Brig Posted February 6, 2014 #26 Posted February 6, 2014 I'd say EKII...the ribbon just isn't folded over...you can see the crease in the center
USCapturephotos Posted February 6, 2014 #27 Posted February 6, 2014 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
USCapturephotos Posted February 6, 2014 #28 Posted February 6, 2014 Sneaking up on the 'enemy'. I picked this image up at the flea market, no info on the back -Ryan Wonder where this was taken? Paul
Indexred Posted February 6, 2014 Author #29 Posted February 6, 2014 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?
Tonomachi Posted February 6, 2014 #30 Posted February 6, 2014 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.
USCapturephotos Posted February 6, 2014 #31 Posted February 6, 2014 Ah. Good. My hunch was correct. That is a really nice looking badge! Paul
Indexred Posted February 6, 2014 Author #32 Posted February 6, 2014 Thanks Tonomachi. Nice photo. I figured somebody out there would know the answer.
Sabrejet Posted February 6, 2014 #33 Posted February 6, 2014 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.
kriegsmodell Posted February 6, 2014 #34 Posted February 6, 2014 Agree with Brig; EKII with unfolded ribbon. Not unusual to see these with some pretty lengthy sections of ribbon. My thoughts only ......
mvmhm Posted February 6, 2014 #35 Posted February 6, 2014 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
mvmhm Posted February 6, 2014 #36 Posted February 6, 2014 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... Mark sends
Indexred Posted February 6, 2014 Author #37 Posted February 6, 2014 Here's another one of the USAAF prisoners with a Romanian badge. Any ideas on this one?
Indexred Posted February 6, 2014 Author #38 Posted February 6, 2014 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.
Indexred Posted February 6, 2014 Author #39 Posted February 6, 2014 Here's another ex-POW with a Romanian AF hat. I'll bet darn few GIs except these men brought home Romanian militaria.
Indexred Posted February 6, 2014 Author #40 Posted February 6, 2014 Close up of the badge mentioned above
Indexred Posted February 6, 2014 Author #42 Posted February 6, 2014 I just received this photo of a Romanian pilots badge.
USCapturephotos Posted February 6, 2014 #43 Posted February 6, 2014 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
Bob Hudson Posted February 6, 2014 #44 Posted February 6, 2014 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
USCapturephotos Posted February 6, 2014 #45 Posted February 6, 2014 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
Indexred Posted February 6, 2014 Author #46 Posted February 6, 2014 Close up of LTC Jim Gunn's Me109 that was flown to Italy by a Romanian pilot.
Indexred Posted February 6, 2014 Author #47 Posted February 6, 2014 A couple more pictures of the Me109 ...
Indexred Posted February 6, 2014 Author #48 Posted February 6, 2014 Nice portrait of a liberated USAAF man (Malcome Marquith) sporting an M40 Stahlhelm
USCapturephotos Posted February 6, 2014 #49 Posted February 6, 2014 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
jim2 Posted February 6, 2014 #50 Posted February 6, 2014 Here's a group of airman. These came from a photo album of a ninth air corp soldier. They are dated april 1945
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