Everett Police Find Proper Place For Silver Star Medal

Interesting story posted by police in Everett, Washington on their Facebook Page regarding a medal recovered from their property room. We’re passing it along for those who don’t partake of social media.

During the course of our work, officers often find, seize, or are given property that ends up impounded in our Property & Evidence Room. During routine inventories of unclaimed items we sometimes come across remarkable discoveries. Take for example, the story of the Silver Star Medal…

In 2018, the Property & Evidence Room located a Silver Star Medal from a 2014 case of found property. A Silver Star Medal is the United States Armed Forces’ third-highest personal decoration awarded for gallantry in action against an enemy of the United States. This medal had been impounded for safekeeping, but no one claimed it. Wanting to return the honorable award to the appropriate person, Manager Matt Ferguson researched the medal’s recipient and located information on Corporal Alwin L. Mason through the Military Hall of Honor website.

After making numerous calls to military departments and locations, it was discovered that Corporal Mason is buried in Seattle’s Forest Lawn Cemetery and he had two sisters who also lived in Seattle. Further research found that one sister passed away in 1992 and the other could not be located. Unfortunately, no extended family members could be located. It is believed Corporal Mason attended James Monroe Junior High and Edison Technical School in Seattle.

Manager Ferguson found that Corporal Mason was born in 1931 and joined the US Army in 1949 where he attained the rank of Corporal and acted as artillery reconnaissance for the 49th Field Artillery Battalion, 7th Infantry Division. He was stationed in Japan for a year and a half before deploying to Korea where he was killed in action during “The Battle of Bloody Ridge” on September 2, 1951. For actions taken during the battle, Corporal Mason was awarded the Silver Star Medal posthumously. During his career, he was also awarded the Purple Heart, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.

Manager Ferguson located the US Army Artillery Museum in Fort Sill, OK and worked with Curator/Director Gordon Blaker. As the Silver Star Medal could not be returned to family, Mr. Blaker offered to display the medal in the new Korean War diorama created to exhibit artifacts of that war.

Unfortunately, there are many gaps in our information about Corporal Alwin L. Mason and we used numerous sources to piece together what we believe is his story. Everett Police is proud of this true American hero who sacrificed his life in service of his country. We hope Corporal Alwin L. Mason will be remembered.

“All gave some, some gave all”
-Howard William Osterkamp, Korean War veteran and Purple Heart recipient who continued fighting even after his leg was broken.

HISTORY: The Battle of Bloody Ridge took place during the Korean War between August 18th and September 5th, 1951. The battle began as an attempt by UN forces to seize a ridge of hills believed to be used as observation posts to call in artillery fire on a UN supply road. The North Koreans were protected by mine fields and strong bunkers that resisted destruction by anything less than accurate direct fire. After almost three weeks of fighting the ridge was taken at an expense of over 2,700 casualties to the US Eighth Army and an estimated 15,000 casualties to North Korea.