WW II memorial box saved

[72 usmc]

A nice Military awards and Internment flag WW II shadow box from the WI, 32 Infantry Division. Red Arrow men. I was at an antique store and they were going to break up a Wi, WW II vets provenienced memorial box for the book, wood box, cloth flag, ribbon set and Bronze star. I purchased it to keep the items together. 60 bucks They are from a WW II, combat vet that went from Sgt to Major. Major Ronald Mc Cann, born 17 March 1922 and died 12 Feb 1966. He was in the So. Pacific in New Guninea and the Philippines and ended his service in the Cuban missile crisis, got out in 1963. 127 infantry regiment 32 infantry Division in WW II. Bronze star & two purple hearts. The purple heart is not in the collection. Sgt Mc Cann died back in 1966 so its most likely gone. The Bronze star has his name on it. His name is also in the book, and his exploits.
I just had to save it- and keep it complete as gratitude to a fellow vet. Call me a fool, but I hate when guys bust up sets to get top buck and just do not care about historical significance. The Major is buried at Oak Hills cemetery in Watertown, Wisconsin.

[72 usmc]

I find this hard to believe for an original edition???? So I did not do too bad. No dust cover. And a WW II signed bronze star is approximately 30-40 bucks? Flag about $15? box $15. The book value is nuts.

Must be a hard to find book in the original 1955-1957 HC format. There is no date in the book.

For Sale by the Bureau of Purchases, State Capitol, Madison, Wisconsin.

Price $3.50 (cloth)

PREFACE
This glorious History might never have been written had it not been
for the financial contributions made by the officers and enlisted men of
the 32d Infantry Division in World War II.

In a letter from Headquarters, 32d Infantry Division, Office of the
Commanding General, A.P.O. 32, Fukuoka, Japan, dated February 16, 1946,
a request was made to the Infantry Journal, Washington, D. C., to write
the history of its 654 days in action in the Pacihc Theater of Operations
against the Japanese Imperial Forces. A check of hve thousand dollars was
enclosed to cover necessary writing expenses.

The manuscript was completed but additional funds became necessary
for maps, photostats and action pictures of all types. Your historian was
able to complete this work from hnancial contributions received from the
32d Division-Red Arrow Club of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The State of Wisconsin, in 1955, provided for an appropriation suffi-
cient to publish the History of the 32d Infantry Division in World War II.
Bill 347-S was introduced by Senator William A. Draheim, a lieutenant
Colonel with the Division “Down Under” in World War II; Senator Wil-
liam F. Trinke, who served with the 32d Division in France in World War
I, and Senator J. Earl Leverich of the 31st District. It was through their
efforts that its publishing was made possible.

Edward T. Lauer, Historian,

32d Division Veteran Association.

I am going to use this in our middle schools Veteran Day display we set up with my old junk. It will look great in the case on display. It will be good to have some info on the Red Arrow men.

[Polock]

Kudos to you for keeping this important piece of history together.
As an aside, the Major retired the same year I enlisted in the Army as a 17 yoa baby soldier.
There were still some of the WWII types around--that generation gave us a great nation.

[damorealan696]

Looks like the PH has 2 OLC's . Wounded 3 times

[vandle]

Good on you for saving another piece of history and someones story.
Keeping that display together will ensure at least be around for the next generation.

[72 usmc]

Looks like the PH has 2 OLC's . Wounded 3 times

You are correct, I looked at the box more closely and both the Bronze star and the Purple heart ribbon have oak leaf clusters indicating subsequent awards - possible 2 bronze stars ?, wounded 3 times? and the solid blue ribbon also has two oak leaf clusters. I believe the solid blue ribbon is a US Army Presidential Unit citation ribbon with subsequent awards - three times. His Asiatic Pacific campaign ribbon also has 3 bronze battle stars and the Philippine liberation ribbon has two battle stars so thats a good number of different conflicts in WW II. This is on the ribbon set in the upper left hand corner.

I was unable to locate a DD 214 or any info on just where he served and what specific battles he fought in. I am unsure if a non family member can get a copy of a soldiers DD 214. I have his full name and service number. Ronald Terrence McCann -serial number 20647798. It would be interesting history to have. To go from enlisted to officer and with so many battle stars in WW II, this Wisconsin kid must have had some iron balls. A real ground pounder. His tomb stone is the flat bronze military type with BSM&1OLC-PH&2OLC at the bottom covered with grass. I generally try to save USMC stuff. Any active duty Army guys that have access to DD 214 records? Can you help document this Major? His son is gone and the soldier & his wife are also gone. This item came from the son's wife who is in her 70s and getting rid of things. If the antique dealer goes back he said he would ask if any other other items survived and she would sell. His son must have kept this stuff from his dad.
I was told this : If the Veteran was discharged more than 62 years ago, you can order a copy of their military records. So I am out of luck.
After display at the school I hope to get this set to the Wi vets museum in Oshkosh or SHS. It will not be sold.