Talk:Ray Melikian

A fact from Ray Melikian appeared on Wikipedia's Main Page in the Did you know column on 14 March 2013 (check views). The text of the entry was as follows:

Did you know... that after several decades, U.S. Air Force pilot Ray Melikian reunited with the aircraft he flew in World War II?

A record of the entry may be seen at Wikipedia:Recent additions/2013/March. The nomination discussion and review may be seen at Template:Did you know nominations/Ray Melikian.

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Military history: Biography / North America / United States / World War II

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Astor, check citation data

Astor, Gerald (2009). The greatest war (1st eBook ed. ed.). New York, NY: Warner Books. ISBN 9780446565776. {{cite book}}: |edition= has extra text (help)

Or is it "The Greatest War - Volume II: D-Day and the Assault on Europe, Grand Central Publishing"? Please check the source and enter the correct data.--Zoupan 05:15, 10 March 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Thank you for raising these concerns. I revised the ref. It is Warner Books publishing house by the Hachette Group. Proudbolsahye (talk) 05:25, 10 March 2013 (UTC)[reply]

World War II

The phrase, "The plane never returned back," is a bit awkward. I'd suggest, "The plane never returned," or, "The plane never came back." 99.179.45.241 (talk) 03:29, 14 March 2013 (UTC)[reply]

External links modified

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Silver Star

Presently the article shows the subject received three Silver Star medals. However, I can only find reliable non-primary sources which only verify a single Silver Star awarding of the subject of this article; one is this mention in an United States Army Air Forces document published in 1943, and the subject's obituary published in the Visalia Times-Delta. --RightCowLeftCoast (talk) 17:14, 17 March 2018 (UTC)[reply]

I found this newspaper article (Fresno Bee December 21, 1942) which I can't access but from the preview appears to state he won two stars by that time- Dumelow (talk) 19:20, 17 March 2018 (UTC)[reply]

This article states "Press dispatches said Lieutenant Melikian, participating in an aerial combat, near Darwin, Australia, August 23rd, disregarded heavy machine gun fire ... to make an attack on enemy bombers gets Oak Leaf Cluster. It is Melikian's third such decoration since the latter part of December. On the first occasion the Fresno pilot was decorated with the Silver Star medal and an oak leaf cluster, the equivalent of second medal. Today's announcement reveals he was awarded an other oak leaf cluster". Again I cannot see the article but deciphered this from the machine translation. Which appears to back up the third award. If you ask over at WP:RX someone should be able to provide you a copy of the actual article - Dumelow (talk) 19:25, 17 March 2018 (UTC)[reply]

@Dumelow:, one is from November 1942, and the other is from December of that same year, but it doesn't mention a second oak leaf cluster, and might be a reprint of of the November awarding. Therefore, I am seeking additional reliable sources on the number of Silver Stars still, to corroborate the Fresno Bee printings.--RightCowLeftCoast (talk) 22:27, 17 March 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Note this April 1943 publication from the USAAF, verifies a Air Medal.--RightCowLeftCoast (talk) 22:34, 17 March 2018 (UTC)[reply]

RightCowLeftCoast : This 1952 book has the following text (on page 420, I think - can only see a snippet): "MELIKIAN, RAY, MAJOR, U. S. ARMY AIR CORPS. RESIDENCE, KERMAN, CALIFORNIA. Major Ray Melikian received the Silver Star Medal, and two Oak Leaf clusters on that award, and the Distinguished Flying Cross with two Oak Leaf clusters, for his work as a P-40 pilot in the Pacific theater" - Dumelow (talk) 23:21, 17 March 2018 (UTC)[reply]

I see that the Hairenik Association published that book.--RightCowLeftCoast (talk) 16:49, 18 March 2018 (UTC)[reply]

On matters of fact, versus opinion, it is quite acceptable to rely on primary sources. In Commonwealth countries, this would include government gazettes, which are the official record of an award being conferred. The US equivalent (or similar) would be an appropriate source in this case. Hope this is of help. Regards, Cinderella157 (talk) 00:18, 18 March 2018 (UTC)[reply]

I think the problem is, such records are not easily findable, as such a website as is suggested only includes more modern awarding. I will WP:AGF and remove the discussion tag. --RightCowLeftCoast (talk) 16:49, 18 March 2018 (UTC)[reply]