July 2nd, 2009 Chris Hughes
These boots are as-found with Vietnam era lace in zippers. Zippered boots were popular with air crews and pilots, but are seen worn by other units. The boots are a desirable size 10 Regular and contracted by Genesco. Their date of manufacture is 1966. They have their original amber colored insoles and are in supple, used condition. A great pair of original boots!
These boots are currently listed on ebay. Click here to view.
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June 29th, 2009 Chris Hughes
Most would agree that World War II militaria is the most popular military era to collect, and fortunately, “out of the woodwork” WWII items continue to surface from estates. WWII militaria initially emerged as a collecting hobby shortly after soldiers returned from Europe with Third Reich souvenirs, particularly medals, guns, and headgear. As demand for German WWII collectibles increased, the hobby evolved from blue-collar to white-collar. As with any collecting circle, when items start selling for serious money opportunists enter the scene with fakes and begin to infect the hobby. The surge in German fakes, coupled with skyrocketing prices, resulted in many collectors turning to U.S. militaria as a safer, more affordable option, and U.S. items once considered “surplus” have become legitimate collectibles. Popular areas include:
1. Firearms: Military firearms have always been in high demand with crossover appeal to both militaria and gun collectors. Many collectors not only focus on particular models—like the M1 Garand, M1 Carbine, 1911A1 pistol and Springfield 1903—but also the various contractors for each weapon. The Holy Grail is to find a weapon that has all original finish and all original parts from the factory. Most WWII era weapons today have replaced parts, so original examples command a premium. A WWII-dated M1 Garand refurbished with postwar parts brings around $650, whereas an original WWII M1 Garand sells for more than $2000 if you can find one!
2. Groups: A group (or grouping) is a collection of items attributed to one veteran. Groups may contain uniform items, medals, helmet, dog tags, photos, and paperwork—including discharge, general orders and other ephemera. These items establish provenance, which greatly increases historical and collecting value. Items without provenance are worth no more than the sum of the parts.
3. Headgear: Military headgear is very popular because it displays well, with many types and variations to acquire. The price range accommodates anyone’s budget, with an infantry piped overseas cap selling for $5 to a named M2 “D-bale” airborne helmet selling for more than $12,000. Most militaria collectors have a soft spot for headgear, which is why it sells well.
4. Insignia & Medals: WWII patch collecting actually started during WWII. As soldiers returned home, many donated their insignia to be sewn on wonderful handmade patch blankets, or given to children to trade like baseball cards. Collectors focus on insignia variations and without knowing the difference between a “green back” vs. a “white back,” or a “green border,” it’s easy to assume they’re of equal value, but they’re not! Greenbacks are sewn with green bobbin thread, resulting in the reverse side being prominently green. These scarce variants sell for many times more than white back examples of the same patch. Medals are a privilege to collect and own because they are personal and earned by the veteran. Posthumous medals typically have name of the veteran inscribed on the back and are very desirable to collectors, particularly when they are accompanied with an original presentation case and government correspondence to the deceased solder’s family. A cased WWII Good Conduct Medal sells for $10, whereas an inscribed KIA Purple Heart sells in the hundreds or more, depending on the unit served in and the circumstances of death.
5. Knives: WWII knives were either issued or privately acquired. Notable makers of handmade fighting knives include Gary Randall and Frank J Richtig. To find clean WWII examples from either maker will cost well over $1,500. Most of the knives taken into battle were mass-produced through government contracts, like the wonderfully utilitarian model M3; a popular knife to collect because of the different contractors for both the knife and scabbard. M3’s start at $150 for just the knife and can sell in the hundreds for a clean, early example with the maker and date marked on the blade and a nice leather M6 scabbard. There are also theater-made knives constructed from scrap aluminum, Lucite, steel, brass and other materials. Theater-made knives vary in form, quality and value, and are sought after collectibles.
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June 29th, 2009 Chris Hughes
This is a Vietnam era E-Tool combo consisting of:
- M1951 pattern intrenching tool (1966 dated)
- M7 Bayonet and M8A1 fiberglass scabbard
- Canvas E-Tool cover (Circa 1965-66)
The E-tool is in excellent condition and the canvas cover appears to be unissued. The bayonet shows normal use with a few dings in the blade (see pics).
This item is currently listed on ebay. Click here to view auction.
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June 29th, 2009 Chris Hughes
Large size WWI US wool pullover shirt with all original buttons and circular elbow patches. Has several thread bare areas on the front shirttail. Otherwise a clean shirt for its age.
This shirt is currently listed on ebay. Click here to view auction.
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June 29th, 2009 Chris Hughes
The Vietnam veteran who wore this jacket was the Commander of A Company, 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division in 1969. He is mentioned in the Tropical Lighting News (Vol. 4 No. 35) on September 1, 1969 in the following article:
Tay Ninh – Driving off a fierce, pre-dawn sapper attack on their position, men of Alpha Company, 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry, killed 21 North Vietnamese soldiers. The battle took place 10 miles northeast of Tay Ninh City at Fire Support Base Saint Barbara, the “French Fort.”
Action started shortly after 3:00 AM during a heavy morning rain. The sound of rocket-propelled grenades and incoming mortars broke through the drone of the downpour. Taking cover in bunkers, the 4/9 Manchus kept careful vigil on the trail, thick grass in front of the bunker line.
Soon after the initial barrage, NVA sappers burst out of the grass and stormed the berm, tossing grenades and satchel charges as they charged. Most of the enemy grenades and satchel charges were thrown back at the sappers.
The enemy tried to come over the high northeast wall of the fire support base, built on the site of a French fort during the colonial era. None of them got any further than the top of the wall before being blown off by the accurate firepower of the Manchus.
“The enemy got on the top of the bunker line but that was as far as he got. I saw one on top of my bunker and immediately shot him, throwing him back outside the perimeter,” commented platoon leader First Lieutenant Shane M. Davis of Kansas City, Mo.
At break of dawn the battle was over. Twenty-one North Vietnamese, all member of sapper teams, lay dead around the perimeter.
“The men fought hard. There sapper teams are well trained and tough.” said Alpha Company commander, Captain Freddie Capps Jr., of Tucson, Ariz.
When a sweep was conducted, the Manchus found two AK47 assault rifles, two RPG launchers and six RPG rounds. They also picked up five sachel charges that never got to their intended targets.
The jacket is a third pattern poplin with matte finish buttons. It is a size Small-Regular and 1967 dated. It is in immaculate condition and must have been his garrison jacket because it is completely badged out and crisp. It has theater made name and Army tapes, jump wings, CIB, a subdued twill 25th Infantry shoulder sleeve insignia, and a theater-made Ranger tab. All the insignia is sewn just as you would want to see on a jungle jacket.
If you look very closely, you will see that both the name and Army tapes had been sewn parallel with the slant breast pockets, but they were changed to straight across. This must have been switched immediately because the marks are virtually non existent unless you really examine the jacket. I contacted the webmaster for the Manchus and he actually knew Capt Capps and mentioned that Capps had served a previous tour with another unit prior to being Alpha Company commander.
This is a great, researchable jacket to a well decorated unit. I seldom find jackets badged out this nicely.
The jacket is currently listed on ebay. Click here to view auction.
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