Sunday, February 7, 2010

El Toro 1951

Two boys receiving medals, El Toro Marine Base, El Toro, CA, 1951

I found this photo at the USC digital library site. It is a part of the “Los Angeles Examiner Negatives Collection, 1950-1961,” and it is entitled, “Medals given boys at El Toro Marine base, 1951.”

There's no further information.

Obviously, the ceremony concerns war deaths: the little boys are receiving medals in honor of their fathers’ sacrifices—no doubt in Korea.

I noticed some names barely legibly written on the photo (backwards). One of them: Mary Nell Scott (and Bobby Scott). I did some quick looking and found that one Californian named Scott died in Korea at that time:
“Corporal [Gerald L.] Scott [of San Francisco] was a member of the 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division [Army]. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in South Korea on March 12, 1951.” [Born in 1931] (Korean War Project)
Another name: Molly Rohwer.

One Californian named Rohwer died in Korea at the time:
“Corporal [Gaylen Floyd] Rohwer [born: June 11, 1924; from Venice, CA] was a member of Company F, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. He was Killed in Action [in Seoul] while fighting the enemy in Korea on September 24, 1950.” (Korean War Project)
Also handwritten on the photo: "General William Wallace"* and the number "9186." Don't know anything about either.

A date is written on the photo: "6-11(?)-51." No doubt it is the date of this occasion.

That was Rohwer's birthday. He would have been 27.

*I can find no General (of that era) with this name.

Roy's obituary in LA Times and Register: "we were lucky to have you while we did"

  This ran in the Sunday December 24, 2023 edition of the Los Angeles Times and the Orange County Register : July 14, 1955 - November 20, 2...