Jump to content

Grandfathers Ike Jacket


Tony641
 Share

Recommended Posts

Ok a while back I posted a topic with a flag my grandfather brought back from Korea.I mentioned how I was trying to find some information about his time in the military. My grandmother is not really willing to give us anything she has of his. She told us (my father and I) that she has his Ike jacket someplace but she is not sure where. She also has a picture of him but in the picture he is with his girlfriend who is from Japan. He joined the military when he was 18, before he started dating my grandmother. She has the picture but will not let us see it. Also with the picture is a letter that his girlfriend sent him not long after he came back to the States. The letter is written Japanese so they never knew what it said. I told my father he needs to work at getting this letter, he could have a brother back in Japan. So back to this Ike Jacket. My grandmother is basically a hoarder. She is a very neat organized hoarder but keeps everything. She gave my sister about 30-40 plastic garbage cans and large storage bins full of stuff. She told my sister that the contents were old linen, magazines, clothing, table cloths, etc. She kept everything, if she subscribed to a magazine she kept them all, nicely organized in a container, and we had them all. So anyways my grandmother made room for more things at her house so called and wanted her things delivered. I'm the only one in the family with a truck so i am lucky enough to be invited to all moving details. This day we are moving container and garbage can one after another down 3 flights of stairs. One container about 3/4 the way threw has something split on the lid. We know grandmother will freak if she sees this. I took off the lid and gave it to my niece to clean. While wait for her to finish the curiosity got the better of me so I start rummaging threw the garbage can. I find my fathers old boyscout uniform and my grandfathers Ike Jacket, patches, ribbons and collar brass. I felt this was meant to be, of all the cans and containers this was the only dirty one. I know I rambled on but if anyone would appreciate the story I knew you all would. I attached photos so if anyone could help me figure out what all he might have done or what unit he belonged to I would really appreciate it. mww361.jpgnysnzl.jpgzvbwq0.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rifleman_D

Right sleeve looks like 7th I.D. and the close up of the button looks like signal corps. Someone who knows more will have better help. Great jacket by the way!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rifleman_D

Ok did some quick searching ribbons: National Defense Ribbon, WWII Army of Occupation Ribbon, United Nations Ribbon with 3 battle stars, United Nations (UN) Korean ,Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation. Right arm patch seems to be 31st Chemical Brigade Patch

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cobrahistorian

Right arm patch is the 31st Infantry Division. VERY nice that you were able to recover this!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I sure hope this really was saved and isn't going to be stuffed back into a (storage) garbage can. That was a great story and I agree, it was meant to be. Something tells me your grandfather doesn't want his uniform hidden away. :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Jackets (there were 2 but only one had all the patches), pants and shirt all found themselves a safe place in my house. Now I just need to figure out how to convince her to give me the pictures and letter so I can display them all together, with the flag he brought back. Thanks again everyone for the help.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

MattOravik

There is nothing better than being able to get your own family's military heirlooms, especially uniforms. When I started collecting I had none of my grandfathers WWII uniforms and they were thought to have been discarded years ago. But they turned up and I now have both and it was the best feeling getting them.

 

-Matt.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is nothing better than being able to get your own family's military heirlooms, especially uniforms. When I started collecting I had none of my grandfathers WWII uniforms and they were thought to have been discarded years ago. But they turned up and I now have both and it was the best feeling getting them.

 

-Matt.

I know what you are saying. With in the last year I started collecting and really just pick up things that caught my eye. However the flag that my grandfather brought back along with his uniform and hopefully someday his pictures can not be topped.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

After looking up some of these things that have been posted it looks like my grandfather was in the 7th ID (right patch), 31st Chemical Brigade (left patch). Does anyone know what this means? Any idea what he would have done. I never heard him talk about anything and my father heard very few things.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No, he was in the 7th Infantry Division first and transferred later to the 31st Infantry Division.

He was a Signal Corpsman.

 

Erwin

 

When the Korean War broke out in 1950, small units and individual leaders were sent to Korea as replacements from the activated 31st Infantry Division ("Dixie"). No units were deployed, but individuals representing three-fourths of the authorized strength were sent to either Korea or Japan. The 31st Infantry Division was transferred to Fort Carson, Colorado in February 1954 from Camp Atterbury. The 31st Division as an active service formation was then reflagged as the 8th Infantry Division on 15 June 1954.

 

The 31st Infantry (NGUS) Division was effectively reformed with units from Alabama and Mississippi. It served as a National Guard division until its inactivation on January 14, 1968. Alabama Army National Guard units subsequently became a part of the 30th Armored Division (“Volunteers”).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

airborne1968
No, he was in the 7th Infantry Division first and transferred later to the 31st Infantry Division.

He was a Signal Corpsman.

 

Erwin

What patches are on the left sleeve cuff? I assume none since you didn't photograph any of them or ask about them.

Since members of the 31st filled other units (with your GP going to the 7th ID) I assume he returned to the 31st NG Div. after the war. There should be a straight bar or two and an angled hash (aka slash) under it on the cuff. If not, than maybe he did not go to Korea. The only way to confirm his service accomplishments is to request his military records for the govt. You can go online for the forms and you should get an answer in about 6 mo to a year. The records will tell you all the awards and service time he has.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What patches are on the left sleeve cuff? I assume none since you didn't photograph any of them or ask about them.

Since members of the 31st filled other units (with your GP going to the 7th ID) I assume he returned to the 31st NG Div. after the war. There should be a straight bar or two and an angled hash (aka slash) under it on the cuff. If not, than maybe he did not go to Korea. The only way to confirm his service accomplishments is to request his military records for the govt. You can go online for the forms and you should get an answer in about 6 mo to a year. The records will tell you all the awards and service time he has.

 

This is on the sleeve.

2cwtyk3.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Christopher

I have my wifes grandfather uniform from Korea who was there from the end of 1951 - 1953 and he does not have anything on his sleeves at all. Sometimes they just never put them on. If you contact veterans services in the county or town in which your grandfather lived, they would have all the records of his service and maybe more. I've had some success with this inthe past.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Christopher

You are very lucky to have found such a wonderful gift. WW2/Korean war vets are to be charished and honored. please.PLEASE....do not ever get rid of your grandfathers stuff. YOU WILL REGRET IT.

 

My grandmother threw out and sold lots of our family heirlooms to dealers many years ago and were never seen again. Very sad.

Keep all his stuff together and charish it..........well done!

Christopher

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thats a Fantastic Piece of Family Military History you have got there belonging to your Grand Father.

 

Great to see that you have Saved this valuable piece of History !

Its in a good home now where it is save and glad you saved it from being Destroyed forever Well Done !!! :thumbsup: Nice looking Ike Jacket.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks everyone for the help and comments. No chance that it will ever be sold. It's here to stay.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...