Original U.S. WWII 101st Airborne Distinguished Service Cross Recipient Fred R. Metheny Document & Ephemera Group with Added DSC, Scrapbook Page and Discharge
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Original Items. One-of-a-Kind Group. This is a very interesting grouping of items having belonged to 2nd Lieutenant Fred R. Metheny of the 101st Airborne Division, who was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for actions during Bastogne. The group includes his enlisted discharge, a scrapbook page with a photo of him in uniform, a cased DSC which was likely added to the group for display, and a couple of plaques.
Metheny’s citation reads:
“The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Fred R. Metheny (0-532283), Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving with the 101st Infantry Division, in action against the enemy during the period from 20 December 1944 through 2 January 1945, in the vicinity of Bastogne, Belgium. During the aforementioned period, Second Lieutenant Metheny volunteered and lead patrols on several occasions, deep into enemy territory, near Bastogne, under hazardous conditions. His patrol of 21 December 1944 established itself on high ground within the enemy lines where it had perfect observation of the enemy in the front and flanks. The information Lieutenant Metheny radioed back permitted the successful bombing by B-17s of enemy armor units in Foy and Cobru. His daylight patrol of 23 December 1944 discovered an enemy road block. Lieutenant Metheny returned with this information, organized a combat patrol, and returned to the road block which he destroyed, along with twenty Germans defending it. The daylight patrol of 2 January 1945 was trapped by approximately one hundred Germans, but Lieutenant Metheny led his men in a breakout during which they killed fifteen Germans and captured one. The conspicuous courage and inspiring leadership of Second Lieutenant Metheny exemplify the highest traditions of the military forces of the United States and reflect great credit upon himself, the 101st Airborne Division, and the United States Army.”
The group consists of:
- Fred R. Metheny’s Discharge from Tank Destroyer School dated December 2nd, 1943. This was when he was discharged to be commissioned as a Lieutenant.
- Recognition Certificate assigning Fred R. Metheny the distinction of “Distinguished Member” of the 502nd Infantry Regiment. Post-1984.
- 10 x 13” Scrapbook page with Photo of Metheny and part of an original Airborne Merry Christmas “NUTS” letter, with the majority of it torn away long ago. The page also has a poem called “Tony McAuliffe’s Answer” about Commander McAuliffe, and on the back of the page are two newspaper articles about him from pre-war.
- Robbins Company Distinguished Service Cross in its original box. February 17th, 1945 contract. Not numbered or named.
- 8 ¾ x 11 ½” Plaque with reproduced “NUTS” letter with a brass plaque reading:
TO JUDGE METHENY
“A PROMISE KEPT”
ROYANN NELSON
AND INDIO SUPERIOR COURT STAFF
JAN. 13, 1989
This was likely given to him as a copy of the letter as his original was torn apart as seen on the scrapbook page, but this is just a theory.
- 8 ½ x 11 ½” hand-painted plaque for 502nd Airborne. Depicts painted Paratrooper Wings over the DI of the 502nd PIR, over 502 / AIRBORNE. Really great piece.
A very interesting group of items having belonged to a 502nd PIR DSC Recipient, ready for further research and display!
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