Historic Coast Guard S.S El Estero Life Saving Medal Of Valor Rare Historic 1943

Description

Historic Coast Guard S.S El Estero Life Saving Medal Of Valor Rare Historic Set. One of the most historic medal groupings i have ever owned. This medal is more scarce then any official US issued medal. This medal was awarded to the 168 Officers and Crewmen who battled the S.S El Estero fire in NYC during April 1943. This example was awarded too MoMM1c Raymond Leroy Thrush. The ship laiden w explosives and bombs for a top secret mission was quickly engulfed in flames. The amount of explosives present were enough to blow up a portion of NYC. Considered the single most significant threat to NYC during WW2. Thanks to the heroics of the US Coast Guard and the FDNY the blaze was beough under control and the ship partially sank to avoid explosions. All the first responders risked the possibility of an explosion killing them all instantly to extinguish the flames and tug the boat from harbor. More can be read about this story through many articles and pieces written on the incident. Also a few famous paintings of the incident exist.
This grouping popped up out of a California Estate recently with no one realizing the historical significance. Included in the grouping is the original SS El Estero Coast Guard Medal awarded by the City of Bayonne w the original box of issue from Dieges & Clust. A 1x son in the service pin, a coast guard GCM ribbon. The original November 1944 Coast Guard New Paper w front page story about the awards by the city of bayonne to 168 Officers & Men and a Psalm Book given the the veteran in 1941 when he enlisted in the coast guard right after Pearl Harbor. Also a very scarce original list of all 168 recipients listing rank and what unit they were with during the fire. This one was awarded to Raymond L Thrush who hailed from Missouri he was born in 1918 and died in November 1969. Interesting he requested to be buried in Long Island National Cemetery which is where he was laid to rest. Thankfully the paper work was still with this set to have it attributed. Since they were not issued named i would assume Attributed examples are even rarer.
Overall a Attributed coast guard grouping right out of the woodwork! Dont miss out on this piece of history and dont forget to read up on the SS El Estero!