Cased and Named Posthumous U.S. Navy D-Day Purple Heart

The Purple Heart is a split brooch suspension and it is officially named to Gunner’s Mate 3rd Class John L. Maguire of the U.S. Naval Reserve. On June 6, 1944, Maguire was serving on the sub chaser USS PC-1261. According to Wikipedia, “On 6 June 1944, PC-1261 led the first wave of landing craft at Utah Beach. While en route to the beach, she was struck by an artillery shell and foundered. She was the second ship sunk on D-Day” (although it should be noted that the very same Wikipedia entry also states that “She was the first ship sunk during the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944, when she was hit by shellfire from German shore batteries”). The medal is accompanied by Maguire’s Navy personnel file, which includes several poignant letters to the Navy from Maguire’s mother, including one in which she inquires as to whether she was “entitled to wear the Purple Heart on my dress?”, in response to which the Navy told her that she was not permitted to wear the decoration). The Purple Heart shows some wear to the finish, but overall the decoration and the case are in excellent condition.