Jump to content

"MEDDIIIC!!"Part Deux: ID'd 29th Div Combat Medic BSM/PH Uniform Grouping!


carbinephalen
 Share

Recommended Posts

carbinephalen

I did notice that! It seems like out of all the ribbon bars on my 100% original, straight from the vet uniforms, the WWII victory ribbon bar is the one most commonly not included in the rack.

 

I wonder why :think:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

carbinephalen

This uniform has been deemed a fakery. I am going to hopefully get my money back on it. Thanks to all for attempting to put in research on it. Just disgusting.

 

Albert Francini is alive and well and this is NOT his. I also highly doubt that he served in the 29th. This hobby makes me sick sometimes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

carbinephalen

I guess I should say a put together, not an all out fake. I believe all of the parts of this uniform are original WWII items.

 

No refunds from the seller because it is past the inspection period :thumbdown:

 

Hopefully I can piece it out and get some of my money back.

 

I freaking hate shoddy dealers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

carbinephalen

Well a person who had an interest in purchasing it (a very well respected member of this forum) was able to get in contact with the veterans family. His wife said that he was still living and they never let anything of his go. This automatically destroys the story that I was told when purchasing it. Who knows?

 

The jacket I believe to be a legitimate 29th patched jacket and the rest of the items legit too. Just not together :pinch:

 

Look for some "For Sale" posts fellas. I've gotta get my money back.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

CNY Militaria

FWIW, I have had families email me asking how I got their relatives' items before claiming they still have anything or nothing was ever sold, etc. Well, despite that I have legit items with printed names in it, donated to museums and deaccessioned, etc. So there is always a chance.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

everforward
Ugh! That blows! What prompted the discovery?

 

Well, that would be me I'm afraid.....I had approached carbinephalen about the grouping when he started this thread, and I expressed interest in it--after all I am a 29th collector and I had to at least express congratulations in finding something like this. :thumbsup:

 

I was the first to inquire about purchasing this grouping, so we agreed on a price and franky I was quite excited that I was getting it---at the same my own research on the vet was still in progress.

 

So, it turns out that who the grouping is attributed to is still living (the good news) once I weeded out more of the who/what/where and when I called the number........after a simple phone inquiry to his home it was revealed that nothing has been sold that belonged to him.....(the bad news.)

 

The Al Francini death notice from 2006 in this thread belonged to a man who served in the Korean Conflict; 'Our' Al Francini is alive and about 91 years old.

 

What unit did he serve in..? I dunno. I simply asked if any of his items were sold recently and the answer his wife gave me was "No, none...not at all...."

 

So, in pursuit of the truth, we find that the grouping not what it was purported to be. There is no one more sad than I, for I love stuff like this for my collection and only hope that all the info pans out to the good.

 

Hey--we all know that this happens from time to time, unfortunately.....a parting wish to all readers and members: May all of your future puchases be 'Iron-clad'. :thumbsup:

 

All through this, carbinephalen has been a stand-up guy and helpful.....I just wish that the group could have all been legit. Sorry man.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Timberwolf
Well, that would be me I'm afraid.....I had approached carbinephalen about the grouping when he started this thread, and I expressed interest in it--after all I am a 29th collector and I had to at least express congratulations in finding something like this. :thumbsup:

 

I was the first to inquire about purchasing this grouping, so we agreed on a price and franky I was quite excited that I was getting it---at the same my own research on the vet was still in progress.

 

So, it turns out that who the grouping is attributed to is still living (the good news) once I weeded out more of the who/what/where and when I called the number........after a simple phone inquiry to his home it was revealed that nothing has been sold that belonged to him.....(the bad news.)

 

The Al Francini death notice from 2006 in this thread belonged to a man who served in the Korean Conflict; 'Our' Al Francini is alive and about 91 years old.

 

What unit did he serve in..? I dunno. I simply asked if any of his items were sold recently and the answer his wife gave me was "No, none...not at all...."

 

So, in pursuit of the truth, we find that the grouping not what it was purported to be. There is no one more sad than I, for I love stuff like this for my collection and only hope that all the info pans out to the good.

 

Hey--we all know that this happens from time to time, unfortunately.....a parting wish to all readers and members: May all of your future puchases be 'Iron-clad'. :thumbsup:

 

All through this, carbinephalen has been a stand-up guy and helpful.....I just wish that the group could have all been legit. Sorry man.

 

At least now the right people found out about it, and it won't be sold as original now, but to bad it had to be that way. Good luck!-Ben

Link to comment
Share on other sites

carbinephalen

Yup, a very unfortunate and saddening turn of events. As Ben (Timberwolf) said, at least another fake grouping is off the market now folks. Truly wish it was somebody else that spent their cash on it though. :pinch:

 

Thanks for all the support,

 

Thomas

Link to comment
Share on other sites

BigJohn#3RD

Folks,

Before you throw the dealer under the bus; it has been know to happen that other family members throw out or sell veterans military items...in this case I don't know. It may have been worth the time and effort to ask more questions of the wife to confirm that the veteran was the one who's uniform is the one in question i.e. unit, wounded etc. "What unit did he serve in..? I dunno. I simply asked if any of his items were sold recently and the answer his wife gave me was "No, none...not at all...."

It it was not then the uniform may be legit and worth getting a copy of the records from St Louis. Just a thought from left field.

Regards,

John

Link to comment
Share on other sites

were this mine....I wouldnt have been so quick to part it out! If he is 91, how old is his wife? She could easily have been mistaken or forgetful. Perhaps these things were in the possession of a child or other relative. Many possible scenarios. The GO is from a hospital and would reflect the veterans name. These exist in the National Archives and can be ordered.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

carbinephalen

I requested his records and the NPRC said that they were destroyed in the fire of 1973. A final pay voucher was available however. Not much to go on from those though.

 

I just in clear conscience couldn't peddle this off as his with the information provided to us by his family. I could go with the "other family members possibly selling it off" theory but I asked the dealer to reconfirm the story and they said that the family said the veteran had passed away. With him being alive still, there's just too many "if's" for my liking.

 

If anybody is interested the jacket and ribbons can still be kept together, both are in the for sale section. I would make a discounted package deal on those.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

general orders are not held in St Louis. You have to order them under a separate specific request. No fire issues. Ive almost always received the ones ive requested...Hospital GOs for PHs typically list the mans name, ASN and branch (infantry etc)

 

If Francinis name is on the GO, that would be one hell of a coincidence

Link to comment
Share on other sites

everforward
I requested his records and the NPRC said that they were destroyed in the fire of 1973. A final pay voucher was available however. Not much to go on from those though.

 

I just in clear conscience couldn't peddle this off as his with the information provided to us by his family. I could go with the "other family members possibly selling it off" theory but I asked the dealer to reconfirm the story and they said that the family said the veteran had passed away. With him being alive still, there's just too many "if's" for my liking.

 

FWIW, in doing my research I could never come across any other members in this particular vet's family except for the vet himself and his wife....no kids that I could tell. He did have an older brother who also enlisted in the Army in 1941..... The vet and his spouse have been in the same spot for decades. This research was done specifically to try and validate what the dealer had told Thomas when he bought it.

 

So as far as the 'other family' that the dealer was referring to, they would have to be more specific as to who it was---plus, saying he had "passed away" is obviously a reach on the part of the dealer.

 

I simply did not want to pry into the private lives of this elderly couple any more than I had to, she probably thought I was a kook anyway..LOL

Link to comment
Share on other sites

...think I still would have ordered the GO before pulling the plug. Here is a typical hospital PH GO from one of my groups

post-110-1337116571.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

everforward

Also, if anyone wants a project, the 52d USGH was based at Woverley Camp, Kidderminster, England. If that GO paper really belongs with that PH then it is most certainly from the ETO. APO 121-A is an English-based ETO Army Post Office.

 

The cadre for the 52d USGH was formed from the Syracuse University School of Medicine, and their are archives there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here is the address and format to order GOs

 

 

National Archives at College Park

8601 Adelphi Road

College Park, MD

20740-6001

 

Gentlemen, I am a researcher seeking the WWII award citation for the following individual under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA):

 

1) PFC James A. Fileccio ASN 32009012 for the Purple Heart Medal awarded under GO# 11 HQ 135th GEN HOSP 17 AUG 44.

 

I agree to pay any FOIA or other fees associated for this request. ________________________

 

 

 

 

A GO from a hospital in England means he was wounded seriously enough to be evacuated.

 

 

One thing Ive learned over all of these years is that vets and their families are often mistaken or plain wrong about things. They are often the least reliable resource to use when researching something. The actual records don't lie, and that GO might be a huge clue.

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...