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Odd 17th airborne ike


jdamaso111
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Bought this awhile ago and forgot to post about it. It has pin back captains bars, clutch back us and cavalry insignia and 3 overseas bars that are badly tarnished. The patch is hand sewn through the first layer of fabric. No date and only has the name KEER written in it and a tailor tag in the inside pocket. Jacket is lined in silk.

 

 

 

 

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First off it 's very nice, is not a Ike though appears to be a B-13 which was a AAF flight jacket but often worn as a Ike. Nice item..

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Looks like an enlisted B-14 flight jacket. Are slash pockets corduroy lined?

 

They are and show signs of heavy sweat stains.

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Thanks for the comments guys, does anyone know if there was cavalry or recon units in the 17th? I have no idea where to even begin looking for rosters.

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Thanks for the comments guys, does anyone know if there was cavalry or recon units in the 17th? I have no idea where to even begin looking for rosters.

Unlike the Infantry and Armored Divisions of WWII, Airborne Divisions of the same period did not have a Reconnaissance element like the Reconnaissance Troop (Mecz) and Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron. However in the Abn Div they did have a Reconnaissance Platoon in Headquarters Special Troops assigned 1 March 1945, not sure if this was purly an Infantry Recon I&R type unit or if it was a Mechanized type seen in an Infantry Division, those units we know had a Cavalry affilation.

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One of the things that should be noted on army officers is that they all take a branch assignment such as infantry, artillery, or armor, but that particular branch does not disqualify them from serving in other units. It was not uncommon for infantry officers to command MP units for example. The army was still cranking out cavalry officers at the cavalry school at Ft. Riley in WWII. As there were no horse cavalry units, these officers found themselves in a number of unusual slots. As they were trained as combat leaders, it didn't really matter that their insignia had crossed swords rather than crossed rifles. I would say that this uniform is entirely plausible as it sits. Had this been a faked uniform, I would think that the faker would have made it conform so as to not raise any red flags. Additionally, jackets like the B-13 have a good amount of value in and of themselves, so it would have made much greater sense for a faker to have used a plain Ike jacket when putting this jacket together.

 

Nice piece!

Allan

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  • 4 months later...

So I had my own dress uniform set aside to go get dry cleaned. This uniform was hanging up with it and my fiancée took them both thinking I wanted this one done as well. They removed all the insignia and ribbons off my ASUs as well as ALL the insignia including the patch off this jacket. I was able to call and halt the dry cleaning process on this so aside from the patch being removed it is as is. What would be the best way to go about getting the patch back on this in everyone opinions?

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Sew by hand with thread from a WWII sewing kit.

 

BTW there is a 17th ABN book floating around out there with a complete roster in the back...Keer is not a terribly common name, you might have some luck.

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Sew by hand with thread from a WWII sewing kit.

 

BTW there is a 17th ABN book floating around out there with a complete roster in the back...Keer is not a terribly common name, you might have some luck.

 

I will have to find a kit then. Awesome! would you happen to know the books title?

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So I had my own dress uniform set aside to go get dry cleaned. This uniform was hanging up with it and my fiancée took them both thinking I wanted this one done as well. They removed all the insignia and ribbons off my ASUs as well as ALL the insignia including the patch off this jacket. I was able to call and halt the dry cleaning process on this so aside from the patch being removed it is as is. What would be the best way to go about getting the patch back on this in everyone opinions?

 

Why and the hell would the dry cleaner take off a patch when they were not instructed to?

 

when I was first collecting I would have things dry cleaned here locally and not onece did they take off the patch or even consider it.

 

On another note didnt the CIC (Counter Intelligence people)often wear Calvary insignias?

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Why and the hell would the dry cleaner take off a patch when they were not instructed to?

 

when I was first collecting I would have things dry cleaned here locally and not onece did they take off the patch or even consider it.

 

On another note didnt the CIC (Counter Intelligence people)often wear Calvary insignias?

 

My best guess is when my fiancée was taking the stuff off my uniform there they assumed they needed to take the stuff off the other one too. They comped me the dry cleaning tho. (fiancée feels horrible as well). Ill get it back on the jacket eventually. I didn't know there was CIC in ww2 ill have to look into it doyler.

 

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I read a little on the CIC/Counter Intelligence Corps in WW2.Not sure if it was a unit a Battalion level or Divisional level.There might be some info here on the forum as well.

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I read a little on the CIC/Counter Intelligence Corps in WW2.Not sure if it was a unit a Battalion level or Divisional level.There might be some info here on the forum as well.

 

Gotcha. I just don't get why there are no signs of any other insignia being worn on the jacket. I can see that the patch has been there for some time. Same with the cav/us/rank insignia.

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In the unit history there is an Alexander W Keer listed as with the 507th.No ranks are listed.Not sure how complete the roster is.

 

In the list of attached units it mentions a Recon Platoon and a listing for "Special Troops" which could be a cover for anything.

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In the unit history there is an Alexander W Keer listed as with the 507th.No ranks are listed.Not sure how complete the roster is.

 

In the list of attached units it mentions a Recon Platoon and a listing for "Special Troops" which could be a cover for anything.

 

Thank you for the info, ill see if I can find out some info on the man you found in the roster.

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