United States. A Purple Heart Group To Private John J. Huether, 129Th Machine Gun Battalion, Aef

Purple Heart (two-piece construction, in bronze gilt with purple, red, white and green enamels, engraved "JOHN J. HUETHER" on the reverse, measuring 34.5 mm (w) x 43 mm (h), original ribbon with brooch pinback, flaking evident in the purple enamels); World War I Victory Medal, 3 Clasps - DEFENSIVE SECTOR, MEUSE-ARGONNE, ST. MIHIEL (in bronze, measuring 36.2 mm, original ribbon with brooch pinback); and France: First War Croix de Guerre (War Cross) (in bronze, "1914-1918" reverse, measuring 37.3 mm (w) x 46.3 mm (h) inclusive of its laterally-pierced ball suspension, bronze star on its original ribbon). Near extremely fine. Accompanied by copies of his Pay Records, along with assorted research papers.

Footnote: John J. Huether was born in Java, Walworth County, South Dakota on August 9, 1894 of Russian parents. He was employed as a Railroad Section Hand before enlisting as a Private (2,559,950) with the United States National Army at Ashley, South Dakota on March 28, 1918. He was subsequently sent to Camp Dodge, Iowa for training with Company No. 9, 4th Battalion, 163rd Depot Brigade, before being transferred on April 20th to Company K, 138th Infantry Regiment, 35th Division, followed by another transfer, this time to Company B, 129th Machine Gun Battalion. He would go overseas with Company B, 129th Machine Gun Battalion, as part of the American Expeditionary Force, from May 28, 1918 to January 30, 1919 and would be slightly wounded on September 28, 1918, earning him the Purple Heart. Private Huether is credited with having been in action at St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne, and was part of the Defensive Sector at Gerardmer (Alsace) and Grange (Lorraine), earning him the World War I Victory Medal with Defensive Sector, Meuse-Argonne and St. Mihiel clasps. He would also be awarded the Croix de Guerre by the French government. He returned to the United States and was discharged at Camp Dodge, Iowa on February 14, 1919. In his civilian life, he was married to Helen E. Huether (1897-1974). John J. Huether died on September 18, 1978, at the age of 84 and is buried in Ashley Cemetery, Ashley, McIntosh County, North Dakota.