Named WWII U.S. Marine Corps Iwo Jima Purple Heart Medals Group

The group is comprised of the medals and insignia of James Stephen Bowling, who served in the Marine Corps as both an enlisted man and as an officer, and who saw extensive combat in the Pacific in World War II. The group is comprised of the Purple Heart with gold star, slot brooch suspension, unnamed as awarded in the theater of operations, showing some wear to the gilt finish and soiling of the ribbon. Copies of Bowling’s personnel file which accompany the group reflect that Bowling was wounded by a shell fragment on Guam on July 23, 1944; and by a gun shot wound on Iwo Jima on February 25, 1945; U.S. Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, officially engraved on four lines “B1678 / James S. Bowling / 1st Enlistment / 1936-1940”. The medal shows scratches and surface knocks, as well as a dark patina; the American Defense Medal, slot brooch suspension, with the ribbon showing wear; the American Campaign Medal, crimp brooch suspension, with the ribbon showing age and nearly separated across the front; the Pacific Campaign Medal, crimp brooch suspension; the World War II Victory Medal, slot brooch suspension; the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Service Medal, crimp brooch suspension, with the brooch having a maker mark; and the local World War II service medal of the city of Utica, New York, on a slot brooch suspension. The group further includes a single ribbon bar for the Purple Heart; a single ribbon bar for the Presidential Unit Citation, with star; a two place pin back ribbon bar with the ribbons of the Purple Heart with star and the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal; a three place pin back ribbon bar with the ribbons for the Pacific Campaign Medal with three campaign stars, the American Campaign Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal, with all ribbons being darkened with age. The group further includes a sterling silver “Expert Rifleman” badge and a Marine Corps two bar marksmanship badge with a clutch style suspension bar that is maker marked by N.S. Meyer; a single Captain rank insignia by Luxemberg; and a Third Marine Division Patch. The group is accompanied by three pages from Bowling’s personnel file.