Purple Heart group (AMC Frank L. Maupin, USN)

Group of 8 to Chief Aviation Machinist Frank L. Maupin, US Navy: Purple Heart, unnamed; Navy Good Conduct Medal, with 1 star, unnamed; American Defense Service Medal, with “A” device; American Campaign Medal; Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, with three stars (these five medals are bar-mounted for wear). Plus, three unmounted medals: Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal; World War II Victory and National Defense Service Medal. These are all in a small plastic box with “USS Philadelphia/VCS-8/VPB-124/F.F. Maupin” in ink on the lid. With an 8×10 photo identifying Maupin, several photos of catapaults and aircraft aboard USS Philadelphia (CA-41), where Maupin served in 1943; several other 8×10 photographs of tropical towns; a cruise book from USS Oriskany in 1960, with an accompanying photo book showing Maupin wearing the ribbons for these awards.

Initial research shows Maupin served with Bombing Squadron Twelve aboard USS Saratoga in 1944, as a crewman in the attack on Sabang (Sumatra). He later flew with VPB-124, which flew PB4Y-2s from Okinawa and Tinian. Further research is necessary to establish the circumstances for the award of the Purple Heart. While the name on the plastic box holding is “F.F. Maupin”, the only “Maupin” appearing in Navy records of the period is “Frank Leslie Maupin”, who was born in 1924 in Kentucky. Maupin died in 1994 and is buried in Boones Mill, Virginia.