British & Commonwealth Military Badge Forum

Recent Books by Forum Members

   

Go Back   British & Commonwealth Military Badge Forum > South African Military and Police Insignia > Air Force

 Other Pages: Galleries, Links etc.
Glossary  Books by Forum Members     Canadian Pre 1914    CEF    CEF Badge Inscriptions   Canadian post 1920     Canadian post 1953     British Cavalry Badges     Makers' Marks    Pipers' Badges  Canadian Cloth Titles  Books  SEARCH
 
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 01-09-20, 04:19 PM
irish's Avatar
irish irish is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Illinois USA
Posts: 1,996
Default South African Air Force Korean War

Here is a 3 medal bar to a South African Airman who had served in the Korean War 1950-1953. The note that accompanied the medals mention him serving with the 2nd Sqd SAAF... the "Flying Cheetahs"..

The South African Volunteers Medal and the UN Korean Medal are both named to him... E23014 J.H. Venter. the Korean issued medal on the end is not named

The Flying Cheetahs had started the war flying F-51D Mustangs. By late war they had converted to F-86 Sabre Jets to better compete with the MIG's that had entered the conflict....By war's end the the Cheetahs had flown 12,067 sorties... 34 SAAF pilots had made the ultimate sacrifice as well 2 ground crew.

This trio of medals popped up at an estate sale not far from my home. The individual had a number of United Nations items and was a quiet collector not really knowing him even living as close as I did..

Any additional information and input on the medals is welcomed
Jack




__________________
"We must make our mistakes quickly"
Major General George Alan Vasey CB, CBE, DSO and Bar
New Guinea 1942
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 01-09-20, 04:28 PM
3battalion's Avatar
3battalion 3battalion is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Abu Dhabi, UAE
Posts: 798
Default

Cracking group Jack - great find!

Paul
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 01-09-20, 07:33 PM
irish's Avatar
irish irish is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Illinois USA
Posts: 1,996
Default

Thanks Paul.
__________________
"We must make our mistakes quickly"
Major General George Alan Vasey CB, CBE, DSO and Bar
New Guinea 1942
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 02-09-20, 07:11 AM
Alex Rice Alex Rice is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 4,736
Default

Great group, well done. There were only 800 SA Korea medals awarded so it is considered a fairly rare and sought after medal In case you don't know, the medal is mounted back to front, with the reverse showing. Probably either worn like that in error or perhaps the recipient emigrated and wanted to show the EiiR cypher?
Cheers,
Alex
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 02-09-20, 07:34 AM
leigh kitchen's Avatar
leigh kitchen leigh kitchen is online now
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 9,034
Default

A nice group.
I have a SAAF uniform, with Navigators wings, no medals unfortunately.

I'm told that it looks as though Commandant Fourie retired in the 1980s:, the side cap being introduced during the early 1980's and the SADF Good Service Medal ribbons being of pre-1986 pattern.

The ribbons:

Korea Medal

Pro Patria Medal (it doesn't have a Cunene Clasp rosette for service in Angola, but as that was introduced in 1986, he may have served there)

SADF Good Service Medal Gold (30 years)

SADF Good Service Medal Silver (20 years)

Permanent Force Good Service Medal (18 years)

Chief of the SADF Commendation Medal
(renamed 'Military Merit Medal', with post-nominal letters MMM, and given precedence over campaign medals in 1993)

UN Service Medal for Korea

South Korea War Medal
Attached Images
File Type: jpg post-2272-1225388475 (1).jpg (55.9 KB, 12 views)
File Type: jpg post-2272-1225388575 (1).jpg (69.6 KB, 13 views)
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 02-09-20, 12:43 PM
irish's Avatar
irish irish is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Illinois USA
Posts: 1,996
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Alex Rice View Post
Great group, well done. There were only 800 SA Korea medals awarded so it is considered a fairly rare and sought after medal In case you don't know, the medal is mounted back to front, with the reverse showing. Probably either worn like that in error or perhaps the recipient emigrated and wanted to show the EiiR cypher?
Cheers,
Alex
Alex, thank you for that information.
__________________
"We must make our mistakes quickly"
Major General George Alan Vasey CB, CBE, DSO and Bar
New Guinea 1942
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 02-09-20, 12:45 PM
irish's Avatar
irish irish is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Illinois USA
Posts: 1,996
Default

Nice uniform Leigh. Do not believe I had seen a SAAF uniform complete as you show.
__________________
"We must make our mistakes quickly"
Major General George Alan Vasey CB, CBE, DSO and Bar
New Guinea 1942
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 02-09-20, 01:12 PM
leigh kitchen's Avatar
leigh kitchen leigh kitchen is online now
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 9,034
Default

It came with a complete mess dress uniform but infuriatingly rodents ruined that though shirts, gloves, belts etc still survive.
A major failure of responsibility on my part.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 02-09-20, 01:53 PM
irish's Avatar
irish irish is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Illinois USA
Posts: 1,996
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by leigh kitchen View Post
It came with a complete mess dress uniform but infuriatingly rodents ruined that though shirts, gloves, belts etc still survive.
A major failure of responsibility on my part.
Well don’t be too hard on yourself it can happen. Have a few horror stories of my own.
__________________
"We must make our mistakes quickly"
Major General George Alan Vasey CB, CBE, DSO and Bar
New Guinea 1942
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 24-10-20, 11:18 AM
Brian Conyngham's Avatar
Brian Conyngham Brian Conyngham is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Durban South Africa
Posts: 1,238
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by irish View Post
Thanks Paul.
Hi Jack

Christmas came early! In the rugby squad Venter is the one with the ball in the middle of the front row.

Enjoy, nice group.

Brian
Attached Images
File Type: jpg 20201024_130431.jpg (43.9 KB, 20 views)
File Type: jpg 20201024_130625.jpg (37.9 KB, 18 views)
File Type: jpg 20201024_130532.jpg (57.3 KB, 23 views)
File Type: jpg 20201024_130509.jpg (22.6 KB, 15 views)
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 24-10-20, 11:25 AM
Brian Conyngham's Avatar
Brian Conyngham Brian Conyngham is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Durban South Africa
Posts: 1,238
Default

Jack

You can get Venters War records records via a researcher in Johannesburg, great guy by the name of Dewald (pronounced Dewalt) Nel.

dewald@nelantiques.co.za

Regards
Brian
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 24-10-20, 01:03 PM
leigh kitchen's Avatar
leigh kitchen leigh kitchen is online now
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 9,034
Default

It's always great to get a photo to go with medals, paperwork, uniforms and the like.
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 24-10-20, 01:11 PM
irish's Avatar
irish irish is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Illinois USA
Posts: 1,996
Default

Brian, Wow... That is fantastic.... where on earth did you find the photos.? And to find them with names is incredible. Thank you very much Jack
__________________
"We must make our mistakes quickly"
Major General George Alan Vasey CB, CBE, DSO and Bar
New Guinea 1942
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 24-10-20, 01:41 PM
Brian Conyngham's Avatar
Brian Conyngham Brian Conyngham is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Durban South Africa
Posts: 1,238
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by irish View Post
Brian, Wow... That is fantastic.... where on earth did you find the photos.? And to find them with names is incredible. Thank you very much Jack
Hi Jack

I have an album with about one third of the SA Korean contingent of 800 odd. You got lucky with Venter. They are nice groups, there is a SA EX Pat in Aussie that collects these groups, has around 30 odd. I have two Korean SA groups one with a US Bronze Star.

Always nice to get a picture of your guy, I know how you feel.... we need to brighten up 2020 a tad.

I was promised another similar SA Korean photo album a few years ago, but that lead has gone cold sadly.

Regards
Brian
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 24-10-20, 01:45 PM
Brian Conyngham's Avatar
Brian Conyngham Brian Conyngham is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Durban South Africa
Posts: 1,238
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by irish View Post
Brian, Wow... That is fantastic.... where on earth did you find the photos.? And to find them with names is incredible. Thank you very much Jack
Jack just a quick one, his name is pronounced "Fenter" Venter being Afrikaans.

Brian
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

mhs link

All times are GMT. The time now is 07:52 PM.


Powered by: vBulletin
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.