78CARg Posted February 22, 2014 Share #1 Posted February 22, 2014 I know compared to the historical uniforms posted on the forum, this is a relatively uneventful enlisted mans 4 pocket. However it is and always will be the most important piece in my collection. This jacket belonged to my grandfather Delbert Edmund Arterburn. It has been stored in grandmas cedar chest since way before I was born, and judging from the condition it, may have been in there since he took it off in 1945. The metal insignia was in a little blue box in a kitchen drawer, and just like the jacket that is where they were for as long as I can remember. I put the collar discs and ribbons back on according to what I have seen in the pictures of him in uniform. Delbert Edmund Arterburn was born on June 6th 1922 in Blue Hill, Nebraska. I don't know much about his life before he was drafted. He entered active service on October 12th 1942 at Ft Crook, Nebraska. He was trained as a Anti Aircraft Artillery crewmen at Camp Callan, La Jolla, California. After completing his training he shipped off for Attu with Battery G of the 78th Coast Artillery Regiment. Landing with the invasion force on May 11th 1943. It is my understanding that the weather conditions prohibited much of the aircraft during the battle. So most of the Anti Aircraft Artillery was used on enemy troops, shelling the high ground in support of US Infantry. I also located a commendation written for the 78th that said they acted as litter bearers removing dead and wounded GI's from the battlefield. Reading this gave me an understanding of why he never talked about that time in his life. After the battle concluded in June, the 78th remained on the island until it was broken up into battalions in February of 1944. Delbert was then transferred to the 591st AAA Bn. He shipped back to the states in December of 44. Serving 20 total months on Attu. On January 8th 1945 while still on active duty Delbert married my grandmother Lois Ann Einspahr. He ended up serving almost another full year in Texas. Before he was honorably discharged on October 12th 1945. I was told he was the driver for a colonel. After the war he moved to North Platte and worked in a warehouse eventually becoming foreman. He passed away at the age of 76 on January 2nd 1999. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
78CARg Posted February 22, 2014 Author Share #2 Posted February 22, 2014 This is the insignia that was in the little blue box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
78CARg Posted February 22, 2014 Author Share #3 Posted February 22, 2014 All the insignia is original. I just put the collar disc's and ribbon bars back on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
78CARg Posted February 22, 2014 Author Share #4 Posted February 22, 2014 ......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
78CARg Posted February 22, 2014 Author Share #5 Posted February 22, 2014 As you can see there were DUI's in the little blue box, but I did not put them on the jacket, cause I have no pictures of him wearing them. There are also no holes indicating they were ever on the jacket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
78CARg Posted February 22, 2014 Author Share #6 Posted February 22, 2014 A few more shot of him in uniform. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
78CARg Posted February 22, 2014 Author Share #7 Posted February 22, 2014 More..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
78CARg Posted February 22, 2014 Author Share #8 Posted February 22, 2014 The man on the right is his father, my great grandfather Harrison Edward Arterburn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
78CARg Posted February 22, 2014 Author Share #9 Posted February 22, 2014 ................ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dakota Posted February 22, 2014 Share #10 Posted February 22, 2014 Family Items are the best items there are in collecting no matter what. D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDogMilitaria Posted February 22, 2014 Share #11 Posted February 22, 2014 Great stuff, thanks for sharing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carbinephalen Posted February 23, 2014 Share #12 Posted February 23, 2014 Fantastic research into your gramps history! You're really preserving the memory of him and the rest of the 78th. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZPhil Posted February 23, 2014 Share #13 Posted February 23, 2014 That is great that you honor your GF this way.Awesome uniform and photos of it being worn. We need to keep their memories alive. Always Remember and Never Forget what these men sacrificed for us and our Great Nation! I would like to know when and who wore the leather belts with their Class A uniforms? Semper Fi Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katieony Posted February 23, 2014 Share #14 Posted February 23, 2014 Great to see that everything is still in the family! Thank you for posting! Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
78CARg Posted February 23, 2014 Author Share #15 Posted February 23, 2014 Thank you everyone for the kind words! I truly am grateful to the members of this forum and ww2f.com. Without your help I never would have learned all I have about grandpa. Also it seems grandpa kept everything from his Army days. So I will be posting more of his items as I get them photographed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingTigers03 Posted June 11, 2017 Share #16 Posted June 11, 2017 Wow. That is cool. I wish my grandfather kept all of his uniforms and such. Interestingly, I have a few Einspahr's in my family as well, and they (as well as I) are all from Nebraska. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakleaf777 Posted June 15, 2017 Share #17 Posted June 15, 2017 Incredibly well preserved uniform and insignia. The uniform, the period photographs, and the personal history make for an incredible, tangible piece of history, a history which is slipping farther and farther into the distant past with each passing day...Thanks so much for sharing your grandfather's fascinating service history and his uniform his family has kept so well preserved for so many years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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