STARS AND STRIPES BOUT WINNER BELT USMC R.B.RYAN

[Rambo7]

Hi i have a collection of military items American and German i need help identifying and if possible a value of item. Any help would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks Chris 

[Rambo7]

On 9/27/2025 at 8:15 PM, Rambo7 said:

Hi i have a collection of military items American and German i need help identifying and if possible a value of item. Any help would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks Chris 

Please help identifying,  thank you 

[themick]

All I can say is that the belt is a very nice pre-war USMC garrison belt, worn on the Green and Khaki blouses.  Those pre war ones are themselves hard to find. 

 

Steve 

[Rambo7]

Thanks Steve I can't find any information on it. Has R.B. Ryan as Bout winner.  Very neat item. Wish I could find out more about it 

[Rambo7]

Thanks Mick

[themick]

Re:  Stars and Stripes boxing bout

Here is an article in a current issue of S&S about a boxing bout held recently in Japan.  While your belt deals with an event during WWII (1944 I think), this might give you an idea of what these things are about.  I know the Marines used to be big on boxing.  My Dad was a Marine boxing coach on the USS Nevada before the war.  So, it would seem your belt belonged to a USMC participant of one of these bouts held at Camp Pendelton in 1944.  This might give you a bit of context for your nice belt.

 

Steve  

[themick]

On 10/25/2025 at 7:20 PM, themick said:

Re:  Stars and Stripes boxing bout

Here is an article in a current issue of S&S about a boxing bout held recently in Japan.  While your belt deals with an event during WWII (1944 I think), this might give you an idea of what these things are about.  I know the Marines used to be big on boxing.  My Dad was a Marine boxing coach on the USS Nevada before the war.  So, it would seem your belt belonged to a USMC participant of one of these bouts held at Camp Pendelton in 1944.  This might give you a bit of context for your nice belt.

 

Steve  

Here's the link - seems I neglected to include it.    

https://www.stripes.com/branches/air_force/2025-06-11/yokota-airman-wins-pro-boxing-debut-18083757.html

[AxolotlHelmet]

Can't find any evidence for him being the original owner or not, but Actor Robert B. Ryan (played Brig. Gen. Gavin in The Longest Day) was the heavyweight boxing champion at Dartmouth during the 30s, and during the war he was a drill instructor at Camp Pendleton for some time. Thus, it possibly could belong to him.

[themick]

1 hour ago, AxolotlHelmet said:

Can't find any evidence for him being the original owner or not, but Actor Robert B. Ryan (played Brig. Gen. Gavin in The Longest Day) was the heavyweight boxing champion at Dartmouth during the 30s, and during the war he was a drill instructor at Camp Pendleton for some time. Thus, it possibly could belong to him.

That's fantastic!!  Robert B. Ryan.  Here it is:  Distinguished U.S. actor and longtime civil rights campaigner Robert Bushnell Ryan was born in Chicago, Illinois, to Mable Arbutus (Bushnell), a secretary, and Timothy Aloysius Ryan, whose wealthy family owned a real estate firm. His father was of Irish ancestry, and his mother was of English and Irish descent. Ryan served in the United States Marines as a drill sergeant (winning a boxing championship) and went on to become a key figure in post WWII American Film Noir and western productions.   https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0752813/bio/    Also, Ryan was at Pendleton from January 1944 through part of 1945.  This fits perfectly!!

Steve 

[Rambo7]

Hi i don't really know value, you helped me with figuring it out,  I appreciate 

[The Rooster]

On 10/17/2025 at 9:18 PM, Rambo7 said:

Please help identifying,  thank you 

Hmmmmm.

What do you think?

If it was his, Its valuable beyond

normal value.

I had no idea he was a Marine... If this is indeed your guy...?

How do you prove it though? Provenance?

 

 

 

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/19472/robert-ryan

 

Robert Ryan VVeteran Famous memorial

Original Name

Robert Bushnell Ryan

Birth

11 Nov 1909

Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, USA

Death

11 Jul 1973 (aged 63)

New York, New York County, New York, USA

Burial

Cremated, Ashes scattered

 

Actor. Born in Chicago, Illinois, as Robert Bushnell Ryan, he was a distinguished performer on both the screen and television. He graduated from Dartmouth College, New Hampshire, in 1932, having held the school's heavyweight boxing title all four years. He studied acting in Hollywood and appeared on stage and in small film parts for RKO Radio Pictures during the early 1940s. During World War II, he served in the United States Marines as a Drill Instructor and won several service boxing championships. After the service, he resumed acting with a breakthrough film role as a killer in "Crossfire" (1947)

 

 

 

"Yes, actor Robert Ryan won a boxing championship while serving as a drill instructor in the United States Marine Corps during World War II

. A skilled boxer, he was also the four-year undefeated heavyweight champion at Dartmouth College before his acting career. 

WWII Service: Ryan served in the Marines and won a boxing championship during his service.

Boxing Background: He was a accomplished collegiate boxer.

Film Roles: His real-life boxing experience was often used in his film roles, most famously playing an aging boxer in The Set-Up (1949). "

 

"Actor Robert Ryan was stationed at

Camp Pendleton in Southern California during World War II. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in January 1944 and served as a drill instructor there from 1944 until his discharge in November 1945. "

 

A retread of what others found but value has to be up there...