Home Archeology pt. 1

Every now and then when I’m cleaning the house I run across a little box of memories my parents left behind: a small box of objects not important enough to be called memorabilia. Sometimes I know what they are but not the context in which they were acquired. Sometimes I don’t even know what they are. Usually I toss them out. I’ve tossed out a lot of old stuff. I don’t have that much runway left, myself, and I don’t want to clutter my life with relics of other’s past lives. But sometimes the relics are interesting to look at, for a while. Then what do I do with them? My family is almost extinct: I have only a brother left. No one cares about my family history – they’re busy living in the present. So I take a photo. I document that these things exist (existed). When I’m gone no one on the planet will care about my mother’s and father’s lives. But I find myself thinking, maybe if I document these things, and the photos survive the passage of time, and if in a hundred years or two hundred years from now the CD I put them on is readable (unlikely) … maybe someone will find a part of their stories interesting.

Cubana Airlines matches: my dad flew to Cuba a few times in the 1950s. Smoking on the plane? No problem. Here, have some matches. It looks like this matchbox shows what used to be called a “super-Connie”.

This matchbox shows a different airliner: what it is, I don’t know.

Dad fought in the Pacific in WW2.

Don’t know what this denotes:

Nor this…  Maybe it’s a marksmanship medal?

I know what this is, and considering that my dad was from Alabama, I’m not surprised to see it. But where would one use it? Would you stick it into your lapel or what?

Part of the U.S. Army branch insignia. This was worn on the right lapel and another button indicating the particular branch of service was worn in the opposite lapel (enlisted).

U.S. Army branch insignia. Crossed muskets indicate Infantry. The HQ speaks for itself. This was worn on the left lapel (enlisted). I’ve seen websites advertising branch insignia buttons, including the Infantry insignia, but I haven’t yet seen the HQ insignia.

U.S. Army branch insignia, Command Sergeant Major Infantry Branch. It depicts the coat of arms of the United States.

 

Below: the two ribbons at the top are for the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign, the center ribbon is for Good Conduct. The two decorations at the bottom are still unknown to me, but they look very much like the Alabama National Guard Faithful Service ribbon for six or more years service in the Guard. I don’t know if that is actually what these ribbons are, but I do know that Dad was in the Alabama National Guard when it was nationalized and became a part of the U.S. Army.

After I took the photo I found a second Good Conduct ribbon, making two of each ribbon. Are they awarded in pairs?

Below: some old coins. I put a quarter at top left and a penny at top right to show scale. Most of the coins are Alabama sales tax tokens. I think their value is one mil (a tenth of a cent). The red coin is plastic. The other sales tax coins are not metal but don’t appear to be plastic, either, though they might be. The coin with an “S” carved through it appears to be a transportation token (bus? trolley car?) Note the two small coins at the bottom right. They are Aussie 3-pence coins minted during WW2.

Heads:

Tails:

Cheers!