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AEF Service Coat, 369th Inf. Rgmt. (Harlem Hellfighters)


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For those of you who helped in this thread about uniform restoring, thanks! http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...?showtopic=9471

 

This uniform belonged to 1st LT Arnston, who is on the books for serving in the 369th... the Harlem Hellfighters. Not much is known about him other than that. Any help would be appreciated!

 

The CdeG isn't his, but it's about the right condition/aging for the uniform and looks great on display (though I feel bad for the ribbon!) Ouch!

 

enjoy!

 

Dave

369th1.jpg

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Dave,

 

Very nice!

 

I don't know why you felt it needed restoring though, it looks great to me!

 

Chris

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  • 14 years later...

Hello! I know this thread is a bit old but figured I would show this tunic that I recently bought.

 

Patch looks almost identical to the one Dave posted except that it looks to be cut from a larger piece of cloth. The stitching does not pierce the inner lining and is overall in near mint condition. 
 

The seller purchased this from the veterans daughter in the 1960s when he was visiting Illinois. Unfortunately he wasn’t able to purchase anything else from the daughter (it came with matching trousers too) and had forgotten the name of the veteran. To my surprise I was able to find a inked name deep inside the interior pocket below the tailors label. To me it looks like “O.A. Arnton” but I’m not completely sure. 
 

I would absolutely love to piece back together information on this officer and purchase some appropriate insignia (non damaging of course) so any help would be greatly appreciate as to where I should start. I have researched some veterans in the past but for some reason I cannot find anything relating to the 369th.

F2384AD9-8CBA-4834-B3A9-EC3ADE278FEF.jpeg

19F35BB4-49D3-40DF-B391-72B3888870D1.jpeg

E09BD5C2-4E7F-4B13-B4C9-DE31E1ABC2A3.jpeg

F13E8033-8ECC-4A46-8BAE-CB37F58A4468.jpeg

A0A4BADD-D800-411F-B200-E85D08172599.jpeg

2E399ED3-82F5-4D3E-B8A0-9BDACC3B1285.jpeg

2771F523-BA3C-4F92-A828-1A2D23230746.jpeg

0C86D2BD-A696-423B-B12C-0D63D1701368.jpeg

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23 hours ago, UnteroffizierFSAR9 said:

Hello! I know this thread is a bit old but figured I would show this tunic that I recently bought.

 

Patch looks almost identical to the one Dave posted except that it looks to be cut from a larger piece of cloth. The stitching does not pierce the inner lining and is overall in near mint condition. 
 

The seller purchased this from the veterans daughter in the 1960s when he was visiting Illinois. Unfortunately he wasn’t able to purchase anything else from the daughter (it came with matching trousers too) and had forgotten the name of the veteran. To my surprise I was able to find a inked name deep inside the interior pocket below the tailors label. To me it looks like “O.A. Arnton” but I’m not completely sure. 
 

I would absolutely love to piece back together information on this officer and purchase some appropriate insignia (non damaging of course) so any help would be greatly appreciate as to where I should start. I have researched some veterans in the past but for some reason I cannot find anything relating to the 369th.

F2384AD9-8CBA-4834-B3A9-EC3ADE278FEF.jpeg

19F35BB4-49D3-40DF-B391-72B3888870D1.jpeg

E09BD5C2-4E7F-4B13-B4C9-DE31E1ABC2A3.jpeg

F13E8033-8ECC-4A46-8BAE-CB37F58A4468.jpeg

A0A4BADD-D800-411F-B200-E85D08172599.jpeg

2E399ED3-82F5-4D3E-B8A0-9BDACC3B1285.jpeg

2771F523-BA3C-4F92-A828-1A2D23230746.jpeg

 

Watched that one and was amazed how high it went - but now knowing it's named all I can say is CONGRATS on a FANTASTIC buy. 

 

Your officer is the same as Dave's. 1st Lt Otto A Arnston, from Chicago Illinois.  Commanding, Company F 369th Infantry.   Interesting to see that both of his coats are out there in the collecting world!  

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2 minutes ago, AustinO said:

Watched that one and was amazed how high it went - but now knowing it's named all I can say is CONGRATS on a FANTASTIC buy. 

 

Your officer is the same as Dave's. 1st Lt Otto A Arnston, from Chicago Illinois.  Commanding, Company F 369th Infantry.   Interesting to see that both of his coats are out there in the collecting world!  

Yep to my silliness it took me way to long to realize they are the same person! Crazy to think how both uniforms parted ways from the same person and ended up in collectors hands. Definitely worth the money though! 

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33 minutes ago, UnteroffizierFSAR9 said:

Yep to my silliness it took me way to long to realize they are the same person! Crazy to think how both uniforms parted ways from the same person and ended up in collectors hands. Definitely worth the money though! 

 

I'm sure @Davesold his uniform years ago - but he might remember some of the research he had on Arnston. 

 

I can tell he did receive the CdG and divisional citation, but that's about it.  Since your uniform has loops for two French-style suspended medals, I'm curious what the other might have been! 

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I noticed he also served on the Mexican border while in the Illinois National Guard but I’m not sure if a Mexican Service medal would be appropriate in this case. Maybe a First World War Victory medal with battle clasps? As luck would have it I actually have a CdG with palm in my collection that I can easily add to this set. 
 

Dave’s example also had the same two French style loops as well. Definitely an intentional thing I would think. 

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I completely forgot I had his entire service record - right about 100 pages worth (it was only slightly damaged in the NPRC fire).

 

I can find no record of him being awarded the Mexican Border Service Medal, but he did spend 4 months on the border, so my assumption is that he rated the medal. 

 

He was also awarded the French Croix de Guerre with palm, so that would explain the room for two medals on his chest, as he didn't apply for the WW1 Victory medal until after his discharge. He also applied for the Purple Heart, which should have been issued with an oak leaf cluster, as he was both wounded and gassed. 

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On 12/12/2021 at 10:55 AM, Dave said:

I completely forgot I had his entire service record - right about 100 pages worth (it was only slightly damaged in the NPRC fire).

 

I can find no record of him being awarded the Mexican Border Service Medal, but he did spend 4 months on the border, so my assumption is that he rated the medal. 

 

He was also awarded the French Croix de Guerre with palm, so that would explain the room for two medals on his chest, as he didn't apply for the WW1 Victory medal until after his discharge. He also applied for the Purple Heart, which should have been issued with an oak leaf cluster, as he was both wounded and gassed. 

Yea that would make sense I think! I’m kinda on the wall between the second medal either being the Mexican Service medal or some other French medal he might have received that I am not aware of. I may be over thinking it but I’d love to get as close to what he would have worn!

 

Not sure if I mentioned it but according to the seller the daughter of Lt. Otto had a whole trunk full of his medals and paperwork that she was selling as well. Unfortunately the gentleman who I bought the tunic from only had just enough cash to buy the tunic and trousers. Who knows what could have been in that trunk and where all of it is at now!

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