, I worked for nearly a year with a veteran who due to a paperwork error never received his awards. He was a fine fellow who I much admired. I was both saddened and pleased when I heard he passed away before they arrived, but arrive they did and just in time to be prominently displayed next to his coffin. His daughter wrote me a touching note telling me that he would have been pleased to see just how surprised his surviving family members and friends were to see his well deserved awards........ that they had never known he earned. They were justifiably proud.
Oscar Ekberg was/is my Great grandmother Ellen's nephew.I am 38 years old. My Great Grandmother passed in 1990. Her son Stanley (Oscars Cousin)who also served in WW 2 is still alive and he will be 99 years old next February. I actually had lunch with him yesterday. He remembers Oscar well. The reason I searched Oscar on Google is that I found a postcard from the year he passed dated from Pearl Harbor. My Great Uncle Stanley has no idea how the Purple Heart ended up there but for those who asked what is it worth- I would say a mans life.
Here is Oscar D. Ekberg listing on the American Battle Monuments Commission. As you can see they show his date of death as December 15,1945. Not sure as to the difference in dates. AMERICAN BATTLE MONUMENTS COMMISSION Oscar D. Ekberg Machinist's Mate, First Class, U.S. Navy Service # 2123317 United States Navy Entered the Service from: Massachusetts Died: 15-Dec-45 Missing in Action or Buried at Sea Tablets of the Missing at Manila American Cemetery Manila, Philippines Awards: Purple Heart
