Thank you for your input!   I’ve reached many of the same conclusions as you, I’m about 98% comfortable calling it the Weston Raider’s. I fully concur on the handwriting point, too. I’ve tried signing a shirt with a fountain pen before and the writing looked nothing like my normal writing.    I’m just putting it out here for any other suggestions of who it could be before I fully begin believing I found a local raider’s uniform. 

Picked this patch up with a few other Airborne patches at a local sale. Just trying to verify it’s a WW2 era patch and possible value. Any comments or opinions would be appreciated. Thanks 

Thank you for your input! I agree, his size definitely matches the coat. 

I just watched the 101st march down Constitution Avenue in DC (250th Army birthday celebration) wearing their Army black beret and their division and battalion beret flashes. I guess it is an approved uniform change, no doubts anymore, at least not from me.

Came across some patches through a local sale….just trying to verify this is a WW2 era patch and possible value. 

Came across some patches through a local sale….just trying to verify this is a WW2 era patch and possible value. 

Just curious if on any of your early various Normandy visits you happened to pass by what turned out to be your current house?   mikie

Multiple things here.    First. the uniform is dated 1941-1942 and is named to J.F.Riley.   second. you said you got it from the Weston West Virginia area and since the one guy was from that area you can automatically deduct that its not the korean war guy.   Third. the fact that he was killed in September 1942 and the jacket is also dated 1942 and has no patches on it leads me to believe that it most likely belonged to the KIA Marine Raider.   Fouth. there's always the possibility its could be someone else but with everything I just said I would say its a 98% match.    Fith. you mentioned something about the hand writing not being a exact match. That doesn’t really mean anything when it comes to stuff like this. For one lots of people wright differently on important documents then they normally do. People also back then had their parents fill out documents for them as a lot of them went old enough yet. Not to mention hand righting isn't a exact science and will change over time.

Yah, I was thinking the same thing. I think the gas mask and the chocolate chip are definitely combat worn, and maybe a piece or 2 of the gear, but definitely not the helmet. Maybe he was reissued it later in a deployment, or was a replacement once he got back stateside. Who knows! Yah this grouping is super cool, I’m really proud of it. I just have no clue how to go about finding info on the guy…

Plenty of info is available online on the USCG icebreaker 'Northwind". Your small "Vulcan" was originally 1/2 of a "His / Hers" matched box set.