digi-shots Posted April 14, 2019 Share #1 Posted April 14, 2019 Still doing research on this new grouping, but here is what I have so far.The veteran enlisted on December 19, 1942 and was captured exactly 2 years from this date during the Battle of The Bulge - Bastogne. The 326th Airborne Medical Company was captured by the Germans and approx. 130 members of the Medical Company were taken prisoner.His name shows up on the After Action Report as MIA and later listed as a POW at Stalag 4B Muhlberg Sachsen 51-13. The camp was liberated by the Russians in April 1945. Stalag IVB was one of the largest prisoner of war camps during WWII.The ring in the photo is made of bakelite and has his photo embedded in the top. These rings are sometimes known as mourning rings. He was married at the time and my guess is that his wife had it made as a remembrance of him.... perhaps after learning he was missing in action.Thanks for looking! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digi-shots Posted April 14, 2019 Author Share #2 Posted April 14, 2019 Close up of ring Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digi-shots Posted April 14, 2019 Author Share #3 Posted April 14, 2019 Combat Medic Badge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digi-shots Posted April 14, 2019 Author Share #4 Posted April 14, 2019 Back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digi-shots Posted April 14, 2019 Author Share #5 Posted April 14, 2019 Medical glider patch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John4022 Posted April 14, 2019 Share #6 Posted April 14, 2019 It doesn't get much better than this! Congratulations!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digi-shots Posted April 14, 2019 Author Share #7 Posted April 14, 2019 Thanks, John! Here are some close up pics of the glider wing badges.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digi-shots Posted April 14, 2019 Author Share #8 Posted April 14, 2019 Looks like he scratched his initials on the back of the top badge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manayunkman Posted April 16, 2019 Share #9 Posted April 16, 2019 Excellent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Kibler Posted April 16, 2019 Share #10 Posted April 16, 2019 Very nice group! Well done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEAST Posted April 16, 2019 Share #11 Posted April 16, 2019 Really nice group! Thanks for posting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junior45 Posted April 16, 2019 Share #12 Posted April 16, 2019 Brilliant, thanks for sharing! JEB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manayunkman Posted April 16, 2019 Share #13 Posted April 16, 2019 Not too many people know about mourning rings. That one is a beauty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digi-shots Posted April 16, 2019 Author Share #14 Posted April 16, 2019 Thanks for all the comments! The ring is really nice... I was unaware of them. I knew about Victorian mourning jewelry but had not seen these rings. I can only imagine the heartbreak his wife felt when she learned he was MIA. Fortunately, he was later listed as a POW. I would imagine she continued to wear the ring for the duration and his homecoming. The ring came in a light green plastic case with the name of their hometown and jewelers name. They are no longer in business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manayunkman Posted April 16, 2019 Share #15 Posted April 16, 2019 Years ago I had a shadow box from a WW2 KIA. There were 3 pictures of him in the box and each one had a frame made from human hair woven in intricate patterns. Mourning jewelry was also made of human hair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobgee Posted April 16, 2019 Share #16 Posted April 16, 2019 Wonderful group. Congrats! Bobgee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digi-shots Posted April 16, 2019 Author Share #17 Posted April 16, 2019 I just renewed my ancestry account and found some info on him... enlistment record, POW record and burial info. I have sent off to NARA for his records, hopefully his records are still intact. I do not have Fold3 which might shed some light on his time with the 101st. I do not know if he participated in D-Day or Operation Market Garden (Holland), I’m thinking he probably did. The 326th Airborne Medical Company was there, just not sure if he was. From what I read, the glider infantry, including the 326th AMC, arrived by air in two waves into Belgium ((Battle of the Bulge). There is quite a bit written about the 326th Medical, especially their capture by the Germans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digi-shots Posted April 16, 2019 Author Share #18 Posted April 16, 2019 Heres a copy of a portion of the Battle of the Bulge After Action Report listing the Casualty/Missing in Action troopers: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gravecreek Posted April 16, 2019 Share #19 Posted April 16, 2019 Such a great grouping ! Congratulations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt-M Posted April 18, 2019 Share #20 Posted April 18, 2019 A few years back, I sold a POW diary from a trooper who was in this unit, captured, was a POW, and was from Youngstown, Ohio. Since it was only his Wartime Log diary and some POW letters, I made the choice to pass it along, but I know it's out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katieony Posted April 18, 2019 Share #21 Posted April 18, 2019 Very nice group...congrats! Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now