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All of the items came
together from one estate sale, supposedly from the same man, and appear to
show a combat-served 82nd Airborne Parachute Artilleryman who transferred to
the 9th AAF. Unfortunately no info was available with the items, so a spot
of detective work was required to make sense of this unusual uniform.
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The
jacket has all machine sewn patches (all with the same black thread),
except for the overseas services stripes (hand sewn on) and the
discharge patch (machine sewn on with tan thread). All patches are WWII
ones.
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The
jump wings are Sterling pin-back.
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The
ETO ribbon has an arrowhead and a combat star on it.
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Obviously not wounded in combat (no Purple Heart), but the jacket does
have a Bronze Star. The medal ribbon bars are actually fixed together
with a joining strip by the way, making one solid piece (four clutch
backs holding them to the jacket). The ribbons are in the right order
(for once) as well.
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The
Para Artillery Garrison Cap is as it looks and is unworn.
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The
AAF-piped EM Cap is in chocolate gabardine and is worn.
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The
Invasion Money (French, Belgian and German) were in the pocket and had
previously been sellotaped together as part of a "short snorter"
keepsake.
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The
Ike Jacket has faint markings inside traceable to a Marvin J Smidt of
Monroe County New York, 32031998, enlisted in the Army 03/03/41. No
other markings.
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The
Dog Tags are for Charles D Lee of Montgomery County Alabama, 14173222,
enlisted in the Air Corps 22/10/42.
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The
two DI’s on the jacket are really poorly made, but are actually US Made
ones, from Robbins & Co.
Using
the DI motto on various search engines, I came up with this on a website
(part of a question someone is asking about the same insignia :
"I found a painted squadron decoration from
Gunter Field in Montgomery, Alabama dated 1945. Supposedly a WW2 item. It
has a red phoenix at the top with his wings spread and a shield with an iron
gloved hand with lightening bolts coming out of it. On a scroll, it says,
"Prepare For Combat.""
This is the same insignia.
Gunter Field was a
basic flying school :
http://www.airfields-freeman.com/AL/Airfields_AL_Montgomery.htm#Gunter
Also to note from
:
http://www.maxwell.af.mil/42abw/42abw_history_base_chronology.php
“17 Sep 1945 - The
Eastern Flying Training Command established a separation center at Maxwell
to facilitate the release of Army Air Forces personnel.”
(Maxwell being the joint base with Gunter).
Thanks to the
NARA info on Charles D Lee (of Montgomery County
Alabama), the tale comes together - he enlisted in the Air Corps 22/10/42 at
Gunter Field, Montgomery, Alabama.
Looks like the man came
full circle in his service:
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joined up with the AAF at the basic flying school at Gunter Field
(washed out of the course maybe?)
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transferred to the Airborne (Parachute Artillery of the 82nd Airborne)
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served overseas for 3 years
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at
some point transferred back to the AAF into the 9th (probably for
shipping home, as his original MOS was AAF)
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was
discharged at Gunter Field/Maxwell AAFB, Montgomery, Alabama
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and
then got on the bus outside of the base or simply walked back down the
road to his house!
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