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GIs wearing German insignia/equipment


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Yeah and the other weird badge...the top part looks like a parachute....kind of like a specialized hat device I have seen worn by some German parachute units in Italy....not the eagle though.

Paul

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USCapturephotos

Sneaking up on the 'enemy'. I picked this image up at the flea market, no info on the back

 

-Ryan

 

jerryx.jpg

Wonder where this was taken?

Paul

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I just noticed that Lieutenant Townsend clipped one of the wings on his pilots badge. I've never seen one with a single clipped wing. Two clipped wings, yes. Anyone else ever seen something like this?

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Here's a detail shot. Too bad he has his finger over the suspension loop on the cross. That would indicate whether it's an EKII or RK. I'm not good enough with TR awards to say beyond that criteria.

 

That is a very rare and much sought after WW2 Romanian paratrooper badge.

 

 

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I once read a memoir about the campaign in the ETO. In it, the author said that they were advised by their officers not to be caught wearing any captured German souvenirs...for example, leather belts/ holsters and Iron Crosses were quite popular...as there were instances of GIs being summarily executed for doing so.

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Agree with Brig; EKII with unfolded ribbon. Not unusual to see these with some pretty lengthy sections of ribbon. My thoughts only ......

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A gift from the 42nd Infantry Division to the 305th Bomb Group

Pretty sure that flag is the same one on display in the Air Force Museum at Wright-Patt.

 

 

Mark sends

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Here's a detail shot. Too bad he has his finger over the suspension loop on the cross. That would indicate whether it's an EKII or RK. I'm not good enough with TR awards to say beyond that criteria.

It's an unissued EKII...a Knight's Cross ribbon is considerably wider. The medals were issued with 10 inch ribbons to allow for mounting the medal on a bar and leaving a piece of the ribbon to be worn through the buttonhole of their tunics...

 

 

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This ex-POW appears to be wearing a Romanian Air Force hat. Perhaps the Romanian AF operated the POW camp.

 

About 1,000 U.S. airmen were liberated in Romania and flown to Italy where these pictures were made.

 

 

post-105245-0-21568400-1391708841.jpg

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USCapturephotos

This ex-POW appears to be wearing a Romanian Air Force hat. Perhaps the Romanian AF operated the POW camp.

 

About 1,000 U.S. airmen were liberated in Romania and flown to Italy where these pictures were made.

Yes. All part of "Operation Gunn" which is a great story. I have a huge collection of original photos taken by a photographer with the 454th BG in Italy of which Lt. Colonel Gunn was a member before he was shot down and made a prisoner in Italy. I even have 7 or 8 original photos of the Romanian Me 109 that was used to get Colonel Gunn back to Italy leading to the eventual rescue of these downed airmen. It's a great story that not too many seem to have heard of.

Paul

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Hey Bob, which book is that quote from Ernie Pyle from? I'm always looking for primary source documentation on souvenirs as well.

Thanks.

Paul

 

 

Here is Your War: Story of G.I. Joe
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Super! Thanks Bob. I have been slowly working on a book on this subject and am always looking for GI primary sources and that would be a great one.

Paul

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Close up of LTC Jim Gunn's Me109 that was flown to Italy by a Romanian pilot.

 

Awesome shot showing the radio compartment where Gunn was crammed into for the escape flight back to Italy. I will scan a few of my original shots and post them in a day or two.

Paul

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