Newest Uniform Pick-ups!

[36-tex]

Let me first state, I am not a uniform collector per say. But I have a weakness for neat pieces. Here are two items I received this week for the grand sum of $55.00.

 

First up is a neat and completely original 1st ID Ike from the Occupation period. The jacket is dated 1946. The ribbons are theater made and of interest, they are safety pinned on! The guy must not have had the time or money to have them sewed on. The 26th Infantry Regiment DI's are also theater made. Thin metal, painted and screw-backed. The only bad thing is there are several moth bites in it. Oh well, still a nice buy at $30.

[36-tex]

A couple more pictures.

[36-tex]

Also received this fatigue shirt this week. It does have me scratching my head! A 42nd ID patch on the left, 42nd ID Aviation pocket patch, and a China-Burma-India patch on the right. I think it is a Korean era shirt, but wasn't the CBI no longer worn after WWII? Was the guy in the CBI during WWII and then with the 42nd ID post-WWII?

 

OR

 

Is it a put together?

[36-tex]

CBI patch

[shrapneldude]

Weird stuff is always the best stuff!

Looks like a nice set of brit-made ribbon bars on the blue spader ike. No idea on the 42nd, but still very cool!

[erctut1]

Nice jacket! I wish I could find stuff like that at random.

[pathfinder505]

Mark

I like the 1st Division group. I have one very similar.

[CHASEUSA11B]

Great finds!

The CBI patch is on the right sleeve which denotes former wartime service, usually referred to as a combat patch. My guess would be the owner served in the CBI theater during WW2, stayed in, and was assigned to the 42nd Inf. at the time of wearing this fatigue top.

[airborne1968]

Let me first state, I am not a uniform collector per say. But I have a weakness for neat pieces. Here are two items I received this week for the grand sum of $55.00.

 

First up is a neat and completely original 1st ID Ike from the Occupation period. The jacket is dated 1946. The ribbons are theater made and of interest, they are safety pinned on! The guy must not have had the time or money to have them sewed on. The 26th Infantry Regiment DI's are also theater made. Thin metal, painted and screw-backed. The only bad thing is there are several moth bites in it. Oh well, still a nice buy at $30.

 

The uniform seems a bit fishy. It appears to indicate a year in combat with duty in (at least) the 7th Army and a "present" assignment with the 1st ID. However there are no campaign stars or arrow head devices in any of the campaign ribbons. The occupation ribbon is lacking the Germany or similar bar as well. Also missing the CMB. The lack of a service strip below the overseas bars also conflicts with the award of a Good Conduct Medal. Since the uniform is dated 1946 and most of the awards are WW2 (including the wartime earned Belgium Forregier), yet it lacks the above, I'd have to say this individual did not serve any time with the 1st ID during the war. However, $30 is not bad for all the insignia.

[tredhed2]

No CMB? If initially assigned to 7th Army - who knows what element of 7th Army he was in or how long he was in 7th Army? A year after 9 May 45? Even if in 1st Med Bn, maybe he was a dental technician?

 

No GERMANY bar? I have seen way more uniforms w/ occupation ribbons, or loose occupation ribbons w/ no bar - in fact have never seen one w/ the area of occupation bar EXCEPT on the medal itself.

 

No campaign stars? OMG.

 

Nice uniform at a decent price.

[KurtA]

Besides what Dave stated in support of this jacket, in WW2, you could get a Good Conduct Medal after just one year. No problem not having a 3 year service stripe. I see nothing wrong with the jacket. Looks totally legit.

Kurt

[1944]

I like the Big Red One Ike for just $30 now thats a real bargan

for that money you cant complain... Very nice well done :thumbsup:

[B229]

A nice German occupation period Ike Jacket from someone assigned to a Seventh US Army unit during WWII. Not a thing wrong with it.

 

The fatigue shirt is post August 1953 when the US Army distinguishing insignia (tape) was mandated Army-wide. The 42d Division was obviously activated post-WWII in the National Guard and this soldier was assigned to it after having served in the CBI during the war. The CBI SSI was worn post-WWII as a "combat patch" by anyone who had served there.

[Allan H.]

The uniform seems a bit fishy. It appears to indicate a year in combat with duty in (at least) the 7th Army and a "present" assignment with the 1st ID. However there are no campaign stars or arrow head devices in any of the campaign ribbons. The occupation ribbon is lacking the Germany or similar bar as well. Also missing the CMB. The lack of a service strip below the overseas bars also conflicts with the award of a Good Conduct Medal. Since the uniform is dated 1946 and most of the awards are WW2 (including the wartime earned Belgium Forregier), yet it lacks the above, I'd have to say this individual did not serve any time with the 1st ID during the war. However, $30 is not bad for all the insignia.

 

Tom,

I realize that Tredhed2 has already responded, but you make a number of points that make me want to provide you with a response.

 

For starters, you were concerned about the 7th Army combat patch, which was worn by soldiers serving in units at the division level. One of those types of units would have been field hospitals. Medical personnel who served in these types of units if they were well behind the front lines would not qualify for campaign stars. You had to actually participate in one of the campaigns to earn them. Later, in Korea, Vietnam etc., the campaign stars were re-vamped to represent time periods rather than specific campaigns. The second point I want to make here is that when the Combat Medic Badge was originated, it was only authorized for medics serving in Infantry units. Medics in Artillery, Engineer, Armor, TD., etc. were not eligible for the award. After the end of WWII, the restrictions to award of the CMB was loosened to include other units, but the award was not made retroactive to WWII service.

 

The service stipe was given for 3 years of service. The Army Good Conduct Medal eligibility was modified during the war to be awarded after one year of faithful service. It is my understanding that multiple awards required three years of service. One other point that I would like to make is that a soldier could have arrived in theater at the tail end of the war and qualified for a campaign ribbon, combat patch etc.

 

I would agree 100% that the owner of this Ike jacket did not serve in combat with the 1st ID. That being said, the man evidently didn't have enough points for discharge and so he was reassigned to the 1st ID during the occupation period. This is evidenced by the 1946 date of the Ike jacket, award of the CIB and the German made 26th IR "Blue Spader" DI's. All soldiers serving in the division at the time of the award of the Belgian fourragere were authorized to wear it while serving with the division.

 

Finally, the "Germany" bar for the occupation ribbon was an unauthorized device. They can exist for miniature medals, but I have never seen one on a ribbon that I felt was original and not messed with by a collector.

 

This is a gorgous example of an un-messed-with Ike jacket that has come right out of the woodwork.

Nice find Mark!

Allan

[plick27]

really like that ike! nice find. congrats.