1944 Ike Jacket 80th Inf Div w/Combat Leadership tab

[Steve Brannan]

Yesterday, I was with my wife on a vacation in south Georgia when I spotted a WWII Ike and trousers for sale in an Antique Mall. 99/100 these type uniforms in Malls are overpriced and pretty stripped. What first interested me was the 80th Infantry Division combat patch and green combat leadership tabs. I have heard of them but never seen one on a uniform. I looking in the pockets and found the CIB (Sterling) as well as US and MP collar insignia and ribbons including the purple heart. I asked the Mall manager to call the dealer who had no other military items and see if he knew anything about the uniform and the soldier's name. By phone, the guys said he had bought it at an estate sale recently in Atlanta, GA. The seller said the uniform belonged to his father, who fought in the Battle of the Bulge. The seller was Jewish.

[Steve Brannan]

The CIB is a clutchback simply marked Sterling. All the clutches are the WWII flat type, one is Sterling. The PUC looks odd and may be German made.

[Steve Brannan]

Can anyone help me identify this soldier? His initials in the coat appear to be G G and the last 4 of his service number 1694. I don't know how to search this small bit of information but recall a member who could. Any help would be appreciated. I can not believe the son of this veteran would sell his father's uniform. This man could have been wounded relieving the 101st at Bastogne.

[Steve Brannan]

Could he have been made an MP with HQ ETOUSA after recoving from wounds suffered with the 80th Infantry Division? If makes sense to me. Only had two battle stars, so was not with the 80th all through the War. If I can identify his name, I would like to get his records and preserve it with the uniform. Do anyone know the history of these green Combat Leadership Tabs?

[craig_pickrall]

Nice uniform. Look here for more info on green leader tabs.

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...l=combat+Leader

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...l=combat+Leader

[doyler]

I agree

Very nice.Makes sense seeing the Purple Heart and CIB that your man must have been wounded in the Buldge and after recovering was assigned to the MPs.I have a 17th ABN group and the guy had foot poblems(frost bite or trench foot)then when he recovered was assigned to a Troop Carrier unit.

RD

[Custermen]

Nice stitching. It's a keeper even if you can't prove the story.

[Got da Penny]

What a looker, I would have jumped all over that !!!

 

Nice grab. Carey

[Sinz]

Nice jacket!

[Championhilz]

The morning reports for the 80th Infantry Division have been digitized, and can be viewed here: http://www.80thdivision.com/WebArchives/MorningReports.html

 

They do have the serial numbers for the men listed, so you might get lucky. It will take some time to go through them, but if you find your guy, it would be worth it.

[StevenL]

Wow, great find for an antique mall! You gotta love it when you find all the missing pieces inside of a pocket. Good luck with finding an ID.

 

All I found at my antique mall yesterday was free wine (yup wine just sitting out in the open for anyone, totally unattended) and cheese for the holidays and a lot of sour looks from all the hoity toity dealers there. I guess they were doing something special that day. It makes me miss the REAL antique malls back east.

[Steve Brannan]

The morning reports for the 80th Infantry Division have been digitized, and can be viewed here: http://www.80thdivision.com/WebArchives/MorningReports.html

 

They do have the serial numbers for the men listed, so you might get lucky. It will take some time to go through them, but if you find your guy, it would be worth it.

 

Thanks for the tip. I have spent several hours looking through the morning reports of the 80th Div during Dec 1944 and Jan 1945 which I think gives me the best chance of finding this soldier. Will let you know if I find him.