Group to Brig Gen Luke W. Finlay, US Army

Group of 10 to Brigadier General Luke W. Finley, US Army: Army Distinguished Service Medal, slot brooch, hand-engraved “Luke/W./Finlay”, numbered “9722″; Army Commendation Medal, crimp-over-slot brooch, hand-engraved “Luke W. Finley”; Second Nicaragua Campaign Medal, Marine Corps reverse, wrap brooch, numbered “M.No.5748″; American Campaign Medal; Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal; Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal; World War II Victory Medal; Army Occupation Medal; Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Army; National Defense Service Medal. With a Secretary of Defense Identification Badge, marked “Sterling/LGB”, a single dog tag (T-42-43); with branch insignia for Engineers, Transportation and General Staff, and two brigadier general’s stars. Plus original documents, including: his Distinguished Service Medal certificate for service from September 1942 to September 1945 (mounted on cardstock); appointment as a colonel, Transportation Corps, issued in January 1947; appointment as a temporary Brigadier General, issued in February 1950; US Military Academy diploma (1934); membership certificate in the International Legal Fraternity of Phi Delta Phi (April 1933).

Brigadier General Luke William Finley was a 1928 West Point graduate. In 1929, he served in Nicaragua, working on surveys for a canal across that country. Resigning his commission, Finlay earned a law degree from Yale University and became a counsel for Standard Oil Company. In 1942, he returned to active duty as an assistant to the Chief of Transportation. He went on to be the Executive Officer of the Transportation Corps, rising to colonel and earning the Distinguished Service Medal. He returned to civilian life, but was recalled on several occasions, including a period in 1950 to assist in the direction of the Army’s takeover of the national railroad system. He later served as Defense Deputy of the US delegation to NATO. General Finley retired in 1967 and died in 1998. General Finlay also received the Army Distinguished Civilian Service Medal (location unknown). Awards of the Marine Corps Second Nicaragua Campaign Medal to Army personnel are quite scarce (Refer to “Gleim Medal Letters, 1971-1997″. p.42).