neil peart Posted June 15, 2017 Share #1 Posted June 15, 2017 These uniforms belonged to Lt John Neiler, S-2 Officer of the 517th Parachute Regimental Combat Team. I believe that the M-42s were what he used in the US during training, the four pocket was worn in Toccoa, Ga, the Ike was worn in France when the team was preparing for activities after the Battle of the Bulge. He was promoted to captain while wearing this. The general uniform is what he wore when he retired. I also have his lensatic compass and pouch, the escape compass, canteen, fork, and bedroll. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VenitHora Posted June 15, 2017 Share #2 Posted June 15, 2017 Amazing group! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bearmon Posted June 15, 2017 Share #3 Posted June 15, 2017 Did you acquire from the family? Estate sale? the group is really super! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil peart Posted June 15, 2017 Author Share #4 Posted June 15, 2017 Yes, I got these from his family. I found the other 517th items and added them in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil peart Posted June 15, 2017 Author Share #5 Posted June 15, 2017 The patch was not his. He probably got the 82nd patch when he was reassigned to the 505th after the war. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil peart Posted June 15, 2017 Author Share #6 Posted June 15, 2017 Unusual item. Lt. Dick Spencer of the 517th designed the patch and made stamps for the soldiers of the 517th that could be stamped on V-Mail for Christmas 1944. He made one specifically for the S-2 officers. Somehow Mr. Neiler ended up with the stamp. Here is the stamp and where I stamped it onto V-Mail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carbinephalen Posted June 18, 2017 Share #7 Posted June 18, 2017 This is an incredible find! Right up there on my "favorite groups I've ever seen" list! Being an O in the A-2 shop myself this one is D*MN hard to beat! ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
551PIB Posted June 20, 2017 Share #8 Posted June 20, 2017 Capt John Henry Neiler. Silver Star and Bronze Star . Combat jump South of France . Serial 7 Chalk 1 C47 43-15159 . Passed away on Sept 16, 2012. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junior45 Posted June 20, 2017 Share #9 Posted June 20, 2017 Lovely set, congratulation on the find!! I must admit, it is one of he most complete sets I have seen here, thank you very much for sharing Kind regards JEB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil peart Posted June 20, 2017 Author Share #10 Posted June 20, 2017 Capt John Henry Neiler. Silver Star and Bronze Star . Combat jump South of France . Serial 7 Chalk 1 C47 43-15159 . Passed away on Sept 16, 2012. Hello 551PIB, just wondering where you found the information about his flight. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
551PIB Posted June 22, 2017 Share #11 Posted June 22, 2017 Hello 551PIB, just wondering where you found the information about his flight. Thanks Will have a look on my book about the Pathfinder . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
551PIB Posted June 23, 2017 Share #12 Posted June 23, 2017 I don't have any official paper about the Sout of France Jump ... Just to let you know I mixe all I found with books, website, Vet contact or any kind of info. Sometimes it's just one or two name Inside a stick ... For this case I read that Lt Neil was in Lt Col Melvin Zais's stick ... and in the book "Into the Valley" page 216, I found the C47 Crew who was in charge with Lt Col Zais ... and the famous plane "Argonia" . Will try to find more info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil peart Posted June 23, 2017 Author Share #13 Posted June 23, 2017 I don't have any official paper about the Sout of France Jump ... Just to let you know I mixe all I found with books, website, Vet contact or any kind of info. Sometimes it's just one or two name Inside a stick ... For this case I read that Lt Neil was in Lt Col Melvin Zais's stick ... and in the book "Into the Valley" page 216, I found the C47 Crew who was in charge with Lt Col Zais ... and the famous plane "Argonia" . Will try to find more info. Wow, thanks. I listened to an interview of Tom McAvoy on YouTube about the jump and he mentioned that Zais and Neiler were in the same plane. Anything helps. I am giving all of this information to his wife. Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katieony Posted June 23, 2017 Share #14 Posted June 23, 2017 Wow, incredible group! Thanks for posting! Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
551PIB Posted June 23, 2017 Share #15 Posted June 23, 2017 Wow, thanks. I listened to an interview of Tom McAvoy on YouTube about the jump and he mentioned that Zais and Neiler were in the same plane. Anything helps. I am giving all of this information to his wife. Thanks again. I like this king of team work ;-))) Just to let you know more this is the C47 Crew Capt Norman C La Forest Cop 2Lt Vincent J Paterno Nav T/Sgt Charles E Patterson Crew S/Sgt John A Dougherty Rad + one reporter Ronald M Stead . Also in the same stick Lt Fred Zavattero 596AEC Capt Joseph McGeever Lt Howard Hensleigh Lt Ludlow Gibbons Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
empireguns Posted June 23, 2017 Share #16 Posted June 23, 2017 a post war roster put together in 2004 lists him as a gen. G, 3rd HQ living in Oak ridge Tn. great find and glad it mostly kept together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil peart Posted June 23, 2017 Author Share #17 Posted June 23, 2017 a post war roster put together in 2004 lists him as a gen. G, 3rd HQ living in Oak ridge Tn. great find and glad it mostly kept together. Yes, that's him. I am trying to get as much information about him as I can to let his wife know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil peart Posted June 23, 2017 Author Share #18 Posted June 23, 2017 Here are pictures of Lt. Neiler in Taccoa, GA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil peart Posted June 23, 2017 Author Share #19 Posted June 23, 2017 Here is Lt. Neiler in Piera Cava, France near the end of Operation Dragoon. Beside him is Lt. Richard Spencer who designed the 517th's Battling Buzzard patch. He also made the "Merry Christmas" stamp sown above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil peart Posted June 23, 2017 Author Share #20 Posted June 23, 2017 Here he is in Soissons, France where the 517th was stationed just prior to the Battle of the Bulge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1944 Posted June 23, 2017 Share #21 Posted June 23, 2017 Outstanding 517th A/B Grouping you got there Very Nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil peart Posted June 23, 2017 Author Share #22 Posted June 23, 2017 Here is the 517th Parachute Regimental Combat Intelligence Section at their headquarters in Joigny, France sometime in the late spring through summer of 1945. Lt. Neiler is at the bottom left. This house was recently used in a short French film and looks pretty much the same. The current owner had no idea that it was used as an American HQ. They do think it was used by the Germans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil peart Posted June 23, 2017 Author Share #23 Posted June 23, 2017 Neiler was promoted to Captain just days after the team left France on their way back to the US. This was probably taken aboard the Madawaska Victory ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carbinephalen Posted June 24, 2017 Share #24 Posted June 24, 2017 Here is a great detailed shot of him on a "Victory Train". Taken December 2, 1945. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carbinephalen Posted June 24, 2017 Share #25 Posted June 24, 2017 http://library.uta.edu/digitalgallery/files/original/89b62dfa98a8877dcd6ea5258c0806bd.jpg Link for the full pic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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