Our Foreign Friends Who Collect US

[Ricardo]

Coming soon ... in Brazil:

[Gregory]

But for those of you not from the US, I'm curious as to why you collect US militaria?

Ha! Good question. Everyday am asking myself about the same... And I do not have one and precise answer both for myself and you. But will try to write a little about it especially for you. Why am "Homo Historicus" -- do not know, it is a question for Good God.

 

No doubt it was not a decision "from now on am interested in the US militaria". Perhaps it happened -- to some extent -- spontaneously when I was 10 or 12 and to some extent under the influence of external factors. The first persons I saw being in the world were my parents, but the first thing could be beautiful wooden model of Douglas C-47 my father did for himself as a lover of this plane. The second thing could be US WWII era parachute cords or parachute bags, harness etc. present at my home because my father had such items.

 

Ever since I can remember have always been interested in the US airplanes and militaria. And I do not know why? Maybe reincarnation? During boring lessons in elementary school I drew either a portrait of a girl I loved given day or US WWII M1 helmets or P-51 fighters.

 

Why the US militaria? Maybe it's because a part of my family emigrated to the USA late 19th Century and early 20th? Maybe it's due to your good historical-technical literature? I have always been interested in high-level technical culture.

 

Why the US militaria? Maybe it's because the US budget for the R&D has always been the greatest in the world? Maybe it's because the USA cumulated the most ambitious group of the scientists including emigrants as well? Maybe it's because the USA have always given them fantastic freedom for their work? Maybe it's because you have always designed beautiful airplanes, like your British brothers in all fairness? I come from aviation family (father -- aviation engineer; uncle -- jet and helicopter pilot) and since my youngest years, literally when my brain and eyes started to see what is what in the closest world around me, I remember aircraft parts at my home. They were the Douglas C-47 airframe elements, and Soviet licence-built C-47, i.e. Lisunov Li-2. My father aviation engineer educated me from my earliest childhood -- "Look at this US and Soviet duraluminum. Compare them. The first one is high-quality, smooth, corrosion-free, well protected against oxidizing. The second one – poor, corroded throughout, dangerous for all people on board." And from my youngest years I remember at my home beautiful wooden model of the C-47 my father did before my born. The question is -- who, as a child, would be interested in poor technology? Most likely my child's brain automatically directed itself to look for high-standard items and to research them.

 

Why the US militaria? I think that there are many mental reasons as well. I do not like the Bad Guys who signed The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact and who ruined my country more than half a century long from September 1st, 1939 to October 28th, 1992 when the last Soviet military occupant abandoned Poland. If I do not like and respect them I do not collect their militaria, hope it is clear and understandable. Aggression, primitivism, dehumanization, totalitarian regimes and similar manner of thinking about foreign affairs are not my country's way of life, culture and tradition so am not interested in the black-shirted/red-starred military traditions.

 

Why the US militaria? I am very much interested in the history of the 20th Century technology and industrial design. Both those things were very interesting in the case of America.

 

I am also very much interested in the crisis management case studies and this is the USA after Pearl Harbor. The Bad Guys were prepared for WWII, the USA not. It is the most interesting case study in the world to observe how the USA suddenly and immediately had to change its peacetime manner of thinking and to switch itself on wartime mode. That is really fascinating and full of both negative and positive factors; the dramas and successes.

 

I like the American-Polish military traditions as well and am interested in the history of Americans of Polish Descent serving in the US military. Long time to talk -- I listed basic reasons only "why the US militaria"... :think:

[Brig]

Our grand-parents told us for hours and hours about all this, for them the young boys that had come from so far away to give their life were like gods.....so it couldn''t really turn out the other way.

 

these are the stories you don't see in the media, all we hear is how other countries see us as arrogant, policing the world, etc, etc...

 

I have heard from many Europeans that their grandparents have fond memories and stories of American troops during WWII.

[Sabrejet]

Fondly remembered and never forgotten in my neck of the woods!

 

http://barryatwar.info/the-second-world-wa...icans-in-barry/

[Gregory]

these are the stories you don't see in the media, all we hear is how other countries see us as arrogant, policing the world, etc, etc...

That's right. Human memory is very short. :pinch:

[Sabrejet]

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...03&hl=barry

[etienne]

Thank you, Brig, for raising this question

 

My beginning in collecting was a slow process ... I was 10 years old, decided that playing guns with friends was not realistic enough and got involved in modeling, especially US tanks and soldiers.

 

Why US models ? ... just because they were plenty, cheap and relativily easy to find.

 

Then I became a teen and my grand father gave me my first militaria items : a US can of weapon oil (I still have it) that was in a .50 cal round box in his garage (I got this box when he passed). My grand father was a professionnel soldier and did all the french wars from 1938 to 1962, but never told us much about this period.

 

I discovered that militaria was better that modeling, it was the real thing and US was self evident ... and I knew many years later that it was the time when I became an addict.

 

At the beginning, I focused on the battle of the Bulge ... just because I thought there was to much people interested in operation Overlord.

 

During my short military career, I had the opportunity to spend time in the french territories of the pacific, and it was the last discovery, PTO ... sold Army items and began collecting USMC and Navy.

 

This answers the question why US items ... but not to the question why, simply why ?? If you have the answer, call my wife, she's still wondering !!

[Jack's Son]

Tis is another fun thread that has kind of.....run down.

[AustYank]

Here you go Russ,

I havnt got a very large collection of US items.Ive got a few helmets and medals as well as some patches.

My reason for collecting US gear is of couse because my Grandfather was American,and having it sort of unites me with my heritage in some way.

But personal reasons aside,the United States Military Services had a big impact on Australia.

Although Australians dont like to admit it,the arrival of the "Yanks" played a big part in not only greatly helping us defeat the common enemy,but also shapeing our society and introducing us to a different style of life.The saying at the time was--- "Yanks,Overpaid,Oversexed and OverHere "

My hometown of Brisbane is still full of reminders of the Americans,from Quonsets still around the place to General MacArthurs Chambers where he based himself whilst running the Pacific Campaign.Only the other day i found an US Army button at a work site!

So collecting Australian militaria is akin to collecting US militaria because we share such a close relationship.

Mick

[Brig]

And on the other side, due to our alliances with Australia during WWII, the official song of the 1st MarDiv is none other than 'Waltzing Matilda'

[AustYank]

And on the other side, due to our alliances with Australia during WWII, the official song of the 1st MarDiv is none other than 'Waltzing Matilda'

 

I didnt know that,

Thats fantastic

[Brig]

Here's the video I wanted to post, had to re-find it. This man is Dutch, and made a song still remembering America from WWII. I have to give it to him, he's a classy guy, seems to play a traditional song from the countries he visits while he's there (America the Beautiful, Waltzing Matilda, Don't Cry For Me, Argentina)

 

[1940Desoto]

Alot of these statements ring true to me as to why I collect US Militaria.

 

Living in Australia and having a long line of servicemen in my family have brought with it many stories of the 'Yanks' during WW2. Much of Australia's WW2/Military history is interlinked with that of the US in the Pacific that it is hard not to be exposed in some way.

 

I began collecting 28 years ago, and focussed mainly on WW1 and 2 Aussie gear. I dabbled in USMC WW2 and Vietnam but it was just to hard to find in any great numbers and I was surrounded by collectors who focussed on Aussie and Brit. The market here in Australia reflected this also. I would grab any nice US piece that caught my eye. I collected items specific to Mounted Infantry, Cavalry, Light Horse and Armoured units raised here in South Australia from the 1840's thru 1950's. The collection grew until around 2004, prices began to sky rocket as the supply of any items dried up. I sold that collection (it took me 5 years).

 

I am aware of many collectors here in Aus who dabble in US gear, but very few focus only on it. USMC collectors are very rare...there is 3 of us that I know of.

 

I focus soley on WW2 USMC combat gear (I loved 'The sands of Iwo Jima' as a 4 year old and still do) and have never looked back. I still have the first EGA I ever bought. This forum is a godsend for me, as is the Internet as a whole. US dealers for the most part are outstanding and I have a list of those I conduct repeat business with.

 

My aim is to one day come to the States and go to the SOS !!

 

Cheers Brig and thankyou to all forum members.

 

Sean

[NorBn]

In 1997 I served in Sarajevo together with a few US Army soldiers from different units and in the camp was also a fire finder battery from the 34^th Infantry Division. A lot of them had Norwegian/ Nordic ancestors and of course they liked our unit patch with a Viking ship on, so I started to trade it for US patches. I managed to “liberate” a packet of our Telemark Bn patch from our supply officer and that was the beginning. As theater QRF we also had a unit from the 5-158^th Avn flying us around, so I got a few nice patches when we visited their camp at the Tuzla AB. I still have the “Mission Ready” patch I got from one of the pilots.

[Jack's Son]

Nice clip, Brig!

[Sabrejet]

That violinist is Andre Rieu...the world's current biggest-selling recording artist in the sub-classical genre!

[Jack's Son]

That violinist is Andre Rieu...the world's current biggest-selling recording artist in the sub-classical genre!

 

I'm big into SUB-anything!!

[124cav]

Im an Australian

 

Ive been collecting for 25 plus years

 

Mainly ww2,i used to collect just about anything,but since SPR came along i streamlined to US Horse and Mule related stuff from 39 to 1958

 

There was mule/horse units in Australia during ww2 and the 112th Cavalry was issued Australian Walers

 

I live in Melbourne with my misses and daugher

[grimnar]

Have been collecting for around 20 years. First started out on aussie and us kit from the vietnam war era, then became interested in the japanese army during ww2 which then led me to us military forces 'down under'. The collection has grown ever since. Mind you with such a long military connection in the family I still do collect a fair bit of aussie ww2 stuff that pertains to the war in the pacific.

 

I think the main reason i collect us militaria is because of the connection aussies have with the states, and the huge impact they had on us. It also helps having relatives who were there when the yanks came out. And living between two of the largest airforce bases that the Americans had anything to do with whilst they stayed in Victoria.

[stonewaller]

Shamelessly, I think hollywood and video games sparked my interest. Which then kick started reenacting, then collecting.

Due to those events I now spend silly amounts of time reading, researching, browsing and thinking about US militaria. Thanks to that, I also have a big interest in Americana, Jazz and the blues, and the united states from the 1920s-1950s.

[Johan Willaert]

That violinist is Andre Rieu...the world's current biggest-selling recording artist in the sub-classical genre!

 

His son is a keen WW2 vehicle collector...

[wolfman]

The reason I collect American militaria is simple my father started me into it and I never stopped. He was a retired army Major and had a huge sense of pride in America even though he wasnt born there and he left after his discarge. He even wore his bronze star as a pendant until he died I guess that kind of environment made me very interested in American military history and militaria.

[Patrick.s]

The reason why i collect Us militaria is because i got a patch of the 79th ID my uncle picked up at a flea market and gave it to me,when i was 12.That triggered my interest in the role the US played in WW2.It was the british however that liberated my hometown,actually the US troops never were in my area.Years later i once visited Margraten cemetary where i was taken by the site of all of those graves and i decided that the right thing to do was too adopt one of the graves wich belongs to a 79th Infanry soldier wich i visit a couple of times per year.So for me it is all about honouring the men and women who gave their all for my freedom(all allied countries).

 

As a sidenote the US had in my mind the best equipment that kicked the axis rump

[kristoffer]

Hello,

 

I am a collector from Sweden. I am 27 years old and have been collecting since I was 15. I focus on US items but have a few German items aswell.

 

What got me into collecting was my dad. He has always had an interest in history, he's never been collecting himself though.

He built a lot of military models and that's how I got interested in military history I think and when I got older I started reading every book on WWII I could find at home.

 

When I was about 10 years old Band of Brothers was released and then my interest really took off! After that I was only interested in the Airborne troops for a long time. I started to contact veterans asking them questions about their service and lives in general. That was huge for me, getting in contact with the veterans and that so many wrote back to me! They were happy to share their stories with me a, a 15/16 year old kid from Sweden.

 

When I was 15 my dad bought me a British patch and that was the first militaria item I ever got. The collection had begun. A few years later I found several websites from the US and started to buy online. Without the Internet I would never ever been able to collect like I do.

 

My interest have always been US items, there are so many different kind of items to collect.

 

I have come in contact with many nice people here on the USMF that has helped me with items over the years and for that I am thankful.

 

I don't have a specific focus, I buy what I enjoy. My hope is to create a small museum where I can sit and read and enjoy all the items. My wife and I recently bought a house and as soon as we move in I will get a room for my collection.

 

Regards Kristoffer