WWI Named 3rd Division Medals, Documents, Insignia, and Photographs Group

The World War I medals, documents, photographs, and insignia grouping of Private Albert Forrest Bright, who served in combat in France with the 6th Engineer Regiment of the 3rd Infantry Division. The group includes the following items:

– Bright’s boxed, split brooch Purple Heart, officially hand engraved “Albert F. Bright”. The medal is numbered “48412” on the edge.  The box also contains the Purple Heart ribbon bar, lapel badge, and a silver American Legion button (silver indicating that Bright had been wounded in action). The Purple Heart medal was produced by the American Emblem Company under a 1933 contract (which it received from the government after the government had exhausted the initial supply of Purple Hearts that had been produced by Bailey, Banks & Biddle under its 1932 contract). The Purple Heart box retains its original American Emblem contract label which bears the handwritten serial number that matches the number on the edge of the medal.

– Bright’s boxed French 1914-1918 “Soldier of the Marne Medal”.

– Bright’s boxed New Jersey World War I Victory medal.

– Bright’s boxed French Chateau-Thierry medal, together with the French award document for the medal, dated 1939.

– Bright’s Army of Occupation medal.

– Bright’s World War I United States Victory medal with “Champagne-Marne” and “Defensive Sector” bars.

– American Legion membership medal (“Past Commander”, full size, and “Commander”, miniature medal).

– World War I Corps of Engineers and “US” enlisted collar discs.

– World War I veteran’s ring.

– A grouping of veteran’s ribbons and medals, including a “Society of the 3rd Division” medal; a 1931 American Legion medal; and two reunion medals for the 6th Engineers (from 1960 and 1967).

– A framed oval photograph of Bright in World War I uniform measuring 6″ x 4″.

– The award document for the Purple Heart, issued to Bright and dated August 21, 1962.

– Four autographed photographs, all personally inscribed to Bright by former members of the 6th Engineers in World War I who went on to become United States Army Generals: Brigadier General Edmund L. Daley; Lieutenant General Thomas B. Larkin; Major General Thomas J. Cross; and Brigadier General Donald B. Adams.

– Bright related photographs, which include a post war photograph of Bright laying a 3rd Division wreath at a war memorial in France, and in which Bright can clearly be seen to be wearing his French Chateau-Thierry medal.

– A multi piece Third Division patch in unused condition.

All of the items are in very good to excellent condition.