Featured WWII - order of the Golden Dragon and Shellback

These were issued to my wife's uncle for crossing the International Dateline and Equator aboard ship in January of 1945. I found it interesting since it was still at time of war that the exact date and location were just marked SECRET, or maybe they all are that way regardless of war time issue or not I'm not sure on that.




Sorry I clipped the edge with my scanner, but they both are intact.

 

Very cool, a part of history well to remember! Especially with the VE day 75th remembrance a few days away. My uncle was also in the south pacific during the war. He was a radio operator on a ship and went to Solomon Islands, Guadalcanal. Sadly all I have is his seamen's wallet. I wished I would of asked more questions when he was still alive. Thankfully he came home safe. Thanks for sharing this.

 

The date has me a bit confused as he was in the Philippines before 45 of course at that point they may not have been doing any when crossing. We aren't sure when he came back stateside but I would assume he got these on the way home.

Understand what you mean about asking more. My FIL was on Guam from mid 45 to mid 46 and we didn't discover that till after he passed away. About all he would say was he was a SeaBee and on Guam.

 

The uncle who's this was, was a Army Medic. We have his surgical kit, and his ribbons/medals along with his dog tags.

 

@prestoncohunter

So he was a civilian "mariner" on an Army transport ship... http://www.usmm.org/troopships.html#anchor1072244

 

A lot of the men didn't want to talk about it when they came home, understandable they saw a lot of hard things and lost friends. Most of them were kids. I have notice the few that are left don't mind sharing their stories. I went to an air show two years ago and there was a B-17 that you could go on, I met a few older gentlemen there who very interesting to talk with. They were part of a B-17 crew during the war. There was also a lady who was in her mid ninety's she help build the B-17's. She got a big cheer as she boarded the B-17. Areal Rosie the Riveter!

 

The uncle who's these were was Army I assume he was one of the troops being transported, though as a medic he could have been working as part of the crew I really don't know.

 

Not sure what they did during WW2,as far as I knew only sailors and Marines did the ceremony.

 

I had wondered how an Army medic got these and really no idea. Unless he was working sick bay and was considered crew for the trip.

 

Hi,
I was in the Navy during the early 1960s and there was a ceremony for those who first crossed the Equator. I was in a submarine but we surfaced when we crossed the Equator. All I will say about the RITE was I ended up with a small hole in my left ear lobe.
greg

 

Jon still hasn't told me what ritual he had to undergo when they went to Vietnam. He has his certificates.

 

After talking to a Navy vet, his best guess on how an Army fellow would have got these would have been that he was TDA for the trip.