What to do with the Pro-Kit?

[srossio]

Ok everyone, I have a funny dilemma.
I was recently approached by an individual who wanted me to include his father's WWII uniform in a display that I do annually during November (his father had passed away earlier in the year). I agreed and a few days later he reverently presented me with his father's Ike Jacket which had just been dry-cleaned. He told me how excited he was to have the uniform on display and how reverent he was toward his father whom he respected immensely (I should add that this individual does not have much of a sense of humor, is extremely religious and has placed his father on a high pedestal). The uniform, he told me, was going to be passed onto a great-grandson (11 years old) when the display was finished. A grandchild who idolized his great-grandfather!

As I prepared the uniform for display I placed it on a torso and noticed that it wasn't fitting quite right. I checked the outside breast pockets and found them empty. I then checked the interior left pocket and pulled out a 7524 "Pro-Kit." I found myself snickering as I held the item in my hand. I then checked the right interior pocket and found an additional 7524 "Pro-Kit" which made me snicker even louder (which actually turned into a rather long laugh). I placed them on my desk and put the uniform on display. The family (wife, sons, grandkids, great-grandkids, etc..) showed up and absolutely loved it. There were smiles and tears all around. I took the son aside and asked if he had ever checked the pockets. He assured me he had and he hadn't found anything (my guess is he didn't know about the interior pockets).

So here is the dilemma...Do I...
1) replace the kits where I found them when the display is over and say nothing?
2) show him what I found in the pockets and hope that he finds it funny (doubt it)?
3) leave them out to preserve the memory of their dad grand-dad and great grand-dad?

Let me know your thoughts and if you have had similar experiences...

Thanks,

Steve

[Ronny67]

Hey Steve,

 

I was going through my Grandfather's Ike jacket and I found a passage coin from a London "Gentlemens'" club.

 

I laughed and I cherish it as part of his memory.

 

I think the pro kits are an excellent way of remembering the solder as a normal man with needs. It is easy to think of the "great generation" as above such things but in reality it is fun personal items that always remind us collectors of the humility of the average WWII soldier.

 

They were the soldier's pro-kits, issued in war time. They should remain with the display.

[yp221]

Put them back where you found them and call it a day. No awkwardness for you and it leaves the history of the jacket (as well as their image of the father) intact.

[BagmanL6]

#3

[R. Watkins]

Ditto #3

[Bluehawk]

#3

[siege1863]

The Pro-Kits are not yours to dispose of. Although the son seems to have not known of them, they were included with the uniform. You should return the uniform as it was given to you. You do not necessarily have to mention them. Let him make the discovery and the decision as to what to do with them.

[hwright]

#3 also

[MAW]

Ditto the above.

 

Just because the vet was that way once, doesn't mean he was the same later in life.

 

It's all just part of the human story.....leave it intact and have no worries.

[srossio]

Thanks for the comments so far...I don't have to act on this for a few more weeks which gives me a little more time to mull it over.
Just as a side note, I removed them during the display as they made the IKE jacket look wonky when on the torso.

Thanks again,
Steve

[ADMIN]

I am not sure why there is even a question: return the kits to the pocket and return the uniform.

 

The son loaned you the uniform and everything on it for the display. The kits were in the pocket when the uniform was loaned to you to put on display so they are part of the uniform. The son did NOT actually give you anything to permanently keep.

 

Keeping something you are not entitled to (like the kits) would be no different than swiping something off the jacket like a ribbon bar: this is called theft.

[Bugme]

Agreed 100% with Admin and the others. Let me add that I would tell the son that he may want to recheck all the pockets before he passes it on to his grandson. I am a pastor so, I guess you could say I'm religious also. My dad was in the Army during the KW and into the late 50's. If I was told about this by someone like you, and I searched the pockets, I seriously would have found it funny and then removed them before my grandson got it. It would then remain my dads secret and grandpa's patriarch status with my grandson would remain.

[RustyCanteen]

No question; the items must be returned to the pockets as they are not your property. It sounds like the family entrusted you with their history for a temporary display, do not violate that trust.

[Mr.Jerry]

If you feel the need to display them, I would do "on their own" with no connection to and not as part of the uniform/group. Then I would put them back where they came from.

[BagmanL6]

Good Evening. Interesting points being made for all the options. I previously posted my vote for #3. I liken the situation to screening through a Marine's possessions while inventorying it for storage when UA/AWOL/Deserted or when deceased before possessions are turned over to the family. Rightfully or wrongfully anything that could be seen as a discredit to the Marine or embarrassing to the family was culled out. I didn't get the impression that the OP was looking to keep or profit from the items. Just preserving a positive impression of the soldier.

[1SG_1st_Cav]

TO AVOID UPSETTING THE FAMILY IF HIS DAD'S SECRET GETS OUT, I WOULD JUST PUT THEM WHERE THE FAMILY WON'T FIND THEM.

if YOU TELL HIM IT MAY CAUSE A SISTUATION FOR HIM THAT MIGHT REALLY PUT HIM ON THE SPOT!

[Patchcollector]

Well I'm going to be the guy that votes for # 2 and here's why.You stated as soon as the exhibit was finished it was going back to the family to be given to an 11 year old boy.

I believe that it would be thoughtful of you to give the son (the boys Father?) a heads up to let him know what you discovered so that the young boy does'nt end up finding it himself and causing what could be a potentially embarrassing event.This way the son would be able to decide how to handle the situation.I doubt he would be angry,and probably will appreciate you telling him.

[srossio]

Thanks for all opinions everyone. I originally was not going to post my final decision but I felt that after all the thoughts that you shared it was only fair to bring this to a conclusion. Knowing this gentleman and his beliefs as stated in the beginning I was going to leave them out of the uniform. However, this felt like "theft" as was pointed out by a few of you. I knew that I would never be able to keep them so the only alternative would be to throw them out which I also could NOT do so...

​I simply placed them in a plastic zip-lock bag and when I returned the uniform I showed him what I found. I felt that this was a fair "Band-Aid ripping off" solution rather than letting him or his nephews, etc. find them. His reaction was very neutral (neither upset nor amused). He thanked me for telling him and asked me to dispose of them for him. I was worried that this had caused some issue between him and his deceased father so I told him I would be honored to display the uniform again next year during veterans day just to see his reaction. His response was a resounding yes which made me feel a whole lot better about the situation.

​It is funny how personal we can take things as collectors even though we have zero relation to the individuals.

​Thanks again,

Steve

​PS - if anyone has similar stories I'd love to hear them.

[Patchcollector]

I commend you for being "straight up" with him and telling him what you had found.I think that you handled the situation well.

[CW4AFB]

I got a real chuckle out of this discussion because a few years ago my co-author and I struggled with the same topic while we were working on Let's Go! The History of the 29th Infantry Division.

 

As we were photographing the uniforms and equipment from a number of collections and veterans, we came across the two packages you see in the picture below--so we included them ---

 

fortunately most of the vets from WW2 who saw our book got a big chuckle out of seeing the packages out in the open---one did pull me aside and asked why we chose to show them next to the 29th ID "Sweetheart" pillow---I did the only honorable thing, I blamed it on the layout guy...

Al

[jguy1986]

I bought an Ike and pants from the vet's daughter at my local flea market. When I got home I checked the small waist pocket in the pants and found something from the Trojan corporation. I still haven't mentioned any of this to the daughter, who I see regularly at the flea market.

[doyler]

I bought an Ike and pants from the vet's daughter at my local flea market. When I got home I checked the small waist pocket in the pants and found something from the Trojan corporation. I still haven't mentioned any of this to the daughter, who I see regularly at the flea market.

\

 

....uh muzzle cover.