Rag House Airborne Pickups in Years past

[louie]

This one also came out during the same trip. Went off to Ebay and now in Iowa.

[Corpsmancollector]

Well guys,

 

It's a sunny afternoon over here in the UK and a slow day in the office so I thought I'd read through some old posts to pass the lunch hour. This is by far one of my favorites! Not only are the uniforms first class, but the stories about milling are just fantastic to read. Makes me want to get out there and hit all the second hand stores, antique markets, rag markets (there's one not far from me, of sorts) and vintage clothing stores!

 

Thanks for the entertainment :twothumbup:

[NickD]

its just jaw dropping Ive only had a quick look through this thread & im speechless the sheer quantity & quality of these items is astounding im just glad there are people like your selves out there saving these pieces of history from being permanently destroyed great job guys :twothumbup:

[louie]

its just jaw dropping Ive only had a quick look through this thread & im speechless the sheer quantity & quality of these items is astounding im just glad there are people like your selves out there saving these pieces of history from being permanently destroyed great job guys :twothumbup:

 

I don't find stuff like I used to buy these items popped up this Monday in the mills. I found an orange flight suit from 1960, a pair of poplin ERDL pants, a 1st Inf.Div jungle jacket, and a nice Ike jacket

[louie]

I don't find stuff like I used to buy these items popped up this Monday in the mills. I found an orange flight suit from 1960, a pair of poplin ERDL pants, a 1st Inf.Div jungle jacket, and a nice Ike jacket

[louie]

Here is the Ike jacket

[louie]

Here is the Ike jacket

 

This nice m51 jacket came out a few months ago. It is torn, but has some real nice patches still on it.

[louie]

This nice m51 jacket came out a few months ago. It is torn, but has some real nice patches still on it.

[36-tex]

This is by far my favorite thread on the forum. Keep it coming Louie!

[louie]

close up of the patch.

[1944]

Louie,

 

I must say you have got some truely amazing finds there

very nice indeed i am stunned :ermm: to think of the great job you are doing

in preserving Us Military History like that,

You are doing a great job and keep the good work up Thanks for sharing.

 

Brilliant Uniforms you have aquired there. :thumbsup: .

 

Regards

Tomás.

[louie]

Here is an interesting pre war officer's blouse I pulled out of the rags in the 90's.

[louie]

Here is an interesting pre war officer's blouse I pulled out of the rags in the 90's.

Look what I found in the left front upper pocket

[louie]

Here is a Korean War Ike from a finance guy with all nice Japanese bullion insignia also from this era.

[louie]

Here is a nice double patched German made SSI patched Ike jacket from a 7th Army trooper.

[louie]

Notice how they ripped out the WW2 label, and inserted a label for the Korean War. Reissued, but don't ask why they would bother to rip out the 1944 label?

[louie]

Notice how they ripped out the WW2 label, and inserted a label for the Korean War. Reissued, but don't ask why they would bother to rip out the 1944 label?

[louie]

The label is from the Korean Comm Z Ike jacket

[Captainofthe7th]

Great stuff, Louie. Keep 'em coming. I love seeing the uniforms you've dug out.

 

Rob

[Daniel R Potter]

This Jacket belonged to my father and was stolen from our family home in 1980. My father died in 1985 and after the jacket was taken we had no hope of ever seeing it again. We would like to have it returned but I have been informed it was sold today on ebay. Would someone please contact the seller and have him contact me. Our family has no knowledge of who took the jacket and I am not accusing this poster of taking it. But it does belong to us regardless of who now holds it and it should be returned.

This is the DDay guy

[Johan Willaert]

This Jacket belonged to my father and was stolen from our family home in 1980. My father died in 1985 and after the jacket was taken we had no hope of ever seeing it again. We would like to have it returned but I have been informed it was sold today on ebay. Would someone please contact the seller and have him contact me. Our family has no knowledge of who took the jacket and I am not accusing this poster of taking it. But it does belong to us regardless of who now holds it and it should be returned.

 

The rightful ownership should not be discussed publicly on this forum.

Please contact the topic starter through our message service and take the issue off board.

It is a matter between the current owner and yourself and as such no-one else should be involved.

 

Further posts regarding ownership discussion will be removed.

 

I hope you can work out things,

 

Johan

[Daniel R Potter]

I must tell this forum that Louie was great and after discussing the issue of the Jacket with our family returned the jacket to us. It is an amazing story of bad and good luck which ended with Louie returning the jacket to my father's family. Thank you very much Louie. We will be forever grateful to you for saving my father's Ike Jacket and this small part of our family history. You are a true American Hero.

 

Dan Potter

Son of

George L. Potter Jr.

Easy Co. 506 PIR

101st Airborne

2-43 through 11-45

 

This Jacket belonged to my father and was stolen from our family home in 1980. My father died in 1985 and after the jacket was taken we had no hope of ever seeing it again. We would like to have it returned but I have been informed it was sold today on ebay. Would someone please contact the seller and have him contact me. Our family has no knowledge of who took the jacket and I am not accusing this poster of taking it. But it does belong to us regardless of who now holds it and it should be returned.

[louie]

I am glad it got back to your family. I had to excuse myself from a Dutch bidder, who had no idea, as neither did I on the history of this jacket. He was understanding of the situation and said I should get it back to the family. Sadly, most will never get back to the rightful owners because they were dumped years ago when most could have cared less for U.S. stuff. 99% of my stuff came out of thrift stores or rag houses as did this jacket because someone tossed it out. I would get these there because no one would fix up a jacket that usually sold for $4 to maybe 10.00. Up until not that long ago the German stuff always was desired, but the U.S. stuff was basically seen as surplus. I have been a history buff since the late fifties, and always liked military stuff. Thanks to Wailuna, I found out about my cousin who was in the 501st PIR and killed in Holland during the war. Another was w/ the 517th and survived. My cousin Richard Macias was killed on Iwo Jima w/ the 5th Marine Division and his name is in the book. I am a former Marine, and retired from the A.F. reserve after more than 20. My brother was in the 82nd Airborne in the early 50's so you can see it runs in the blood. A fellow collector of Marine items named Bob found a beautiful Airborne officer's blouse w/ all bullion insignia one day at the dump! Another guy I've known for years would just cut the patches off, and toss out the jackets one after another. I wish I could have picked up more, but uniforms unlike patches take up a lot of room. I am glad this is one of those very rare cases where after 30 years it got back to the family who can now treasure it for it's historical and sentimental value.

'

[36-tex]

You sir are a great person!

[kammo-man]

Nice end to this story .

 

I for one work some of the same Rag houses as Louie and can tell you most if not everything comes from thrift stores all over the US to be ripped up and turned into carper underlay , wiping rags for garages , filler for mattresses and town apart with NO regard what the item is ...or was ...its a recycling business.

Just like tossing that can into the blue trash container ,folks throw out their old war stuff ,glad to be gone with it .

Louie has a great eye for picking some of the nations treasures out of the trash heap and looking after them for future generations to enjoy.

Thank you L .

 

owen