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WWII 28th DIVISION HURTGEN FOREST POW PURPLE HEART GROUP


KASTAUFFER
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I just recently acquired this group from another member of the forum, and finished doing some research on the group. I also acquired the boxes with the medals, but am only shpwing the medals in this thread.

 

S/Sgt Hayes was from Hollidaysburg Pa. and enlisted in the US Army in April 1941. In October 1943, he was sent overseas. In November 1944, his unit the 110th Infantry, 28th Division, found themselves entering a place that would become legend, the Hurtgen forest. 12 days later S/Sgt Hayes was wounded and captured by the Germans. He spent the rest of the war in Stalag 3B.

 

Notice his ribbon bar has the American Defence and the GCM in the wrong order. If you are a purist this is not unusual!

 

MVC_020L.JPG

 

MVC_021L.JPG

 

His Purple Heart is officially hand engraved and was most likely issued to him named after he came home, rather than while he was a POW.

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  • 4 months later...
DakotaDave
I just recently acquired this group from another member of the forum, and finished doing some research on the group. I also acquired the boxes with the medals, but am only shpwing the medals in this thread.

 

S/Sgt Hayes was from Hollidaysburg Pa. and enlisted in the US Army in April 1941. In October 1943, he was sent overseas. In November 1944, his unit the 110th Infantry, 28th Division, found themselves entering a place that would become legend, the Hurtgen forest. 12 days later S/Sgt Hayes was wounded and captured by the Germans. He spent the rest of the war in Stalag 3B.

 

Notice his ribbon bar has the American Defence and the GCM in the wrong order. If you are a purist this is not unusual!

 

post-105-1326585058.jpg

 

post-105-1326585064.jpg

 

His Purple Heart is officially hand engraved and was most likely issued to him named after he came home, rather than while he was a POW.

 

 

Nice group Kurt, I always had a thing about the 28th and the Hurtgen after reading "Follow Me and Die, The Destruction of an American Division in World War II" by Cecil B. Currey, an excellent account of the 28th's massive losses there. S/Sgt Hayes was fortunate indeed to have made it out even if wounded and a POW.

 

DakotaDave

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  • 6 years later...

7 years later, and look at what I bought on Ebay...... All his paperwork including his POW ID card.

 

 

hayes.JPG

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BILL THE PATCH

Great score, did you know they were going on eBay or you just got lucky finding it. So great you can finally get it all back together

 

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk

 

 

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Great score, did you know they were going on eBay or you just got lucky finding it. So great you can finally get it all back together

 

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk

I got lucky . I didn't even realize it went with the group I already had until I received it in the mail. LOL!

 

Kurt

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Wonderful set Kurt, and great job bringing it together. It would love to come live with me in New York if it ever tires being in your collection. ;)

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