Named and Cased Posthumous Korean War U.S. Air Force Air Medal and Purple Heart with Theater Made Flight Jacket Squadron Patch

Both decorations are slot brooch suspension and both are officially hand engraved “Willard M. Denn”.  Airman First Class Denn was a crew member of a B-29A Superfortress Bomber called  “Loaded ‘Leven” with the 344th Bomber Squadron, 998th Bomber Wing. On February 28, 1952, while on a bombing mission, the aircraft’s engines developed problems and the crew bailed out. He was listed as Missing in Action and was presumed dead on December 31, 1953, and his name is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial. The two decorations are contained within their titled black leather cases with ribbon bars. The Air Medal also includes the enamel lapel badge. The group further includes a theater made flight jacket patch for the 344th Bombardment Squadron (which shows soiling and which was obviously removed from a jacket or flight suit) as well as the menu for Thanksgiving dinner in 1951 at Kadena Air Base on Okinawa. Overall very good condition, with the lid of the Purple Heart case showing some scuffing. Internet research states that Denn w born on September 27, 1932, in Mapleton, Minnesota, and he lived in Mankato, Minnesota. He was the son of Gregory and Ester Lena Denn of Mankato and was not married. He attended grammar and high school (one year) in Mankato and military school at Keesler AFB, Mississippi (radio operator, March 1951); Randolph AFB, Texas (B-29 combat crew training, September 1951). With respect to the bomber “Loaded ‘Leven”, at 1612 hours on February 28, 1952, the plane departed on a bombing mission. The #2 engine was smoking heavily at takeoff. Five minutes after coast-in, #2 began vibrating. Excessive vibration continued and one engine burst into flames. The order was given to bail out at 14,000 feet. The plane crashed 15 miles southwest of Kaesong, North Korea at 2042 hours. This listing includes an image of the nose art of the bomber that was located on the internet. A hard copy of the image is not included with the group.