TBMflyer Posted April 16, 2009 Share #1 Posted April 16, 2009 This past week I was lucky enough to obtain the WWII memorabilia of two brothers from Chicago. The Koss brothers, Frank and Joseph both served overseas in the ETO. Frank was a T/5 with A Co. 22nd Armored Engineers, 5th Armored Division. Joe was a Sergeant-Air Gunner in the 15th Air Force, group as yet unknown. Frank’s grouping consists of the following; Ike Jacket, shirt, pants and o/s hat with Armor piping, Cased Bronze Star medal with G.O., all his boxed campaign medals, booklet, books, dog tags, bracelet, rosary, 4-5th Armored SSI’s. There was also the group of 4-5th armored maps showing routes and campaigns, an S-2 map of Europe and 10 maps from the Tennessee Maneuvers. Joe’s lot has; Ike jacket with wings and ribbons, pants, o/s and peaked hats, shirt, dog tags, Air Medal boxed, Italian-made ribbon bar, boxes for his campaign medals, and a neat flare gun. I was fortunate enough to get all of this from his nephew Tom, and will keep it all together. Tom has the A company yard long photo, some family photos and letters which I will get scans of, and perhaps some more as he goes thru boxes at his uncle’s. I will start with Frank as there is more of his stuff. Enjoy, Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBMflyer Posted April 16, 2009 Author Share #2 Posted April 16, 2009 More of Frank's stuff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBMflyer Posted April 16, 2009 Author Share #3 Posted April 16, 2009 Here is some of Joe's items, enjoy, Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamski Posted April 16, 2009 Share #4 Posted April 16, 2009 Wow, nice group!! -Ski Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveR Posted April 16, 2009 Share #5 Posted April 16, 2009 That is the kind of score that you wont find every day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugme Posted April 16, 2009 Share #6 Posted April 16, 2009 Now that is really neat. Congrats on being able to keep the history and memory of these two brothers together and alive! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Dentino Posted April 17, 2009 Share #7 Posted April 17, 2009 Wow. Very nice indeed! I love to see these family grouping together! I know of a person locally that has at least one of these brother groupings and I just love to look at it. This is a truly great addition and something that hopefully will stay together for a long time to come! Congrats on the great score.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBMflyer Posted April 17, 2009 Author Share #8 Posted April 17, 2009 Thanks for the kind words. I could never even think of splitting up these items, they will stay together in my collection. I have some research to do finding what unit Joe was with, I'm hoping the letters that are still around might give me an APO or group identity. Here are a couple more things I have, the pillow sham is from Pine Camp, NY and I thought it neat that Frank had two different styles of dog tag on his chain, a next of kin and a later one. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baker502 Posted April 18, 2009 Share #9 Posted April 18, 2009 Looks like the Air Corps Koss was on a plane that was shot up bad.. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBMflyer Posted April 18, 2009 Author Share #10 Posted April 18, 2009 Yes he was. Thanks to Paul's help, I was able to find out that Joe was a gunner with the 779th BS, 464th BG, 55th BW, a B-24 outfit. I now have a starting point to do more research on him and his crew. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GIKyle Posted April 18, 2009 Share #11 Posted April 18, 2009 Very righteous pickup Mark as the Brother's Adamic continue their Great Finds 2009 tour. Kyle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johan Willaert Posted April 18, 2009 Share #12 Posted April 18, 2009 Super Nice! I've adjusted your pictures for better reading! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccmax Posted April 18, 2009 Share #13 Posted April 18, 2009 Compliments for keeping it all together Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teutonen Posted April 19, 2009 Share #14 Posted April 19, 2009 Very nice and lucky to get both brothers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FriscoHare Posted April 19, 2009 Share #15 Posted April 19, 2009 I concur... very, very nice. Proud to see a Chicago family's grouping all together (I'm originally from Chi-town). And to receive not only the uniforms but the papers, the medals, and other items is inspiring. I'm sure many of us dream to have a grouping like that. Congratulations! ~Rabbit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBMflyer Posted May 1, 2009 Author Share #16 Posted May 1, 2009 Had the good fortune to get some more items of the Koss brothers, including the uniform of Sgt. John Koss, USAAF. John was an instructor here in the States. I also picked up 2 sleeping bags, a B-2 gunner hat, several bullets, ties and other items. Tom still has the photos which I will post as soon as they are available, along with the research I'm still doing. Having the uniforms of 3 brothers is now one of the neatest things in my collection, enjoy, Mark First is the uniform, hat and overcoat of John Koss- I did add the collar brass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBMflyer Posted May 1, 2009 Author Share #17 Posted May 1, 2009 Here are the sleeping bags, the one is named and unit marked to Frank Koss Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBMflyer Posted May 1, 2009 Author Share #18 Posted May 1, 2009 Last one for now, the B-2 'gunners' cap, I'm pretty sure this was Joe Koss' but there is no name or number so I don't know for sure. It is pretty beat up but it was 'there'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baker502 Posted May 1, 2009 Share #19 Posted May 1, 2009 Well since no one will comment on this posting ( typical of the forum these days), glad to see that you got the other Koss borther's uniform. It is a truely awesome grouping..Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted May 2, 2009 Share #20 Posted May 2, 2009 Mark, Congrats on the grand slam ...3 uniforms from one family.Pretty amazing to have all three uniforms(and all the other items) survive all these years.Are you going to send off for the files from NARA??? RD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBMflyer Posted May 2, 2009 Author Share #21 Posted May 2, 2009 Thanks Paul and Ron. I'm going to wait until I get all the copies and paperwork from the family, I know there are discharges and a bunch of letters and photos, when everything is together, I might make the NARA request. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBMflyer Posted August 5, 2020 Author Share #22 Posted August 5, 2020 Bringing this one out of archives since I finally got a photo of the three brothers. This picture was taken in Nov. of 1943 before Joe and Frank headed overseas. You can see the 5th Armored patch on Franks shoulder. Still one of my favorite family groups. Enjoy, Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan H. Posted August 5, 2020 Share #23 Posted August 5, 2020 Mark, This is a really cool grouping to two brothers. Now you need to go find the third brothers' stuff! Allan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katieony Posted August 5, 2020 Share #24 Posted August 5, 2020 Really nice group and glad to see it stay together! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBMflyer Posted August 5, 2020 Author Share #25 Posted August 5, 2020 Allan, I actually have the uniforms for all three of the brothers, John was an instructor stateside-found his wings in the pocket. I'll shoot a 'family photo' of the three uniforms tomorrow. Katieony, thanks, this one is great because it shows one family's sacrifices during the war. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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