rmoore456 Posted July 4, 2007 Share #1 Posted July 4, 2007 On my travels for work I would pass this shop in a small town called Electrolux Collectibles. My thought was always anything is collected by somebody so why not vacuum cleaners? One day for some reason I had the urge to stop. Upon looking around and asking the shop carried new vacuum cleaners and collectibles, she said the sign maker left off the "and". I asked if she had any military, she said no not really just some ribbons, nothing special there. After talking for awhile she mentioned that she some stuff from her uncle that another collector had looked at and made an offer. Ia sked if I could see them and she agreed. In the box was a pair of leggings, a sweater that the back looked like a shotgun hit it was so badly mothed, an M3 fighting knife in M8 sheath and a pair of Japanese flying goggles in their tin, the lenses were badly fogged. Anyway I asked if I could make an offer, she said ok. I offered $125, she said that was a very good offer and would let me know. a couple of days later she called and said the items were mine that the other collector didn't want to go that high. I subsequently sold the goggles for $150 and have the rest. Now about three months later she calls and says she has been doing more cleaning and found more military items. She wanted to know if I was interested and these items had come from a cousin of her father. I asked what she had and she said an Army towel, 48 star flag, two medals in boxes one a star and the other purple and a tube with some pictures. She said she had to have $85 for the lot and she would be in town the next day. Well after seeing the lot I had to buy it. In the photo the items below each medal were inside the case! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmoore456 Posted July 4, 2007 Author Share #2 Posted July 4, 2007 Here are the backs of the medals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmoore456 Posted July 4, 2007 Author Share #3 Posted July 4, 2007 The tube contained a photo of the cemetary where is is buried and these brochures on them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmoore456 Posted July 4, 2007 Author Share #4 Posted July 4, 2007 Heres the aerial photo of the cemetary with an individual photo of the grave. The grave was also circle in pencil on the photo which I have highlighted. This was done by the people sending the photo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmoore456 Posted July 4, 2007 Author Share #5 Posted July 4, 2007 One thing I forgot to mention is that along with these were two newspaper artilcles telling about how Corporal Hansen was killed during Operation Market Garden. He was manning an anti-tank gun when it was assaulted by two German tanks. They got the first but the second got them. I also have his Purple heart Document Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raidercollector Posted July 4, 2007 Share #6 Posted July 4, 2007 Very nice find. good work on getting the other items. Glider para groups are hard to find like that.Can you post the purple heart Doc Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted July 4, 2007 Share #7 Posted July 4, 2007 FANTASTIC FIND!!! The medals are officially engraved. We may see more in shops now that Ebay doesnt allow Purple Hearts to be sold on their site. Most of the small mom and pop antique stores dont know what else to do with them so you can get better deals now. Leslie H Hansen - Cpl KIA Holland 9/28/44 , E Btry 80th Airborne Anti-Aircraft Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division. Buried at: Netherlands American Cemetery Location: Margraten, Netherlands Plot: P Row: 1 Grave: 8 Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmoore456 Posted July 5, 2007 Author Share #8 Posted July 5, 2007 Very nice find. good work on getting the other items. Glider para groups are hard to find like that.Can you post the purple heart DocNick Here it is along with the form letter on posthumous award of the Purple Heart Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JGC Posted July 5, 2007 Share #9 Posted July 5, 2007 Hi Ray, what a great group, I appreciate you posting it. I see you are from central Illinois, I'm located just south of Springfield, in Carlinville. We should try to get together sometime, I collect mostly WWII Army aircorps and airborne. Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurt Barickman Posted July 5, 2007 Share #10 Posted July 5, 2007 Nice, very nice!!! Kurt Barickman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottplen Posted July 5, 2007 Share #11 Posted July 5, 2007 WOW!!! GREAT FIND!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grovb Posted July 7, 2007 Share #12 Posted July 7, 2007 nice find and I assume it came out of Illinois Brandyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmoore456 Posted July 8, 2007 Author Share #13 Posted July 8, 2007 nice find and I assume it came out of Illinois Brandyn Yes, it did. Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ithaca37 Posted February 18, 2008 Share #14 Posted February 18, 2008 Possibly nitpicking, but the DUI shown is for the 326 Glider Infantry Regt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Rock Posted February 18, 2008 Share #15 Posted February 18, 2008 Thank you for posting a great grouping. One of my cousins was mortally wounded in action at La Fiere, France. He was in Co. G, 401st GIR, 101st ABN, which later became Co. L, 325th GIR, 82nd ABN. He died of his wounds 3 days later on 12 June, 1945 at a field hospital in Ste. Mere Eglise. My wife and I visited his grave at the American Cemetery in Coleville Sur Mer and we also visited the Causeway at LaFiere. The 325th played a crucial role in the capture of the Causeway. It was, as I understand, a primary East-West Causeway on the Cotentin Peninsula (a.k.a. Cherbourg Peninsula) at the time. This is where some very heavy fighting occurred and the Germans used armor in an attempt to punch through and regain control of the Causeway. Company G suffered heavy losses on 9 June, 1944. Another East-West Causeway is situated about 2.5 km from LaFiere at Chef du Pont. However, the attack at the Causeway at LaFiere was some of the heaviest small unit action of the ETO. Unfortunately, the role of the 325th has been overshadowed by the actions of the 507 PIR, but that's another story. Great find from a unit that is near and dear to my heart. With best regards, Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loek Posted May 2, 2008 Share #16 Posted May 2, 2008 I'll visit the Magraten cemetery the 5th of may. It's only 15 min driving with my 1975 Vespa The 5th of may is the day all casualties of WWII are remembered (In Holland). Shall I make a picture of Leslie Hansen's white cross for you? The soldier whose grave I'm "adopting" was also KIA with Market Garden. He was killed at the St. Oedenrode area on the 22nd of september. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugme Posted May 2, 2008 Share #17 Posted May 2, 2008 It's finds like this that make collecting so much fun. You hunt and hunt and one day an item of historical value like this presents itself. You are now the curator of this awesome piece of history! Congrats! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAW Posted May 2, 2008 Share #18 Posted May 2, 2008 Nice find! It's always good to get it "out of the woods" so to speak. I'm glad it didn't get broke up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skyligter Posted May 2, 2008 Share #19 Posted May 2, 2008 Are you sure? The 5th of may is the day all casualties of WWII are remembered (In Holland). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loek Posted May 2, 2008 Share #20 Posted May 2, 2008 Are you sure? Sorry, I meant the 4th of may Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamski Posted May 5, 2008 Share #21 Posted May 5, 2008 My lord! What a catch!! Well done on the find! -Ski Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STALAGLUFT1 Posted May 5, 2008 Share #22 Posted May 5, 2008 WOW Excellent grouping. Regards, Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loek Posted May 5, 2008 Share #23 Posted May 5, 2008 Took some pictures today Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmoore456 Posted May 6, 2008 Author Share #24 Posted May 6, 2008 Took some pictures today Thanks for the photos. If it is ok I will print them out to keep with the group. Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IMPERIAL QUEST Posted May 6, 2008 Share #25 Posted May 6, 2008 Wow...I'm speechless...that makes two times this week... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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