A coworker brought her uncle's uniform in for me this week...

[kfields]

She and I get along quite well and I've even taken her out shooting at lunch time because she showed interest. She knows of my interest in history and enjoys some of the stories I tell about some of the stuff I collect.

Both her aunt and uncle have passed away and this past week she brought in her uncle's WW2 dress uniform jacket, hat and dogtags and asked if I would be interested in having it. Of course I said yes ! She's a classy lady and absolutely positively refused to accept any payment.

Her uncle was a black man in a segregated WWII army and served as a truck driver in a quartermaster corps unit in Europe. My guess is he was part of the so-called "red ball express" that helped keep the 3rd Army running. I never realized until I looked it up that something like 73% of the drivers were black.

This is not a high dollar item and the uniform did not belong to a member of an elite unit but it is special to me in that it came from a friend of mine, it is identified to an individual and the uniform itself has nice decorative and flashy touches to it.

I've asked my friend to look for the discharge document so that I can better id the unit and areas of service of her uncle so I should have more information soon. I do have the fellows memorial card that the funeral home put together when he passed away. In it was a photo of him taken during the war as well as a short bio.

The uniform came to me exactly as you see it. The ribbons, victory medal attached, collar insignia, everything, came as you see it.

Thanks for looking!

 

Kim

[kfields]

here is a closup of one of his dogtags..

[Teamski]

If that is a Red Ball uniform, then you really struck it rich! Well done!!

 

-Ski

[Nkomo]

Very nice! I would keep that piece in a place of honor in my home. In my opinion, this man's job was just as important as anyone elses. He provided support so the front line men could continue the fight. Sounds like a hero to me.

Arch

[Mr-X]

Very nice pick up.

Well done and you got it at the best price.

Thanks for sharing

[Patriot]

What I love about this uniform is that it is so atypical - had there been no history to go with it, people would have "problems" with this piece.

 

Thanks for showing!!!

[BOLO]

the patches look like they were hand stitched ? was it common practice to attach patches & rank by hand sewing?

 

instead of by sewing machine?

[36-tex]

the patches look like they were hand stitched ? was it common practice to attach patches & rank by hand sewing?

 

instead of by sewing machine?

 

 

 

Yes it was!

[SteveR]

the patches look like they were hand stitched ? was it common practice to attach patches & rank by hand sewing?

 

instead of by sewing machine?

The majority of the jackets that I have picked up have the patches hand sewn. Some being done very well to some being done "not so good".

[rrobertscv]

Very nice piece of history that is often overlooked.

[Russell 1910]

Wonderful uniform with a personal connection through the person who gave it to you. Thank you for sharing.

 

Here is some information on Mr. Cosby, NARA and ancestry.com

 

NARA

Field Title Value Meaning

ARMY SERIAL NUMBER 35795928 35795928

NAME COSBY#WRENNIE#R#JR###### COSBY#WRENNIE#R#JR######

RESIDENCE: STATE #3 Undefined Code

RESIDENCE: COUNTY 023 Undefined Code

PLACE OF ENLISTMENT 5242 FT THOMAS NEWPORT KENTUCKY

DATE OF ENLISTMENT DAY 26 26

DATE OF ENLISTMENT MONTH 03 03

DATE OF ENLISTMENT YEAR 43 43

GRADE: ALPHA DESIGNATION PV0# Undefined Code

GRADE: CODE 8 Private

BRANCH: ALPHA DESIGNATION NO# No branch assignment

BRANCH: CODE 02 No branch assignment

FIELD USE AS DESIRED # #

TERM OF ENLISTMENT 5 Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law

LONGEVITY ### ###

SOURCE OF ARMY PERSONNEL 0 Civil Life

NATIVITY 53 OHIO

YEAR OF BIRTH 23 23

RACE AND CITIZENSHIP 2 Negro, citizen

EDUCATION 4 4 years of high school

CIVILIAN OCCUPATION 286 Porters, n.e.c.

MARITAL STATUS 6 Single, without dependents

COMPONENT OF THE ARMY 7 Selectees (Enlisted Men)

CARD NUMBER # #

BOX NUMBER 0993 0993

FILM REEL NUMBER 5.55# 5.55#

 

 

U.S. Veterans Gravesites, ca.1775-2006

about Wrennie R Jr Cosby

Name: Wrennie R Jr Cosby

Service Info.: CPL US ARMY WORLD WAR II

Birth Date: 25 Sep 1923

Death Date: 11 May 2000

Service Start Date: 26 Mar 1943

Interment Date: 15 May 2000

Cemetery: Dayton National Cemetery

Cemetery Address: VA Medical Center 4100 West Third Street Dayton, OH 45428

Buried At: Section 29 Site 426

 

ancestry.com Enlistment Records

U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946

about Wrennie R Cosby Jr

Name: Wrennie R Cosby Jr

Birth Year: 1923

Race: Negro, citizen (Black)

Nativity State or Country: Ohio

State: Hawaii

 

Enlistment Date: 26 Mar 1943

Enlistment State: Kentucky

Enlistment City: Fort Thomas Newport

Branch: No branch assignment

Branch Code: No branch assignment

Grade Code: Private

Term of Enlistment: Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law

Component: Selectees (Enlisted Men)

Source: Civil Life

Education: 4 years of high school

Civil Occupation: Director, Motion Picture

Marital Status: Single, without dependents

Height: 05

Weight: 113

[Mr.Jerry]

Very nice grouping. Would love to see the photo of him, these kinds of groups are very under represented in most collections.

There was a good book out a few years ago called "Liberators" (or something like that) that focused on the contributions of Black soldiers in WW2.

[doyler]

Simply outstanding personal piece.Just trhe way to get them.Im glad it found a home in your collection and Im sure your co-worker is too.Well done!!

 

RON

[Captainofthe7th]

Did anyone else notice the odd collar disks/ US pins? I've never seen that before. Great piece, can't beat the price! It's great to have a little story along with it too.

 

Rob

[Costa]

you got a good one right from the family. i dont think its red ball express--- dont see the patch on the sleeve. family give aways dont happen often and black military soldiers items are a rearity at that. still a real nice item!!!!!!!

[doyler]

Did anyone else notice the odd collar disks/ US pins? I've never seen that before. Great piece, can't beat the price! It's great to have a little story along with it too.

 

Rob

 

I THINK THE COLLAR DISCS ARE THE TWO PIECE/SCREW BACK STYLE.I SEE THIS QUITE OFTEN AS THE SOLDIERS HAD THEM FROM THE EARLY PART OF THE WAR AND WORE THEM NORMALLY ON THE BLOUSE(4pocket) AND THEM CARRIED THEM OVER TO THE IKE.IHAVE THEM ALSO WHERE ONE IS SCREW BACK AND THE OTHER THE PRESSED BRASS WITH CLUTCHES.

 

RON

[doyler]

I ALSO LIKE HOW THE RANK STRIPES ARE SEWN ON FAIRLY LOW ON THE SLEEVE.NOT UNCOMMON TO SEE THIS ON A UINFORM.IM SURE IT WONT PASS THE PURISTS BUT NONE THE LESS ITS RIGHT AS RAIN.

 

RON

[kfields]

Thanks for your kind comments.

I appreciate all the input and the NARA website info is a big plus (thanks Russel 1910) and tends to confirm the little bit of information I have so far. I think I stand an excellent chance of getting a copy of the discharge document. My coworker has access to the family's paperwork and there is probably a good chance she will be able to find the docs. I'll show her what mine looks like so she has some sort of idea as to what one looks like. If that fails, I think I can work through the local funeral home that handled his funeral and burial at the local federal burial site. I'll share what I find.

Here's few more close shots of different parts of his uniform. Notice the method he used in assembling his U.S. and quartermaster collar disk. Anybody else ever see anything like this on another uniform? These are the earlier type disks with the screwpost and nut. I'm thinking he intentionally assembled the disks this way to give his uniform a bit more "flash". Also, the 7th Army DI on his hat is pinback with exceptionally well done enamel work and there doesn't appear to be any maker mark on back. It also has been there many years as the verdigris from the brass has stained the hat material underneath in the exact same outline as the DI.

There are a number of things about this uniform that runs against the grain of what I normally encounter but I've thought about it a couple days and I think I'm going to leave everything the way I found it.

Thanks for looking! Kim

[kfields]

The stitching on his overseas bars and also included is a photo of him taken from his funeral notice. The paper is green tinted which is why the photo appears an off color.

[doyler]

I agree.He must have disassembled the collar discs and moved the back spinner with the mounting points to the front on purpose.This gives the emblems almost a three dimensional look.I dont think it was an accident as if you took them apart to clean/polish them way back when he would have put them back as found.I think this was his own invention.I also notice he took the centers out of the two piece US discs and mounted them on the lower lapel points.

RON

[Navy Dan]

This is an Amazing find and addition to your collection and to have the connection is the true purpose behind what we do! Congratulations! Thanks for sharing every time I sign on I learn something new Thanks Dan

[kfields]

Hello again. I was fortunate in that my coworker was able to find the discharge and now I have a copy of both sides which includes the detail page! It looks like everything associated with his uniform matches with his discharge too.

He is listed as a Corporal at discharge and was a member of the 446th Quartermaster Truck Company with his MOS being a "truck driver". He entered the service on March 26, 1943, arrived in Scotland on December 6, 1943, back to the States on January 3, 1946. He participated in three campaigns: Northern France, Rhineland and Central Europe.

There doesn't seem to be much history on these truck companies but from the little bit of research I've done on the internet, I think his company came over to France in July 1944 across Utah Beach and immediately attached to 3rd Army. At some point in August, his company was attached to the 7th Armored Division through the duration of the war, bringing supplies up to the front lines for the troops and gas for the vehicles. Maybe some of you who have a 7th Armored Division history might be able to confirm this connection? I don't know for sure, but after the war, his unit must have been attached to 7th Army which is how that patch ended up on the left should of his uniform. His documents don't go into that kind of detail.

I'm excited to have such a well documented uniform in my collection that was worn by one of our black WW2 soldiers.

Thanks for looking...Kim

[Jeeper704]

7th AD & attached units

 

The link above takes you to the website of the 7th Armored Division.

There, you will see that the 446th Truck Co indeed was attached to the 7th AD.

 

Long-Term Attached Units

 

203rd Anti-Aircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion (Self-Propelled)

446th Quartermaster Truck Company

 

507th Counter-Intelligence Corps

814th Tank Destroyer Battalion

3967th Quartermaster Truck Company

 

Erwin

[Croix de Guerre]

Hi, the bio posted on him lists his civilian occupation as a "Motion Picture Director". I work in the film industry myself. Do you know anything about his career or could you check with his niece to find out more?

[kfields]

I think the "motion picture director" thing was a mistake somewhere along the way although I'll check with his neice. He worked at WrightPat after the war for 40+ years, I think as some sort of civilian ground crew member. However I'll check just to make sure. Kim