M42 Jump Trousers w/ two names.

[louie]

I have had these for years and never thought of looking these guys up. Anyone have a roster w/ these names on it. Both are not common last names, Peloquin, and next to that is, Franko, 0438?. Thanks for any help.

[louie]

I guess there are too many paratroopers on rosters, and I usually never have a clue on how to look them up. I looked at a few web sites ,but found nothing.

[doyler]

Sometimesv it close to impossible to identify a name or number.May take years or minutes.Some rosters are not complete.Some information lost or hazy.

 

I have several items from a 506th vet.All having names other than his.He was injured in a non combat accident after the war.Once out of the hospital he had to borrow what he could beg or scrounge.He said the medics at the hospital stole his jump boots and other clothing.He was being sent back for attachment to a unit inn order to go to the Pacific.Instead of being court martialed for his infraction and subsequent injury Col.Sink was sending them to be reassigned.They had the last laugh as they got home and the war ended so they were discharged.

 

Anyway I even have his discharge.Mentions he was discharged as part of the 513th PIR.No mention of the

506TH OR 101st.If I hadnt met him and spent a couple of years talking to him none of this would match up or make sense to the purist or collectors world.Im sure if ever sold its "just a story" and "put together" group.

 

Sadly the biggest part of collecting or collectors these days is they buy items and never talk to the vet/family and have to rely on an obscure number or name to prove real or fake.

[Kadet]

Well...Joseph J Franko 12020438 is your man. He died in 2010 and was in the 82nd. His obit is online if you google his name

[doyler]

There ya go.Sounds like a match.

 

Great research Kadet.

[fritsj]

Mitchell Peloquin was also a member of an artillery unit of the 82nd Airborne Division. He was a late replacement after operation Market-Garden.

[louie]

Thank you guys very much. I bought these over 20 years ago in a thrift store, so I would guess they belonged to Peloquin. Maybe Franko turned in his trousers?? Since he died in 2010 and wasn't KIA seems strange that two guys had to share pants.

[Kadet]

Tough to say. These were field uniforms, and were passed around within units. I own a complete set that had three different owners. Not unusual at all

[doyler]

Agree with Kadet.

 

Pretty common to see the jackets and trousers with several names and numbers at times.

[louie]

You know you are right. I talked w/ a guy once who said when tankers were killed in their vehicles, the guys who had to clean them out would keep the tanker jackets. He said they would soak them in a river, or cold water soak them, and then keep them. Seems sort of macabre, but if you want or need a jacket that's hard to get, why not? I have many Marine uniform blouses from WW2 that have 2, and even a few that had three names stamped in them. I guess when they left for the Pacific they turned in their wool coats. No need for them in tropic climates.