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Pre-WW2 and WW2 45th Division Doctor Grouping


nuts121944
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Hi all,

 

I am relatively new to the forum but have been collecting for about 10 years now. I wanted to share one of my recent estate sale finds that I was able to pick up this weekend. All of the items here are items that belonged to Col. Walter H. Miles of Oklahoma City, OK. He graduated medical school for the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine in 1918 and went on to join the Oklahoma National Guard in 1923. He served there until they were called up to active duty as part of the U.S. 45th Infantry Division. He went overseas with the 45th Division to North Africa and remained with them throughout Italy. In 1943, He was reassigned to oversea various aspects of medical administration in Italy and Austria, and was eventually appointed head of the Military Government Public Health Section of the United States Allied Commission for Austria (USACA) where he was in charge of writing the Public Health Policy Directives for the nation of Austria. He eventually attained the rank of Colonel in 1946 and returned home to the states that same year. He died of a heart attack in Oklahoma City on August 31st, 1954. A true American hero and a military life-lived that spans a gap of time from which we rarely see intact groupings. I am excited to add these items to my collection and to share them with you all! Enjoy, and please feel free to comment!

 

Best Regards,

Nick

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More photos from the grouping including Col. Miles' Pre-WW2 Oklahoma National Guard Service Hat with insignia for the 120th Medical Battalion and an original photo of the University of Oklahoma School of Medicine graduating class of 1918 (Col. Miles is in the upper left-hand corner of the photo). The booklet in the photo grouping of Colonel Miles is the booklet of the Oklahoma Medical Association printed in 1952 and details Col. Miles' medical career, including his time in World War 2. I was also able to purchase his desk set and all of the items in the display case (sorry I couldn't get the photo to orient in the right direction).

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Some more photos including Col. (the Lt. Col.) Miles' U.S. Government ID card, issued December 23rd 1944 and the medical armband that he wore through the entire war. On the back of the armband, Col. Miles wrote "This is the arm brassard that I wore through the entire war 1941-1946" complete with his signature. All of the photos are signed "Somewhere in Italy" on the back with dates ranging from 1943-1944. I believe the uniform he is wearing in the photo of the "Pinks and Greens" is the uniform that I was also able to purchase at the sale. The pre-WW2 photo is dated 1939 and was taken at Camp Bolend (or Camp "Boland" -- I couldn't find any information on this camp.)

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Jamecharles

Hello Nick,

glad to see your Amazing find

In 1936 the Army tried to change the blue dress uniforms and convert in a most seample version wearable in all occasions with the easy change of few details (tuxedo shirt with bowtie for special events and civilian shirt with tie for formal occasions - not only this but basically the dress was the same for all occasions) this idea was perfect to ensure a serious savings for all officers who wanted a blue dress for formal occasion, BUT after less than 1 year the army changed mind about and back to the classic set of blue dress .
Instead only 1 formal dress wearable in all occasions they were back in the same year (1936) for blue dress, mess dress and special evening each one for a different occasion.

It's the canonic blue dress uniform introduced in 1937 and that regularized completelly in 1938, than was officially not mandatory since 1941 until the end of the war.
But that don't means that was not used in the USA also during war period, there are many photos and example of blue dresses made during war period until the end of the war.
Probably this dress was used until 1953 when officially they decided to swap for the most known blue dress uniform, with patch pocket on the chest ( same identical version of the actual model used by the army), color of the army were clearly positioned on the hat band, shoulder boards and trousers (main color on the larger band and secondary color as piping, in this case Maroon and White: the colors of the medical branch of the army) and on the sleeve only the main color).

​Ranks are double sewn on each shoulder board ONLY for all officers except the Generals, who has the rank sewn only once.

This visor have the oak leafs (aka scrabbled eggs) on the bill as for reg. used by all officers up to major to colonel,as Dave said he probably used it until 1953 than he decided to change for the new blue dress version but in my mind he never get time to asking for the new one due to his Death.
​Consider also that this version (1937) was used by many officer ALSO after 1953 changing only few details to be more similar to the new version standardized in that period.

Don't forget to use black shoes, White shirt and black tie for this set! (PS: I own a medic officer set with a maroon tie and bow tie for mess dress that is obviously out of reg.s, but is not so rare see strange habit in wearing those special dress during and pre ww2.

I would say overall perfect example of blue dress uniform.

if you have any other question feel free to ask, and thanks for sharing this beauty!

Giancarlo

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