Jump Wings (With Combat Stars)

[pfrost]

On the other end of the spectrum this from a 508th vet.

 

This is from Frank Strovika and he was awarded the DFC in early January of 1945 as the 82nd began its breakout of Bastigone (We have his DSC and bronze star as well as many of this patches).

 

Basically, he ran across a field, captured a couple of 88s, killed the crews, then went on and captured some machine gun nests, then captured some more 88s. All of this took place in front of General Ridgeway who was duly impressed with Strovika's heroics.

 

Patrick

[APO472]

On the other end of the spectrum this from a 508th vet.

 

This is from Frank Strovika and he was awarded the DFC in early January of 1945 as the 82nd began its breakout of Bastigone (We have his DSC and bronze star as well as many of this patches).

 

Basically, he ran across a field, captured a couple of 88s, killed the crews, then went on and captured some machine gun nests, then captured some more 88s. All of this took place in front of General Ridgeway who was duly impressed with Strovika's heroics.

 

Patrick

 

 

Patrick,

 

AWESOME grouping! And you are very right about the wings don't have to be "pretty" to be right. I would love to know more about Strovika on a personal note. AB DSC winners are very few and far between. I did have the opportunity to get to know Maggie Megellas over the years and we finally met in Holland a few weeks ago. It was a great experience. If I get a chance I will post a few pictures of RD Winters' wings if people don't mind.

 

Currahee

 

Jake Powers

[pfrost]

The Strovika group is my dads. He got it out of a New York estate. Likely it was never touched after Mr. Strovika returned from the war and put his stuff away. I posted his stuff in a WAF thread a year ago or so:

 

http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/sho...ght=paratrooper

 

Because Strovika was one of the first guys to be rotated home, it seems he never made it into the 508th unit history done just after the war. However, we were able to find the GO for his DSC in the national archives. In fact, this incident that earned him the medal is mentioned in at least one of the unit histories, but I don't think he is mentioned by name.

 

Basically, he led a charge across a field (it may have been at Foy IIRC) and captured some 88's, then captured some machine gun nests, and then moved on and captured some other 88s. By happenstance, it seems that Gen. Ridgeway observed him during the battle and remarked that he was the "bravest soldier he ever saw". I think the GO even mention that statement!

 

In any case Strovika, went through Normandy to the end of the war without ever getting wounded.

 

As you can imagine, it is the jewel in the crown of our airborne collection.

 

Patrick

[Jeeper704]

This is from Frank Strovika and he was awarded the DFC in early January of 1945 as the 82nd began its breakout of Bastigone (We have his DSC and bronze star as well as many of this patches).

 

Sorry?

Bastigone = Bastogne?

You mean the 101st?

 

Erwin

[GIKyle]

Oh how I wish this was attributed...

 

 

Uniform of an 82nd Arty Officer. According to his son he came ashore Utah o/a D-Day, then jumped into Holland. Still working on trying to verify that.

 

 

Kyle

[GIKyle]

Sorry its blurry, but its the only photo I have handy. This bracelet has a man's name engraved underneath the wing but I've just left it be.

 

Kyle

 

[pfrost]

Sorry?

Bastigone = Bastogne?

You mean the 101st?

 

Erwin

 

Ooops, you are correct. I was thinking about the BofB episode that showed the battle of Foy, which happened around the same time he got his DSC, which It was sometime in January of 1945. I had just cut and pasted from a previous post that compounded the error.

 

Patrick

[glenm]

I would love to figure out who this guy was. I have a couple of his pictures, one showing him with a group of soldiers in company D, 505th before Normandy.

 

One of the names I MAY have associated with him is Edward Kanare. But, at this point, I have run into a brick wall concerning him. Here are some of the other photos from this grouping:

 

http://pfrost.bol.ucla.edu/airborne.html

 

One day, someone will ID this guy for me.

 

Patrick

 

The Distinguished (Presidential) unit Citation with two oakleaves is unusual to say the least, especially on an 82nd 4-pocket Jacket.

 

The 2/505th only had one oakleaf for a second award, and although that was awarded for a WWII operation, it only came in post-war as far as records show (or don't show...).

 

Cheers,

Glen.

[101combatvet]

If those pictures of England actually include your man then more then likely he missed the Holland jump, that may have been from wounds received in Normandy. More then likely if he was in "D" company he was a replacement and few would have remembered him. The studio shot was most likely taken after 1946. A clue might be a casualty list for Normandy.

 

Here is a photo of an 82nd paratrooper wearing a pair of jump wings with the star. I have a few examples of jump wings with the jump star, but no good scans right now.

 

Patrick

[VMI88]

Here's my favorite jump wing, a British-made Ludlow with a star affixed:

[VMI88]

This view of the reverse shows how a blob of solder was used to hold the star in place. You can see a few letters of the manufacturer's name peeking out of each side:

[VMI88]

This set of wings is post-WWII, but almost certainly belonged to a WWII veteran:

[VMI88]

A view of the reverse, showing the markings and the wires attaching the stars:

[longs231]

Thanks for sharing - Great post.

[HBT]

507/508 PIR vet. Jump wing star for Varsity jump.

 

---Chris

[HBT]

466th PFA vet. Jump wing star for Varsity jump.

 

---Chris

[HBT]

Another pic of the 466th PFA vet beside his uniform.

 

---Chris

[pfrost]

On the other end of the spectrum this from a 508th vet.

 

This is from Frank Strovika and he was awarded the DFC in early January of 1945 as the 82nd began its breakout of Bastigone (We have his DSC and bronze star as well as many of this patches).

 

Basically, he ran across a field, captured a couple of 88s, killed the crews, then went on and captured some machine gun nests, then captured some more 88s. All of this took place in front of General Ridgeway who was duly impressed with Strovika's heroics.

 

Patrick

 

For some reason, I keep misspelling his name. He was S/SGT Frank Sirovika, in 2nd platoon, Comp. G.

 

Here is the citation for his DSC.

 

Sirovica, Frank L. - Citation: Staff Sergeant Frank L. Sirovica, 32044934, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, United States Army. For extraordinary heroism in action against the enemy on 7 January 1945, in Belgium. When his company's advance was halted by a devastating barrage from enemy high-velocity guns, small arms, and machine guns, Staff Sergeant Sirovica led his platoon in a charge across open ground toward the gun positions. As a result of his courageous action, three machine guns and three 88mm guns were neutralized. After reorganizing, the company again advanced, only to encounter direct fire from a German artillery weapon. Ignoring the intense fire, Staff Sergeant Sirovica moved forward alone toward the hostile gun position, killed two members of the crew and forced the remainder to surrender. Still advancing aggressively, he personally attacked four cabins, killing several Germans and capturing many others. Entered military service from New York.

[glenm]

For some reason, I keep misspelling his name. He was S/SGT Frank Sirovika, in 2nd platoon, Comp. G.

 

Here is the citation for his DSC.

 

Sirovica, Frank L. - Citation: Staff Sergeant Frank L. Sirovica, 32044934, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, United States Army. For extraordinary heroism in action against the enemy on 7 January 1945, in Belgium.

 

Hi Patrick,

 

That will be at Thier-du-Mont ridge:

 

 

This pic is from here:

 

Ardennes 82nd Airborne Commemorative March, February 2007

 

Cheers,

Glen.

[John Cooper]

Glen - as mentioned in my PM I appreciate the photo you posted.

 

Here is a random thought - since there have been some interesting Jump Wing threads anyone interesed is starting a new thread with as many examples of various makers and maybe some photos or other related things.

 

I think it would make an excelent reference.

 

John

 

(sorry for the temp thread hijack)

[glenm]

Hi John,

 

Thought I should probably put on here the info I sent you in that PM so Patrick et al can see it as well... sorry for going off-topic slightly as well.

 

Having walked up that long slope towards that treeline at Thier-du-Mont a few times now, it is a daunting assault - the ground was covered in snow, and the fields were separated with barbed-wire fences as they are now.

 

We once kicked up the remains of a .50 Cal position on the right flank in support that had been totally destroyed by a German shell - only mangled bits remained.

 

The most sobering description from one of the veterans of the assault is from one guy who saw his friend's head get taken straight off by a 88mm shell as it passed by on flat trajectory. Not good.

 

And once they got up there, as they had been made to drop their wool overcoats before the assault, and any blankets or other shelter materials were back behind the lines, guys froze to death that night as they consolidated the ridgeline's ex-German positions.

 

The 82nd's area in the Ardennes is rife with tales like this. It is sometimes haunting when you are walking over the battlefields and you suddenly understand the attack route that they followed, which previously didn't really make that much impact after having simply seen them on a non-contoured map.

 

The 504th's attack on Cheneux is another horribly "planned" one, with paratroopers advancing over open fields with barbed wire fences to climb over, going down a slope towards Germans dug in with MG's and 20mm Flak Wagons. The 551st campaign followed one bad attack order from the 82nd HQ after another. I could go on, but I'm definitely drifting from the topic now!

 

Will dig out a named 456th PFAB wing I've got that has one combat star on it to get this back on track! haha

 

Cheers,

Glen.

[Shade Ruff]

Here is a photo of an 82nd paratrooper wearing a pair of jump wings with the star. I have a few examples of jump wings with the jump star, but no good scans right now.

 

Patrick

 

Patrick,

 

After reviewing the other image on your web site and examining this image more closely, I offer the following for your consideration:

 

1) He wears the 1st Allied Airborne Army combat patch on his right shoulder. The 82nd Abn Division was assigned to this Army as of the Army's formation on 2 August 1944.

 

2) The only parachute infantry regiment assigned to the 82nd Abn Division that was awarded three Presidential Unit Citations (PUC) during WW II was the 504th PIR. This trooper displays a total of three PUCs over his right breast pocket.

 

3) Although it is difficult to ascertain with 100% certainty given this is a B&W image, his airborne wing background trimming could well be that of the 504th PIR (medium blue center with a yellow/golden border).

 

Observations:

 

1) Although he was on active duty for at least 12 months before 7 December 1941 - Pearl Harbor - as evidenced by his American Defense Service Medal, I find it starange that he appears to be a Private in rank with no stripe(s). Discipline wise, he couldn't have been too bad of a trooper as he wears the Army Good Conduct Medal.

 

2) My guess is that the combat star displayed on his jump wings is for participation in the Operation Market Garden combat jump. The three campaign stars on his European-Africa-Middle East Campaign service ribbon are likely for serving with the 504th/82nd during the three campaigns it was credited for post-D-Day.

 

Regards,

 

Shade Ruff

[USMCRECON]

Here are a couple of mine. Top is 502nd PIR. Middle is (I believe) 507th PIR. Both of these are attached to uniforms and are sterling with metal stars. The bottom one is unattached. I don't know what unit it's from but these have an embroidered para-wing with metal stars (look like campaign stars) pushed through the cloth/embroidery.

 

 

 

[dvl]

My wife has her Dad's 82nd/505 jump wings, sterling with no stars. He did all four combat jumps so I'm wondering if the brothers-in-law have any 4 star wings of his. I'll certainly ask! Thanks for the educational topic.

[Retired]

Here are a couple of mine. Top is 502nd PIR. Middle is (I believe) 507th PIR. Both of these are attached to uniforms and are sterling with metal stars. The bottom one is unattached. I don't know what unit it's from but these have an embroidered para-wing with metal stars (look like campaign stars) pushed through the cloth/embroidery.

 

 

 

 

Here is a close-up of the ribbons and other insignia on the uniform of CPT Fred Johnson, from Coffeyville, Kansas. He made a combat jump into Sicily with the 82nd Airborne, was wounded in Italy and missed the rest of WWII. He was called back into service for Korea and made a jump with the 187th A/B Regimental Combat team. Note the two combat jump stars on the pinback wings.

 

Retired