United States. Two Purple Hearts And An Air Medal To 2Nd Lieutenant W.g. Graffigna, Usaaf

A Purple Heart, in silver gilt and purple, red, white and green enamels, the reverse is engraved “William G. Graffigna”, worn on original ribbon with a slot brooch pin on the reverse, measures 35.1mm (w) x 47.4mm (h), weighs 35.4 grams, light ribbon wear, no wear on medal, in near mint condition. Accompanied by a ribbon bar, enamel lapel button bar, additional ribbon swatch, and original case in black leatherette exterior marked PURPLE HEART, yellow silk and velvet interior, light wear throughout, lid closes slightly off center, in very fine condition.

A Purple Heart, in silver gilt and purple, red, white and green enamels, the reverse is machine engraved “WILLIAM G. GRAFFIGNA”, worn on original ribbon with a slot brooch pin on the reverse, measures 35.1mm (w) x 47.4mm (h), weighs 35.4 grams, light ribbon wear, no wear on medal, in near mint condition. Accompanied by a ribbon bar, enamel lapel button bar, and original case in black leatherette exterior marked PURPLE HEART, yellow silk and velvet interior, minor wear to exterior, in better than extremely fine condition. Contained in a white cardboard box with Army Service Forces slipped included, worn, remains in very fine condition.

An Air Medal, in bronze gilt, featuring an eagle clutching lightning bolts on a multi rayed star, the reverse is engraved “William G. Graffigna”, worn on original ribbon with a slot brooch pin on the reverse, measures 42.2mm (w) x 55.2mm (h), weighs 35.9 grams, light wear around the edges, remains in very fine condition. Accompanied by a full-length ribbon bar and enamel lapel button bar, and original case of issue black leatherette exterior marked AIR MEDAL, yellow silk and velvet interior, light wear throughout, silk interior in lid loose, in very fine condition.

Footnote: William Guilford Graffigna was born on April 20, 1919 in St. Louis Missouri. On the date of his enlistment, he was employed by Anhauser Busch, in St. Louis.

He served as a Bombardier with the 716^th Bomber Squadron, 449^th Bomber Group of the U.S. Army Air Forces, and attained the rank of Second Lieutenant.

On April 7, 1944, he was on the crew of the B-24 Liberator #42-55269 “Pugnacious Peggy” when they departed from Grottaglie Air Field during a mission to Mestre, Italy. It was reported there was enemy flak, and the crew were forced to ditch.

Graffigna was determined unrecoverable from the Adriatic Sea and was therefore recorded as a casualty on April 7, 1944. He is commemorated on the Tablets of the Missing in the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery, Nettuno, Italy.