Original Items: Only One Group of 4 Available. This is a lovely grouping named to a U.S. Sailor who served aboard the U.S.S. Henderson. The first USS Henderson (AP-1) was a transport in the United States Navy during World War I and World War II. In 1943, she was converted to a hospital ship and commissioned as USS Bountiful (AH-9).

Named for Marine Colonel Archibald Henderson, she was launched by Philadelphia Navy Yard on 17 June 1916; sponsored by Miss Genevieve W. Taylor, great-granddaughter of General Henderson; and commissioned at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on 24 May 1917, Lt. C. W. Steel in command.

During Fleet Problem III in early 1924, Henderson participated in a mock amphibious invasion of the Panama Canal Zone. This major training operation by the fleet helped practice assault techniques and led to improved landing craft as well. The ship also aided in the protection of American interests in the volatile Caribbean states and in the Far East.

Henderson arrived in Shanghai on 2 May 1927 with Marines for the garrison there, and remained in China for six months protecting American nationals in the war-torn country. Here members of her crew originated the "Domain of the Golden Dragon," having cruised back and forth across the International Date Line. The troop transport was engaged in carrying replacements for the fleet and the Marines in China for the next fourteen years.

The medal grouping is named to an Edward M. O’Neil who was serving aboard the U.S.S. Henderson in 1934, having been apart of the carrying of replacement Marines to the garrison in China. We have not been able to locate service information for O’Neil, making this a wonderful research project!

The Medals Featured In This Grouping:

- United States Navy Good Conduct Medal: The GCM was awarded in 1929 and features the additional 1934 bar still attached to the ribbon. The ribbon is torn almost completely at the end wrapped brooch. The medal has a lovely dark patina with minor verdigris, but the hand engraving on the back is still highly visible:

C.S.C
82093
CORNELIUS
EDWARD M O’NEIL
U.S.S.
HENDERSON
12 NOV 1929

- Unidentified Republic of China Medal

- China Service Medal: The China Service Medal was a service medal awarded to U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard personnel. The medal was instituted by Navy Department General Order No. 176 on 1 July 1942. The medal recognized service in and around China before and after World War II. Designed by American sculptor George Holburn Snowden, the medal is bronze, 1.25 inches in diameter. The center of the obverse bears a three-sailed Chinese junk borne upon scroll waves. The boat is surrounded by the inscription in relief China Service, in an Asian-style font.

The reverse of the medal bears a bald eagle facing left. The eagle clutches laurels while perched on the horizontal shank of an anchor with its flukes to the right. On the left side of the eagle is the word For and the right side Service. Arching above the eagle is one of two inscriptions United States Navy for the version awarded to sailors or United States Marine Corps for the version awarded to Marines.

The suspension ribbon, and service ribbon, for the medal is gold with red stripes at either side.

- Rim Numbered Yangtze Service Medal: The medal and ribbon are in excellent condition. The rim number featured on this example is: M. No. 11906. The Yangtze Service Medal is a decoration of the United States military which was created in 1930 for presentation to members of the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps (and to a lesser extent, members of the United States Army). The Yangtze Service Medal is awarded for service in the Yangtze River Valley between the dates of September 3, 1926 and December 31, 1932, a period of significant unrest in the region.

The decoration may also be awarded for those military service members who served on permanent duty in Shanghai, China, provided such service was in direct support of landing operations in the Yangtze River Valley (e.g. Nanking incident of 1927). The Yangtze Service Medal was declared obsolete in 1940 when it was replaced by the China Service Medal.

The designer of the Yangtze Service Medal is John R. Sinnock of the Philadelphia Mint. Sinnock was the eighth Chief Engraver of the United States Mint from 1925 to 1947.

This lovely grouping comes ready for research and display!