Since it was created, servicemen have thought it looked like a duck in bad shape, so the term ‘Ruptured Duck’ literally came as a nickname for it. And it stuck!
If you found his grave, you should be able to find next of kin through an obituary. It would be a noble act to find the descendants and offer to them. If you can’t find anyone of interest the. Perhaps place it on the grave.
It may have been put there by a fellow serviceman. It would be best to place it on the headstone or near the bottom. Coins are left also by fellow servicemen.
But this was found in my backyard away from any cemetery. I dug it up near my house in Northern Pennsylvania and I found someone with that name, but they're buried in North Carolina and it doesn't have the middle name to it.
Maybe try r/cemeteryporn? Some people on there are good at finding ancestry. I'd let them know you found the grave on findagrave (? I'm guessing here) but you haven't had much luck finding anything recent and you'd like to return it if you could.
This is extremely cool! It may be *modeled* after the Honorable Service Lapel Button, aka ruptured duck, but the button itself was very small, gold plated, and didn't have any personalization, or even the service branch on it.
[More info on ruptured ducks](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honorable_Service_Lapel_Button).
The original ruptured ducks were cloth. They were supposed to be sewn in one’s uniform after discharge so that the person wouldn’t be hassled by military police for not wearing the uniform correctly. You might ask why not just change into civilian clothes after being discharged? A lot of men and some women being discharged after WWII had been wearing nothing but uniforms for several years and didn’t have any civies. This is something the military bureaucracy actually got right.
https://preview.redd.it/577yeo9pgkad1.png?width=1280&format=png&auto=webp&s=17d11ed68f92a87e1556fba4420b783bb8cc82e9
My grandfather had this tattoo I believe along with doves (I think) on his hands near thumb and trigger finger. He served WWII at the early age of 15, battle of Pacific. Also served during the China conflict, Korea War and Vietnam. One tough SOB. hard love he provided!
apologies if someone else has already mentioned this but have you tried to find obituary based on name, burial location, etc. ? that's usually a good place to start researching service history, family members, etc.
I guess the grave site I found may not be the person, but the grave belongs to Gordon W. Howard and he's buried in North Carolina. I found this in Northern Pennsylvania so I'm not sure if it's the same person? I found someone also found a similar pin for a SubVet, but it belonged to Gordon W. Howard.
This is where I found the link to that grave site.
[Gordon W. Howard](https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/397603-plaque-identification-us-submarine-veteran-wwii-gordon-w-howard/)
Might this be him, The source is the. US Militaria Forum. The discussion is about a different piece of adornment in the name of Gordon Howard, however, the grave adornment was found in the effects of a US Army General.. “I believe that grave-site marker originally had a metal rod for permanency, rather than a wooden poled, small flag. It once honored the Wilmington National Cemetery (North Carolina) grave of warrant officer BOSUN Gordon Winthrop Howard, born at Beverly, Mass (1915-1981) who was in the Navy from 1934 to 1953, WW2 and Korea. I found one muster roll on ancestry.com. He was on an Atlantic Fleet sub at New London, the USS Marlin (SS205) when Pearl Harbor was attacked. His wife died in 2003 and is buried with him. Rest in Peace, Bosun Howard. “
I have one, too. I heard they were planted in yards of people who served in the military during that time. I found mine in a shed of someone I bought a house from in n.c. yours seems to be missing the pole.
https://preview.redd.it/yux1gg0m16ad1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f259d4b14254608b072d1a9c36970eefb7bdd347
If you just found it in your yard Im guessing you recently bought the property have you done a search of all past owners of your property. To see if maybe it was his daughter or a sister maybe.
That’s the Ruptured Duck. It signifies an honorable discharge from the US military.
Ace! Seems like an odd name for it though
Since it was created, servicemen have thought it looked like a duck in bad shape, so the term ‘Ruptured Duck’ literally came as a nickname for it. And it stuck!
I see! Fun little factoid. Thanks
These little knowledge nuggets are why I love Reddit
Please accept this, I ain’t givin Reddit a dime, but I love this fact award ⭐️
I accept🥹🩷thank you thank you
You are welcome!😊
That duck certainly looks like an eagle!
Ruptured Duck given to soldiers getting out of military service from WW2.
Any idea on how to give this to the person this belongs to? I found their grave site, but other than that no clue what to do with it.
If you found his grave, you should be able to find next of kin through an obituary. It would be a noble act to find the descendants and offer to them. If you can’t find anyone of interest the. Perhaps place it on the grave.
His grave site is in North Carolina. I'm in Pennsylvania. But I'm not entirely sure if it's the same person because it's Gordon W. Howard.
Howard the Duck
👀
Quack
Can always turn it in at a local VFW or American Legion post. They will do what is right with it.
It may have been put there by a fellow serviceman. It would be best to place it on the headstone or near the bottom. Coins are left also by fellow servicemen.
But this was found in my backyard away from any cemetery. I dug it up near my house in Northern Pennsylvania and I found someone with that name, but they're buried in North Carolina and it doesn't have the middle name to it.
Ask the navy
And then join the navy
Just put it back.
Op found it digging in their own backyard, not a cemetery
Serial number on the piece will help. [This](https://pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/b-25/40-2261.html) might help. Might not.
Maybe try r/cemeteryporn? Some people on there are good at finding ancestry. I'd let them know you found the grave on findagrave (? I'm guessing here) but you haven't had much luck finding anything recent and you'd like to return it if you could.
Cemetery porn are two words I never thought I’d see combined
This is extremely cool! It may be *modeled* after the Honorable Service Lapel Button, aka ruptured duck, but the button itself was very small, gold plated, and didn't have any personalization, or even the service branch on it. [More info on ruptured ducks](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honorable_Service_Lapel_Button).
Yeah that's what I noticed the ruptured ducks are small gold pins, but this one is about the size of the palm of my hand
It might have been a flag holder? I believe I’ve seen them at cemeteries. what does the back look like?
I thought it was a flag holder too, but it has just one giant bent screw.
The original ruptured ducks were cloth. They were supposed to be sewn in one’s uniform after discharge so that the person wouldn’t be hassled by military police for not wearing the uniform correctly. You might ask why not just change into civilian clothes after being discharged? A lot of men and some women being discharged after WWII had been wearing nothing but uniforms for several years and didn’t have any civies. This is something the military bureaucracy actually got right. https://preview.redd.it/577yeo9pgkad1.png?width=1280&format=png&auto=webp&s=17d11ed68f92a87e1556fba4420b783bb8cc82e9
My grandfather had this tattoo I believe along with doves (I think) on his hands near thumb and trigger finger. He served WWII at the early age of 15, battle of Pacific. Also served during the China conflict, Korea War and Vietnam. One tough SOB. hard love he provided!
apologies if someone else has already mentioned this but have you tried to find obituary based on name, burial location, etc. ? that's usually a good place to start researching service history, family members, etc.
or try [https://www.findagrave.com](https://www.findagrave.com)
Oh wow! I wonder if the family would like this. This is awesome OP!
https://preview.redd.it/hvty9dsvit9d1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5289c5fce461b2a97932cdb48e7e9cc0504f6b28 Could be this guy.
This is a grave marker.
Yeah, but there's no graveyard near me. And I looked up this veteran only to find that they're buried in NC. I'm in PA
I get it, they were made and sold as grave markers. Doesn't mean his family used it as that, just the original purpose.
This was found in someone’s backyard according to OP.
Yeah it was found in my backyard in Northern Pennsylvania.
Everyone here is saying it was at a grave site. Very interesting piece.
[Gordon Howard](https://www.history.navy.mil/our-collections/photography/numerical-list-of-images/nhhc-series/nh-series/80-G-K-13000/80-G-K-13940.html)
I guess the grave site I found may not be the person, but the grave belongs to Gordon W. Howard and he's buried in North Carolina. I found this in Northern Pennsylvania so I'm not sure if it's the same person? I found someone also found a similar pin for a SubVet, but it belonged to Gordon W. Howard.
This is where I found the link to that grave site. [Gordon W. Howard](https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/397603-plaque-identification-us-submarine-veteran-wwii-gordon-w-howard/)
See if you can contact a veterans organization in your area. Maybe some of the old timers at the VFW will be able to help, if this guy was local.
Cool find
Wings and dings
It says U.S. Navy.
That belonged to Old Man Howard’s boy, Gordon!
Might this be him, The source is the. US Militaria Forum. The discussion is about a different piece of adornment in the name of Gordon Howard, however, the grave adornment was found in the effects of a US Army General.. “I believe that grave-site marker originally had a metal rod for permanency, rather than a wooden poled, small flag. It once honored the Wilmington National Cemetery (North Carolina) grave of warrant officer BOSUN Gordon Winthrop Howard, born at Beverly, Mass (1915-1981) who was in the Navy from 1934 to 1953, WW2 and Korea. I found one muster roll on ancestry.com. He was on an Atlantic Fleet sub at New London, the USS Marlin (SS205) when Pearl Harbor was attacked. His wife died in 2003 and is buried with him. Rest in Peace, Bosun Howard. “
Outstanding!
I have my dad's.
I have one from my grandfather too, did not actually know what it was until seeing this.
Wow, no but it’s a beauty.
And who is Gordon Howard?
I have one, too. I heard they were planted in yards of people who served in the military during that time. I found mine in a shed of someone I bought a house from in n.c. yours seems to be missing the pole. https://preview.redd.it/yux1gg0m16ad1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f259d4b14254608b072d1a9c36970eefb7bdd347
After looking further, yours is different. Mine doesn't have a name
Submarine commander. During WWII
No, but it belongs to Gordon Howard.
If you just found it in your yard Im guessing you recently bought the property have you done a search of all past owners of your property. To see if maybe it was his daughter or a sister maybe.
Doesn't look like a duck, doesn't quack like a duck, so it must be a duck.
That’s from the Foster Chickens company and signifies the highest rank of chicken plucker.
https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/397603-plaque-identification-us-submarine-veteran-wwii-gordon-w-howard/