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Named Theater made 8th USAAF Ike Lined with Fallschrimjager Parachute


Lucky 7th Armored
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Lucky 7th Armored

Hi all, I picked this one up at last years MAAM WWII Weekend in Reading PA. I was hoping to be able to ID it based on the laundry tags named “RAINEY” but haven’t nailed it down 100%. 
 

I’m hoping I can lean on some forum members who might be able to solve it for me. Maybe some context clues that the uniform is giving us which I’m not picking up on. 
 

I found a distinguished COL LeRoy A Rainey who is well documented but I don’t want to automatically assume it is him. I believe the buttons are Italian made which leads me to think someone who not only served in the ETO but the MTO as well. 
 

It is a super cool uniform with bullion patches and lined with fallschrimjager parachute so I’d love to be able to nail this one down! Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

Haydn 

 

 

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I know I am going to get a lot of push back on this because people will say it maybe, might have, possibly, could have been done. But I find it highly unlikely that a major would spend the money to for a tailor made jacket, professionally lined with parachute silk,  buy bullion insignia and then have them sewn on by a five year old. Given the the quality of everything and the money spent why would he not have had the tailor who made it and probably sold him the insignia sew on the insignia?  It makes no sense that someone who cares enough about his uniform  to have one like this made would walk around with insignia with huge randomly spaced stitches and exposed raw edges. It looks to me like someone took several good things and tried to make one great thing but did not have the skill or patients to do it.

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I am fairly sure that I have an example of a 4 pocket jacket from an airmen where the patch is sewn in nearly the exact same way, although I believe that is on a sergeant's uniform. I think there is merit to the argument that such a high ranking officer who clearly cared so much about appearance would have had a better job done sewing it on, but I think it is not enough to determine that the uniform is no good based on that fact alone. Hopefully researching the name is fruitful and you can find a picture with the vet wearing it which would show if it had been altered or not. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Why the bullion sewn-on rank (which is likely to change) but pin-on collar brass?

 

Maybe it's just me, but this reminds me of the eBay seller that puts these together. 

 

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On 8/2/2020 at 1:01 PM, jim46 said:

The absence of cuff braid indicates that it is not even an officer's jacket in the first place.

 

Not really a good indicator on Ike jackets.

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This looks very much like a cut down enlisted four pocket. The tailoring is outstanding until you get to the REALLY crappy sewing job when you start looking at the insignia. I think that we can all agree that the tailor that made the jacket sure didn't apply the insignia!

 

Allann

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Lucky 7th Armored

Thanks for all the feedback, everyone! I did notice the shoddy sewing but was leaning towards the, “it could’ve happened” train of thought. I dont think this is an estateman94 or iliketoshop83 creation as suggested earlier. 
 

I paid less than the sum of parts on it so either way I’m not too upset if it’s good or crapola.


Thanks again for the comments!

 

Haydn

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