From North Michigan to the High Seas

Collectors always search for unique additions to their collections. If the stars are aligned, sometimes searching eBay yields results. That was the case when this author spotted a unique medal listing. It was discovered that the seller’s additional listings were all attributed to USN Commander Thomas Bingham Buell The seller (a relation of Buell) preferred to keep the items together to maintain their historical significance. Now, ten years later, it is possible to reconstruct a time line of Commander Buell’s illustrious career, using that significant accumulation of military relics.

A CAREER IN THE NAVY

Thomas Bingham Buell (April 30, 1936 –June 26, 2002) was a Naval Academy graduate, Commander of Destroyers, and noted Naval historian. Born to Darius D. and Charlotte Buell, Thomas spent his boyhood on a farm in northern Michigan. It appears that he