Uniform of Sgt. Leonard Doss- Bataan Death March Survivor and FEAF POW

[NDTMilitaria]

Not trying to disprove anything here but that name looks way too hard to read in order to be 100% sure on the ID. Not to mention, the ink looks brand new like it was penned in yesterday...

No offense taken, Id like to get to the bottom of this too. I agree its very rough but Im at least certain it reads G Doss at the end of it, which the only name that matched with it on rosters was Leonard, and once I saw the rank and patches, I was certain with the ID. While its not a great primary source, thats how I interpreted it. I dont believe the name was added in anytime recently as it came to me as being unnamed from a collector, but do you think it was? Open to more comments on that subject as well

[36thIDAlex]

No offense taken, Id like to get to the bottom of this too. I agree its very rough but Im at least certain it reads G Doss at the end of it, which the only name that matched with it on rosters was Leonard, and once I saw the rank and patches, I was certain with the ID. While its not a great primary source, thats how I interpreted it. I dont believe the name was added in anytime recently as it came to me as being unnamed from a collector, but do you think it was? Open to more comments on that subject as well

 

Im almost certain at this point that this is not the ID for this jacket. As mentioned above, survivors were given that bump in rank and if this was his uniform when he came home, it would have very well been made to reflect that. I also do not like the fact it was made in December of 45, these jackets take a few months to travel around before eventually ending up with a specific soldier and considering Doss came home several months before it was even made, makes me doubtful as to how it could be his. The overseas stripes of course represent a major problem, Bataan survivors were proud of how long they spent in hell and did not forget that. The 3 stripes on the jacket would reflect a typical enlistment for a non/Bataan regular soldier who joined the 32nd then FEAF to go home.... someone who served years after Bataan.

 

The SSI also do not make sense. Even if he did re-enlist postwar and somehow served in the 32 as a national guard unit, that should be the patch on his left shoulder and FEAF should be on his right, as it was his original unit that he saw action with in the war. Regardless, I don’t think there‘a enough evidence to even show he was with the 32nd after the war to make that possibility somewhat relevant.

 

Finally, that name looks to have been written in modern ink and as said above, yesterday. The text looks either purposefully scribbled to *almost* look like the name of Leonard Doss but is just too hard to not make it obvious. Even if it was original, I’m not convinced it refers to this man for the reasons above as well as it simply being too difficult to read. I’d also point out I haven’t seen any uniforms where the middle initial is written in lowercase but the other capitalized letters are not.

[NDTMilitaria]

 

Im almost certain at this point that this is not the ID for this jacket. As mentioned above, survivors were given that bump in rank and if this was his uniform when he came home, it would have very well been made to reflect that. I also do not like the fact it was made in December of 45, these jackets take a few months to travel around before eventually ending up with a specific soldier and considering Doss came home several months before it was even made, makes me doubtful as to how it could be his. The overseas stripes of course represent a major problem, Bataan survivors were proud of how long they spent in hell and did not forget that. The 3 stripes on the jacket would reflect a typical enlistment for a non/Bataan regular soldier who joined the 32nd then FEAF to go home.... someone who served years after Bataan.

 

The SSI also do not make sense. Even if he did re-enlist postwar and somehow served in the 32 as a national guard unit, that should be the patch on his left shoulder and FEAF should be on his right, as it was his original unit that he saw action with in the war. Regardless, I dont think therea enough evidence to even show he was with the 32nd after the war to make that possibility somewhat relevant.

 

Finally, that name looks to have been written in modern ink and as said above, yesterday. The text looks either purposefully scribbled to *almost* look like the name of Leonard Doss but is just too hard to not make it obvious. Even if it was original, Im not convinced it refers to this man for the reasons above as well as it simply being too difficult to read. Id also point out I havent seen any uniforms where the middle initial is written in lowercase but the other capitalized letters are not.

 

Man thats a bummer. But given the evidence I think youre probably right on the jacket, theres too much that adds up. And I will say for it to be said that I didnt write the name In there. I know I wasnt accused, but I do take a lot of pride in my integrity and collecting, and wanted to make that clear. I also dont think the collector I got this from did it as I also have him in high regard. I really was hoping it wasnt, but the more I look at it the more I think it is newer ink as well. With that being said what should I do with the name of the consensus is its not original? Cross it out?

[ww2guymandude]

I’ve been following this since it was originally posted and I’d just like to say is that it’s not a bad thing to be optimistic when researching, but when something comes up as a Bataan POW, I would research it 100% down to the smallest detail to make sure it’s the same guy. I would never go out on a public forum claiming it as such unless I knew without a doubt it was the same guy. As far as the writing in the uniform goes, I know the chain of ownership on this jacket and there was never any writing until it was in your possession. That being said, I don’t really know what else to think/say about this whole situation.

[NDTMilitaria]

I’ve been following this since it was originally posted and I’d just like to say is that it’s not a bad thing to be optimistic when researching, but when something comes up as a Bataan POW, I would research it 100% down to the smallest detail to make sure it’s the same guy. I would never go out on a public forum claiming it as such unless I knew without a doubt it was the same guy. As far as the writing in the uniform goes, I know the chain of ownership on this jacket and there was never any writing until it was in your possession. That being said, I don’t really know what else to think/say about this whole situation.

 

In my mind I was 100% confident in the ID, but I will take what you say to mind for the future. I normally do a great deal of research on the uniforms and owners of them In my collection as evident in the few other write ups on here, and I will be more careful in that process in the future. And on the matter of you insisting I have edited this jacket, I still stand on my word. I do not know the chain of ownership as you do, I only know who I got it from. I've never wrongly or falsely edited a uniform or item in my collection, and I haven't started now. I've dealt with many of the people here on the forum through my Instagram which I have used for many years to post my collection, and there are others who will vouch on that. I've always done all in my ability to keep full integrity and respect for the items, their stories, and the people I work with