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D-Day Paratrooper Groupings


cperkins501
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blitzkrieg gsd

Very nice groups guys D Day items are my tops so I'm loving these guys. Please keep them coming I don't get to see a lot of airborne stuff these days.

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  • 5 months later...

Very nice items guys, I collect airborne items as well but do not yet have a D-Day grouping. I do however have a jump jacket used in combat from the Sicily and Salerno jumps and a M2 shell to a soldier in the 509th PIB. It was found in the Ardennes after the war but also has the southern France camo from operation Dragoon.

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What a neat grouping! Lt. Hassenzahl shared his experience of being wounded in Normandy in Patrick O'Donnell's book "Beyond Valor." Very interesting first person account. Any chance you knew the Lt. or had the chance to hear his stories in person?

Unfortunately no, never had the pleasure of meeting him, and he lived not to far from me when I was younger here in Maumee before he moved.

 

Fritz

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Here is mine. A small group, but to a d-day veteran.

 

He was in Co. G, 508th PIR. Jumped in Normandy on D-Day and later in Holland. Also fought in the Bulge and later in Korea, where he was KIA in '52

 

 

Posted ImagePosted Image

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gliderrider401

Wow Fritz!! Awesome to see Al's Officers Tunic. He lived here in NE Ohio at one time. I was very close with one of his closest wartime brothers - Lt. Joe Reed. Thanks for sharing.

 

Rich

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Here is one of mine. CPT Heber Min//ton. I acquired this uniform recently along with his Brit cut down Ike, which has Brit made bullion wings on it. He commanded B Co. 506th PIR and was wounded in Normandy and Holland. Both uniforms were missing their ribbons and other pin on insignia when I got them, but there were very distinct holes. I had replacement ribbon sets made by a friend. They are made from all period parts and match the entitlement I found in his service record. Pictures I have of him show that he wore 506th numbered collar brass, and I'm holding out for an original set. Good project for the SOS in Feb. I can post pics of the other jacket when I get a moment...

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Here is the second one. I found a Red Cross in great Britain ticket stub in the pocket! This one is actually named to him...last name and correct laundry # stenciled in the lining.

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This is a picture of him taken in Austria at the very end of the war. He is wearing a converted enlisted Ike jacket, and I assume this photo was taken at the same time as the well know group photos of the 506th.

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  • 3 weeks later...

PFC Burton L. Houseknecht was a member of the 82nd Airborne Division, HQ Company, during WWII. He entered the service on December 15, 1942 and was wounded on June 6, 1944 at Ste Mere Eglise where the Forward echelon of Division Headquarters and Headquarters Company earned a PUC. They landed by parachute and glider on D-Day, 6 June 1944, prior to H-hour, on the Cotentin Peninsula. Houseknecht was later killed in action during the Battle of the Bulge on December 21, 1944. His personnel records were destroyed in the fire at the National Archives in St. Louis, however, Redbird Research was able to obtain some of his records from various sources. Those records combined with items belonging to Houseknecht’s that were sent home to his Mother along with the medals sent to the family gives a very good idea of where he served during WW2. One of the items sent home is a silver ring engraved with KAIROAN, Africa and 1943. Another item sent home is an English made ribbon bar with four stars drawn on the EAME Campaign ribbon. I believe these stars were drawn on by Houseknecht, and if so, he was in four campaigns before he was killed.

 

 

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By the DI's, it appears that Burton was a member of he 319th Glider Field Artillery, which would make the CIB an unauthorized award. I am not saying that it wasn't his, nor that he might not have worn it, but if he did receive the award, it would have been rescinded as the award was only authorized for infantrymen.

 

Great grouping!

Allan

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Here is another one of mine...Russell "Buck" Daniel. Daniel was a Secret Service agent before and after the war. He eventually rose to be the Deputy Director of the Secret Service. Daniel was jump trained in England, jumped in to Normandy with HQ 82nd Airborne and spent the rest of the war with the Division. In the full length photo he is wearing this uniform, boots and cap. The cap is rigger-made.

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And another for T5 Elsworth Bartholomew. He jumped in to Normandy with the 508th, and was KIA on 16 June 1944. This is the 4 pocket jacket he wore in the US.

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Allam,

Burton's designation was Infantry so he was qualified to wear the CIB. I don't know where the DI's came from but they were sent home with his other belongings. Since they were in his possession when he was KIA they are in the group.

Dick

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