KASTAUFFER Posted July 5, 2007 Share #1 Posted July 5, 2007 This is may look like a ratty WWII US Army field jacket to most people , but to me it is priceless . It is a very worn and torn M-41 field jacket worn by 2nd Lt John W. Bryant of the 445th Bomb Group , 8th AAF as a POW in Stalag Luft III . He was the Bombardier of a B-24 shot down on 4/22/44 . The plane crashed in Belgium. There is a website dedicated to the plane and its crew that does an excellent job of telling the story : http://www.freewebs.com/b24liberator/index.htm After evading capture for a while 2nd Lt Byant was sent to Stalag Luft III in Sagan Germany. This jacket came with an extensive pile of paperwork, POW mail , and ephemera from his estate sale and was sold on Ebay. There is a tag written in his own very shakey hand stating this was the jacket he wore as a POW in Stalag Luft III . Here are a few shots of some of the items in the group including the jacket. John is the 1st man on the left in the back row. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CNY Militaria Posted July 5, 2007 Share #2 Posted July 5, 2007 Wow! Now that is a RARE piece! I wonder why he kept it after returning to the States? He muct have been very attached to his POW belongings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted July 6, 2007 Author Share #3 Posted July 6, 2007 Wow! Now that is a RARE piece! I wonder why he kept it after returning to the States? He muct have been very attached to his POW belongings. That was very common with returning POW's to keep their stuff. It was as valuable as gold to them in the camp and after they were liberated, could not bear to part with it. This is the first jacket like this I have seen that a POW kept however. After going through the website I posted above , I found a pic of Bryant holding the jacket I now own with the caption " John W. Bryant - His original jacket when captured " . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blademan Posted July 6, 2007 Share #4 Posted July 6, 2007 Very nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Baker Posted July 6, 2007 Share #5 Posted July 6, 2007 Kurt, That is a super grouping. Reading that letter to his family is really touching. It would be hard not to know what was going on. Congrats on a very nice piece of history. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobgee Posted July 6, 2007 Share #6 Posted July 6, 2007 Kurt, That is a super grouping. Reading that letter to his family is really touching. It would be hard not to know what was going on. Congrats on a very nice piece of history. Hi Kurt Glad you got some of his stuff. Apparently there were a number of buyers at the estate sale and his stuff got scattered. Some items sold at the Ft. Worth Militaria show a couple weeks ago. His Lager I.D. tag was sold separtely for $35.00. I met him about 30 years ago at a gun show in Dallas. He was quite an interesting and funny guy. We did some trading and I ended up with a Nazi Political Leader's uniform which he got after he was liberated. He told me he wanted to see some of Germany and so he hooked up with the armored unit that liberated Luft III and spent about 30 days with them (the fighting was still going on!). He told me that one of the stunts the GIs pulled was to dress him up in the Nazi uniform and tell some frauleins that they were going to execute him unless they got a little 'friendly'. He just cowered in a corner remaining silent. Apparently it worked! But for you the 'piece de resistance' is attached. He sent me a copy of his Kriegie card. I am not aware if the original was sold at the sale. Unfortunately the copying technology back then was not very good. I copied this at 600 dpi and it's the best I could do. Enjoy!!! Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobgee Posted July 6, 2007 Share #7 Posted July 6, 2007 Hi KurtGlad you got some of his stuff. Apparently there were a number of buyers at the estate sale and his stuff got scattered. Some items sold at the Ft. Worth Militaria show a couple weeks ago. His Lager I.D. tag was sold separtely for $35.00. I met him about 30 years ago at a gun show in Dallas. He was quite an interesting and funny guy. We did some trading and I ended up with a Nazi Political Leader's uniform which he got after he was liberated. He told me he wanted to see some of Germany and so he hooked up with the armored unit that liberated Luft III and spent about 30 days with them (the fighting was still going on!). He told me that one of the stunts the GIs pulled was to dress him up in the Nazi uniform and tell some frauleins that they were going to execute him unless they got a little 'friendly'. He just cowered in a corner remaining silent. Apparently it worked! But for you the 'piece de resistance' is attached. He sent me a copy of his Kriegie card. I am not aware if the original was sold at the sale. Unfortunately the copying technology back then was not very good. I copied this at 600 dpi and it's the best I could do. Enjoy!!! Bob Kurt....Having trouble with the size. Will keep trying. Hmmmm...Looks like he's wearing an M-41 in his camp picture! Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobgee Posted July 6, 2007 Share #8 Posted July 6, 2007 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted July 6, 2007 Author Share #9 Posted July 6, 2007 Thanks Bob! It shows you how small of a world this is . Sounds like he was one heck of a guy . I know of one other person who has some of his material and am trying to get it now. It would be nice to know who got his Stalag ID tag. $35 was a steal. I appreciate the shot of his Stalag Barracks ID card. You are right, that sure looks like an M-41 he is wearing Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ADMIN Posted July 6, 2007 Share #10 Posted July 6, 2007 That is a fascinating piece, Kurt! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted July 13, 2007 Author Share #11 Posted July 13, 2007 That is a fascinating piece, Kurt! Thanks! I am working on some more of his stuff. If I get it, I will post it. Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CNY Militaria Posted July 13, 2007 Share #12 Posted July 13, 2007 Please do,I hope you can keep as much of his items together as possible! Justin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricardo Posted July 13, 2007 Share #13 Posted July 13, 2007 Hi Kurt, NICE Group and SUPER jacket!!! Best regards, Ricardo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted October 1, 2007 Author Share #14 Posted October 1, 2007 Hi KurtGlad you got some of his stuff. Apparently there were a number of buyers at the estate sale and his stuff got scattered. Some items sold at the Ft. Worth Militaria show a couple weeks ago. His Lager I.D. tag was sold separtely for $35.00. I met him about 30 years ago at a gun show in Dallas. He was quite an interesting and funny guy. We did some trading and I ended up with a Nazi Political Leader's uniform which he got after he was liberated. He told me he wanted to see some of Germany and so he hooked up with the armored unit that liberated Luft III and spent about 30 days with them (the fighting was still going on!). He told me that one of the stunts the GIs pulled was to dress him up in the Nazi uniform and tell some frauleins that they were going to execute him unless they got a little 'friendly'. He just cowered in a corner remaining silent. Apparently it worked! But for you the 'piece de resistance' is attached. He sent me a copy of his Kriegie card. I am not aware if the original was sold at the sale. Unfortunately the copying technology back then was not very good. I copied this at 600 dpi and it's the best I could do. Enjoy!!! Bob I was able to track down his POW ID tag from Stalag Luft III and buy it! Thanks for the tip Bob Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted January 7, 2008 Author Share #15 Posted January 7, 2008 Here is the POW tag he wore in Stalag Luft 3. The number on it matches his POW ID # on his mail and the card. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brig Posted January 7, 2008 Share #16 Posted January 7, 2008 this is a fantastic grouping! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pmshindy Posted January 8, 2008 Share #17 Posted January 8, 2008 thanks Kurt for showing this fantastic piece of History. You do such great work keeping these stories alive. pmshindy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted June 24, 2009 Author Share #18 Posted June 24, 2009 Here is an interesting thread about Bryant's crew. http://forum.armyairforces.com/tm.aspx?m=1...;mpage=1#127325 Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vicjoy1945 Posted June 24, 2009 Share #19 Posted June 24, 2009 Hey Kurt !! Nice grouping !! As you know, I have a grouping to a WWII Pacific POW who was captured at Bataan, survived the Death March, and ultimately survived the war. He was a career soldier. In the grouping are a pair of skivvies that I believe he wore in the camp as they have his POW number inked onto them !! I also have some of his items that he used in the camp along with his POW tag as well. They all camp in a laundry bag...I think its safe to say these guys kept this stuff !! Again !! Really nice grouping !! Vic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobgee Posted June 24, 2009 Share #20 Posted June 24, 2009 Kurt - Nice to Jack Bryant pop up again. Below is a a little better digitized copy of his Lager Card with technolgy I didn't have 2 years ago. Enjoy! Will I see you at OMSA in Grand Rapids in August? Best ----Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kammo-man Posted June 25, 2009 Share #21 Posted June 25, 2009 This is one of the best things I have seen on this forum to date . What a great rounded piece of history . Thanks for sharing with us . owen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Boghots Posted June 25, 2009 Share #22 Posted June 25, 2009 Congratulations, Kurt and thanks for posting the group ! You've always been way smarter than the average bear, and diligent !! - Great work chasing all of this down. Best regards, Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted July 1, 2009 Author Share #23 Posted July 1, 2009 Kurt - Nice to Jack Bryant pop up again. Below is a a little better digitized copy of his Lager Card with technolgy I didn't have 2 years ago. Enjoy! Will I see you at OMSA in Grand Rapids in August? Best ----Bob Thanks for the new and improved scan Bob! I wish I could make it to OMSA this year! Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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