Jump to content

Marine 6th Div SSgt


USMCRECON
 Share

Recommended Posts

This one also came as a result of my loss of control on eBay this weekend. It's a pretty nice uniform bit I thionk I probably paid about 1/3 again what it's worth. I had loaded a very high bid into the bidding server I use to ensure I got the uniform. Apparently someone else had a similar idea but didn't quite load as high a bid as I did. :o

 

This one has the blouse, brown leather belt, and trousers. the blouse is named inside the shoulder in the normal spot along with the size and Q'master dates (1941-42). It has the embroidered 6th Marine Div SSI, M-1937 enlisted EGAs and wool on wool chevrons and hash marks. It's named to T. J. Opdenaker. The leather belt shows signs of sonsiderable use and the trousers may be newer than the blouse since they look newer and he might have bought a new pair at some point as they are a slightly darker shade of green.

 

The only detractor in my mind is that I believe the ribbon bar is a replacement (may or may not accurately show his entitlements) but it's the smaller Army and post war size ribbons.

 

post-1107-1307732651.jpg

 

post-1107-1307732657.jpg

 

post-1107-1307732666.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well I think it's a great looking uniform. Have to do more research on the awards, but the rest looks excellent!

 

You may already have this, but I think this is your vet:

 

OPDENAKER, THOMAS J

S/SGT US MARINE CORPS

WORLD WAR II

DATE OF BIRTH: 09/19/1919

DATE OF DEATH: 08/24/1992

BURIED AT: SECTION P SITE C-327

FT. ROSECRANS NATIONAL CEMETERY

P.O. BOX 6237 SAN DIEGO, CA 92166

(619) 553-2084

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Also, it looks like he is mentioned in one of the rosters in "History of the Sixth Marine Division". Sorry, I don't have a copy of that Divisional history.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well I think it's a great looking uniform. Have to do more research on the awards, but the rest looks excellent!

 

You may already have this, but I think this is your vet:

 

OPDENAKER, THOMAS J

S/SGT US MARINE CORPS

WORLD WAR II

DATE OF BIRTH: 09/19/1919

DATE OF DEATH: 08/24/1992

BURIED AT: SECTION P SITE C-327

FT. ROSECRANS NATIONAL CEMETERY

P.O. BOX 6237 SAN DIEGO, CA 92166

(619) 553-2084

Until just now, I had nothing on the guy. The box with the uniform in it just came yesterday. thanks for the info!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

teufelhunde.ret

Good save Bill, here is what I found;

 

Name: Thomas J Opdenaker

Service Info.: S/SGT US MARINE CORPS WORLD WAR II

Birth Date: 19 Sep 1919

Death Date: 24 Aug 1992

Service Start Date: 1 Jul 1941

Interment Date: 27 Aug 1992

Cemetery: Ft. Rosecrans National Cemetery

Cemetery Address: P.O. Box 6237 San Diego, CA 92166

Buried At: Section P Site C-327

 

Social Security Death Index

about Thomas J. Opdenaker

Name: Thomas J. Opdenaker

SSN: 181-05-4959

Last Residence: 92071 Santee, San Diego, California, United States of America

Born: 19 Sep 1919

Died: 24 Aug 1992

State (Year) SSN issued: Pennsylvania (Before 1951)

 

This is from the PA rolls of wounded in WW2 - no further info

op.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good save Bill, here is what I found;

 

Name: Thomas J Opdenaker

Service Info.: S/SGT US MARINE CORPS WORLD WAR II

Birth Date: 19 Sep 1919

Death Date: 24 Aug 1992

Service Start Date: 1 Jul 1941

Interment Date: 27 Aug 1992

Cemetery: Ft. Rosecrans National Cemetery

Cemetery Address: P.O. Box 6237 San Diego, CA 92166

Buried At: Section P Site C-327

 

Social Security Death Index

about Thomas J. Opdenaker

Name: Thomas J. Opdenaker

SSN: 181-05-4959

Last Residence: 92071 Santee, San Diego, California, United States of America

Born: 19 Sep 1919

Died: 24 Aug 1992

State (Year) SSN issued: Pennsylvania (Before 1951)

 

This is from the PA rolls of wounded in WW2 - no further info

Interesting! So he should probably have a Purple Heart as well. Thanks Darrell.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 7 months later...
American Heritage

Recon,

1st off, awesome uniform with a nice Penn. history!!

 

2ndly....I thought you should know that Opdenaker's trousers are being sold along with a 3rd MarDiv uniform on ebay right now! Maybe you can contact the seller and get them!

 

Questions from other members : WWII U.S. Marine 3rd Division Sergeant's Coat w/ Leather Garrison Belt & Pants

Question & Answer Answered On

 

Q: Is the Marine's name stamped in the Jacket? Jan-17-12

A: Thank you for the question. Originally I thought the pants were the only part identified. However, after your question I checked again. In the manfacturer's stamp are the initials RLM. The pants are stamped T J Opdenaker. For years I would use only the uniform jackets in displays I would set up at school. At some point the jacket must have been placed in the wrong bag. I will go in and make this correction in the discription. Thank you for your interest.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/270890351284?ssPag...984.m1423.l2649

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This one also came as a result of my loss of control on eBay this weekend. It's a pretty nice uniform bit I thionk I probably paid about 1/3 again what it's worth. I had loaded a very high bid into the bidding server I use to ensure I got the uniform. Apparently someone else had a similar idea but didn't quite load as high a bid as I did. :o

 

This one has the blouse, brown leather belt, and trousers. the blouse is named inside the shoulder in the normal spot along with the size and Q'master dates (1941-42). It has the embroidered 6th Marine Div SSI, M-1937 enlisted EGAs and wool on wool chevrons and hash marks. It's named to T. J. Opdenaker. The leather belt shows signs of sonsiderable use and the trousers may be newer than the blouse since they look newer and he might have bought a new pair at some point as they are a slightly darker shade of green.

 

The only detractor in my mind is that I believe the ribbon bar is a replacement (may or may not accurately show his entitlements) but it's the smaller Army and post war size ribbons.

 

post-1107-1307732651.jpg

 

post-1107-1307732657.jpg

 

post-1107-1307732666.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

American Heritage

are you serious?

 

 

 

With friends like you who needs enemies...i'm the one bidding on that jacket right now!

 

Cheers

Uplandmod

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dad was in the 6th Marine Division. I have 2 of his uniforms. One when he was in radio school without the 6th Division patch but it has the radio waves patch on the sleeve, and a later one with the 6th Division patch . Dads has a black leather belt.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dad was in the 6th Marine Division. I have 2 of his uniforms. One when he was in radio school without the 6th Division patch but it has the radio waves patch on the sleeve, and a later one with the 6th Division patch . Dads has a black leather belt.

The leather belt was pretty common until later in the war, I think.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Recon,

1st off, awesome uniform with a nice Penn. history!!

 

2ndly....I thought you should know that Opdenaker's trousers are being sold along with a 3rd MarDiv uniform on ebay right now! Maybe you can contact the seller and get them!

 

Questions from other members : WWII U.S. Marine 3rd Division Sergeant's Coat w/ Leather Garrison Belt & Pants

Question & Answer Answered On

 

Q: Is the Marine's name stamped in the Jacket? Jan-17-12

A: Thank you for the question. Originally I thought the pants were the only part identified. However, after your question I checked again. In the manfacturer's stamp are the initials RLM. The pants are stamped T J Opdenaker. For years I would use only the uniform jackets in displays I would set up at school. At some point the jacket must have been placed in the wrong bag. I will go in and make this correction in the discription. Thank you for your interest.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/270890351284?ssPag...984.m1423.l2649

I greatly appreciate American Heritage PM'ing me to let me know about the auction with Opdenaker's trousers. I had not noticed it before.

 

I corresponded with the seller of both mine and the 3rd Marine Div uniform recently on eBay and he confirmed what he wrote in response to the question asked him on eBay that he probably mixed the two blouses and trousers up. I offered to send the trousers back and exchange them for Opdernaker's named pair. Since there were already two bids he couldn't make any changes and I, of course, understand that position completely (when I asked, I hadn't noticed the bids)

 

My only option at that point was to compete for the 3rd MarDiv blouse/Opdenaker's trousers. I bid pretty high, probably more than they're worth, hoping to ensure I was the high bidder. I got lucky and got them for considerably less than the Opdenaker blouse set went for earlier. Once they arrive I will be able to reunite both trousers with their proper blouses and will post some additional pix here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

 

With friends like you who needs enemies...i'm the one bidding on that jacket right now!

Cheers
Uplandmod

Sorry to be the one to outbid you on the 3rd Div set.

My primary concern at that moment was to re-unite Opdenaker's blouse with his trousers. Since the seller said he had only two sets of Marine greens that he used for school displays, it's highly likely the trousers that came with Opdenaker's blouse belong with the 3rd MarDiv blouse. So, in the end, I will have reunited two sets of Marine greens. The 3rd MarDiv blouse looks pretty nice in its own right and I only have one other 3rd MarDiv uniform (a Vandegrift jacket set) so this one won't go to waste.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

No problem my friend, if I would have won it I would have sent the pants to you no charge! These things need to stay together, especially after 60+ years!

 

It was one of those jackets that it would have been nice to own but it wasn't named besides having initials in the jacket, at least that's what he said when I originally asked the question. In the end I need to have the names in the Jacket so my heart wasn't set on the Jacket.

 

Also I just blew some money on a named V Amphibian Corp Jacket so I had my money tied up in that.

 

It would have been nice to own but I'm just glad you won it!

 

All the best!

Leonardo

Link to comment
Share on other sites

American Heritage

glad the groups could be reunited before too much time passed and memories faded! Always like to see these things preserved and kept together as much as possible!

 

Can you tell us if the name in the other pair of trousers matches the initials in the 3rd mardiv jacket? or actually lists a last name that corresponds to "RLM." ( I think that is what the initials were? )

Link to comment
Share on other sites

glad the groups could be reunited before too much time passed and memories faded! Always like to see these things preserved and kept together as much as possible!

 

Can you tell us if the name in the other pair of trousers matches the initials in the 3rd mardiv jacket? or actually lists a last name that corresponds to "RLM." ( I think that is what the initials were? )

The trousers that came with Opdenaker's blouse had some sort of markings in them but don't remember at the moment what it was. The picture I posted of them shows a mark but when I blew it up a little while ago, the quiality was not good enough to tell what it is.

 

The Opdenaker blouse and the trousers in question are currently in my storage locker. When I get this new set in the mail I'll bring the items back from storage and re-unite Opdenaker's blouse with his trousers. At the same time, I'll compare the 3rd MarDiv blouse with the trousers I have now and take a better look at the black writing on the inside lining. I'll also look for a name again.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Seems I was wrong about the Opdenaker uniform being in storage.

 

When I went down to the basement looking for something else, I came across it and found a name on the inside of the pocket lining. As I suspected, the name written in them is R. L. Morrison Jr. That tracks perfectly with the RLM markings in the 3MarDiv blouse that's on the way with Opdenaker's trousers. Yeah baby! Life is good! :twothumbup:

 

As I mentioned in the earlier posts on the uniform, the trousers are darker than the blouse and I suspected at that time that he got a replacement pair. After looking at them again this evening to find the name, they look almost like new. Since the RLM blouse that's en route to me has a ruptured duck on the right breast, I'd hazard a guess that the trousers (and probably the blouse as well) were issued to him after returning to CONUS for discharge. I'll have a better feel for it once I get the blouse in hand.

 

 

post-1107-1327358437.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Seems I was wrong about the Opdenaker uniform being in storage.

 

When I went down to the basement looking for something else, I came across it and found a name on the inside of the pocket lining. As I suspected, the name written in them is R. L. Morrison Jr. That tracks perfectly with the RLM markings in the 3MarDiv blouse that's on the way with Opdenaker's trousers.

 

Yeah baby! Life is good! :twothumbup:

 

post-1107-1327358437.jpg

 

 

Great Find!!!! To think it would have all got lost to time...

Leonardo

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...