United States. A First War Purple Heart, To Private John A. Jesko, Company M 337Th Infantry Regiment, Company L 28Th Infantry Regiment, Gassed On October 2, 1918 While In The Argonne Forest

Purple Heart (two-piece construction, in bronze gilt with purple, red, white and green enamels, engraved "JOHN A. JESKO" on the reverse, measuring 34.5 mm (w) x 43 mm (h), original ribbon with brooch pinback, intact enamels, spotting on the obverse, green oxidation on the reverse); the Purple Heart pinned in place to the left side of an American Legion Uniform Cap (the left side incorporating a large blue, yellow and brown embroidered American Legion insignia, inscribed in yellow embroidery "EDGAR WIS." (American Legion Post 393 in Edgar, Wisconsin, just west of Wausau) below, with a bronze Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States Membership pin and a silver gilt and blue enameled American Legion Membership Badge at the far left (front of the cap), the right side with an American Legion 21st National Convention at Chicago 1939 Medal pinned in place (the medal with a two-piece construction, American Legion insignia in bronze gilt with blue enamels, mounted to a bronze base, obverse illustrating the front-on bust of General John J. Pershing, inscribed "GENERAL PERSHING" to the left and "1939" to the right, with a ribbon banner below inscribed "CHICAGO", framed by an open-ended wreath of oak leaves and laurel leaves, reverse maker marked "GREENDUCK CO. CHI.", measuring 36 mm (w) x 50.7 mm (h), original ribbon suspended from a pinback hanger, the hanger illustrating the Chicago skyline and inscribed "21st NATIONAL CONVENTION"); along with a 35.3 mm (w) x 9 mm (h) Purple Heart ribbon bar and a 37 mm (w) x 11.5 mm (h) First War Veteran's ribbon bar (incorporating the flags of many nations), inscribed in yellow embroidery with the post number "393", with two small bronze crosses affixed above on the right side (front of the cap), the exterior in black wool with yellow piping, the interior with a 35 mm wide leather sweatband, stamped "EMBLEM DIV. / NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS / THE AMERICAN LEGION / INDIANAPOLIS" and inscribed in handwritten black ink "PHiLiP PUNKE.", the cap lined in yellow cotton and measuring 280 mm (w) x 120 mm (h) overall). Very fine.

Footnote: John A. Jesko was born on December 25, 1895 in Rietbrock, Wisconsin, the son of Albert Jesko (April 16, 1842 - May 24, 1920) and Constancia Polczin (September 13, 1867 - March 5, 1921). He was a resident of Edgar, Wisconsin (just west of Wausau) when he enlisted in the rank of Private (Army Serial Number 2829756) at LB 1 in Wausau, Marathon County, Wisconsin, on May 27, 1918, naming his father, Albert Jesko, as his next-of-kin, stating that he was Single and that his trade was that of Farmer. Private Jesko was with Company M, 337th Infantry Regiment when he arrived overseas on July 22, 1918. Three weeks after arriving in France, he was transferred to Company L, 28th Infantry Regiment on August 11, 1918 in France. Private Jesko is documented as having been wounded (gassed) on October 2, 1918 while in the Argonne Forest. He left France on December 24, 1918 and was Honorably Discharged upon demobilization, at Camp Grant, Illinois on January 16, 1919. John A. Jesko died on July 2, 1959, at the age of 63 and is buried in Holy Family Catholic Cemetery, in Poniatowski, Marathon County, Wisconsin. The cap presented here is named to Philip G. Punke (August 1896 - March 1969). He was likely a friend and war comrade of Jesko's, the latter predeceasing him by almost ten years. The assumption is that Punke wore Jesko's Purple Heart on his cap, in remembrance of his departed friend, along with two small crosses, one of which is likely a tribute to Jesko. Philip G. Punke is buried in Saint Johns Catholic Cemetery, in Edgar, Marathon County, Wisconsin.