Ike Jacket
This uniform group is an exceptional offering to a member of the famed ‘Devil’s Brigade’, the First Special Service Force. John P. Grantz was a member of 5-3 and is listed as such in the roster in the official First Special Service Force unit history, written by Robert D. Burhans (p. 343).
The WWII era Ike jacket shows minor wear, with a few tiny rub spots and holes, but they are small and can hardly be seen. All insignia is original to the jacket and has never been removed. The 3 place ribbon bar includes: EAME (European-African-Middle Eastern) campaign ribbon with an invasion arrowhead plus 4 campaign stars, a Pacific campaign ribbon with one star (for the assault on Kiska), and a Good Conduct ribbon. The red/white/blue Force shoulder cord is magnificent along with the enlisted crossed arrows disc. The FSSF shoulder patch is a known variant that was made and purchased in Nice, France.
Both the jacket and cap are named to Grantz. The O/S cap is textbook with the correct FSSF braid and tape to the piping.
Another stunning part of this group (aside from the theater made patch), is Grantz’s V-42 knife. This knife is in superb condition as is its leather sheath. He must have sent this knife home rather than bringing it overseas. The scabbard shows some minor rust on the rivet heads, but is otherwise excellent. It still retains its original length, as many of these were cut down.
You would be hard pressed to find another named Force group with its original V-42 knife!
Price: SOLD
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Ike Jacket
This is a well-documented Airborne uniform, photograph, and paperwork grouping from my personal collection. The veteran (Anthony A. Gutberlet Jr.) had been with H&S Co. 78th Engineer Bn., 27th Division prior to completing paratrooper training at Sendai Jump School (Japan), and being assigned to 127th AEB (Airborne Engineering Battalion), 11th Airborne Division.
This grouping includes the following:
1. Enlisted/NCO Ike jacket in a size 38R and dated June 10, 1944. The lapels have EM “US” and Engineering collar devices with early, flat-faced clutches. The left (combat) sleeve has a 27th Division shoulder sleeve insignia that is decoratively hand stitched to the uniform in a cross-stitch pattern. The right sleeve has an 11th Airborne patch with engineering cap braid beautifully hand stitched around border. There are two overseas stripes on the cuff. The left breast has a sterling marked, pin-back set of jump wings, a three-piece, pin-back ribbon bar with an Army of Occupation ribbon (for Japan), a WWII Victory ribbon, and an Asiatic Pacific Campaign ribbon. Directly above the three-piece ribbon bar is a pin-back Good Conduct ribbon. There are a few tiny moth nips in the jacket, but you have to really look hard in strong light to find them. It displays perfectly.
2. Enlisted overseas cap with engineer braid and a beautiful, Japanese-made heavy bullion airborne cap badge. The red wool backing is excellent with no mothing. The cap is lined in silk with a leather sweatband. There is no size, but I would guess it’s about a 7.
3. Brass roller belt buckle that has been customized by affixing sterling jump wings on the face of the buckle then overlaying officers Engineer collar device on top of the jump wings! Very sharp!
4. Early enamel Engineering DI w/ threaded post
5. Single dog tag (named to the vet)
6. An original jump certificate from the Sendai Jump School; that is hand signed by General Swing. This is a rare document!
7. Three-page hand written lyric sheets for the song, “Blood on the Risers”
8. Hard cover photo album containing 244 photographs of the veteran in the 27th Division and 11th Airborne. There are many photographs of the vet and his buddies in jump boots and signature 11th A/B “swing caps”, doing parachute jumps, etc. Most of the photographs have nice descriptions written under them. There is a wealth of information here. The back cover of the album contains written entries of important dates for the veteran.
9. Twenty-nine loose photographs (some 5×7). Of the 5×7 images, One of the photos is of the vet in a jeep w/ a khaki overseas cap with airborne patch, khaki Class B’s with his pants blouses into his boots. His shirt has a jump oval and wings and his 11th Airborne SSI has engineering cap braid around it. The other image is of the vet in a jeep in HBTs. He is wearing his jump wings around his neck by threading them through dog tag chain!
10. Original certificates for completed courses including infantry training, blueprint reading, etc.
11. On original copy of a general order (HQ 127th A/B Engineer Bn)
12. Two original prints of 6×11 unit photos for 78th Engineer Bn w/ the names of all the vets on the back.
13. Seventeen pieces of paper occupational currency
14. Several paper items (immunization record, temporary passes, motor vehicle permits, ration cards, programs, etc).
All the items have been carefully stored in archival quality sleeves (included). It is difficult to find WWII era uniforms groupings that come with any paperwork. This one has plenty!
Price: SOLD
Posted in Recently Sold Militaria, WWII US Militaria | 1 Comment »
Ike Jacket
This uniform was worn by the Battalion Surgeon for the 466th PFA (17th Airborne). He jumped near Wesel, Germany on March 24, 1945 during Operation Varsity and was awarded a Bronze Star Medal for his actions on this day. When the 17th Airborne disbanded, he went to the 463rd PFA (101st Airborne), then the 456th PFA (82nd Airborne). This veteran is credited with creating an irrigation device for eye wounds that is still used by medical personnel in the field today.
The group includes:
- Officers overseas cap w/ para glider patch and pin-back Captain bars
- Ike jacket with the following attached:
- 17th Airborne patch
- 82nd Airborne patch
- Officer Medical ciphers
- Officer “US” ciphers
- Pin-back Captain bars
- Presidential Unit Citation
- Sterling Pin-back Combat Medic Badge
- Belgium Fourragere (shoulder cord)
- French Fourragere (shoulder cord)
- Three-place sewn on ribbon bar with Bronze Star Medal (For Valor), American Campaign, ETO Campaign w/ 1 Invasion Arrowhead (for Operation Varsity) and 3 Campaign Stars (Rhineland, Ardennes, Central Europe)
- Red Wool Parachute Oval (for Artillery)
- Pinback “Sterling” marked jump wings with a combat star affixed (for Operation Varsity)
- Three overseas stripes
- Wool trousers w/ name penned in two places (see pics)
- Tan web belt
- Jump Boots w/ vet’s name inked on both tongues (see pic). They are size 10 1/2 D and dated July 26, 1943.
- Original print of veteran posing beside his uniform
- Copies of WWII images of veteran posing with his family
- Copy of Separation Record
- Copy of General Order for Bronze Star Medal
- Copy of the write up for the 466th PFA’s recommendation for the Unit Citation, in which the veteran is mentioned several times
- Copy of General Order for Combat Medic Badge
- Copies of Special/Transfer Orders
- Photocopies of Unit related articles the veteran kept
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Ike Jacket
This 503rd RCT / 511th PIR uniform was worn by a paratrooper that served from April 7th, 1944 through May 10th, 1946. He participated in the Negros Campaign (Southern Philippines) with the 503rd Regimental Combat Team (attached to the 11th Airborne Division) before being transferred to the 511th PIR, 11th Airborne.
The Ike jacket has a beautiful, hand embroidered, Japanese-made, 503rd RCT patch on his combat sleeve and a pin-back Combat Infantry Badge.
The grouping included his knife, dog tags, some occupation currency, photographs, paperwork, ephemera, and a hand painted silk scarf that is named to the veteran across the neck.
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Ike Jacket
Here is a WWII uniform from my personal collection. It is not for sale.
This uniform grouping was worn by a PFC in Service Company 401st GIF, 101st Airborne. The vet was a post D-Day replacement and fought in Holland (Operation Market Garden), where he was seriously wounded and spent the next year and a half in hospitals recovering.
His uniform has a three-place ribbon bar an with ETO ribbon w/ two campaign stars, Good Conduct ribbon, and Purple Heart ribbon. The ribbon bar pin is broken and the insignia was sewn to the uniform upside down, causing the ribbons to be in reverse order, but that is how the uniform was received from the vet, so it was left as is.
Included with the group are several V-Mail and regular letters he sent home, a 101st Airborne unit history book and booklet, and recent photos of the vet holding the uniform pieces. His overseas cap has an interesting para/glider patch variant.
Posted in Airborne, WWII US Militaria | 9 Comments »
