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WWII US Army Special Forces Archive – Merrill’s Marauders Grouping – Cpl William H Hoover – Burma – Assam – Ledo Road – Stilwell – Ultra Rare
This is an incredible original archive to a member of the famous Merills Marauders, from his personal ID Tags right down to all his photos and negatives. The patches are astounding, considering what one of these bring on todays market, this is an instant collection of some of the most sought after from the Pacific during WW2. Needless to say here that this archive is virtually a one of a kind find. The research, the item belonged to: Name William H Hoover Race White Marital Status Married Rank Private Birth Year 1907 Nativity State or Country Ohio Citizenship Citizen Residence Ashland, Ohio Education 2 years of high school Civil Occupation Managers and officials, n.e.c. Enlistment Date 20 Feb 1943 Enlistment Place Cleveland, Ohio Service Number 35048537 Branch Branch Immaterial – Warrant Officers, USA Component Selectees (Enlisted Men) Source Civil Life Height 66 Weight 170 NAME: William H Hoover ADMISSION DATE: Nov 1944 DISCHARGE DATE: 1944 DIAGNOSIS: Diagnosis: Pes planus; SecondDiagnosis: Hyperidrosis TYPE OF DISCHARGE: Duty LENGTH OF SERVICE: No entry made SERVICE NUMBER: 35048537 Items: Identification Tags, Medal Bars, Sterling Silver Combat Infantry Badge, Presidential Citation, Silver named and numbered bracelet, CIB cigarette case made in India, Ring from India, 4 loose CIB patches maker marked BC. CIB Patch made by the Chinese, 97th Div Patch, a Merrills Marauders Patch, US Issued CIB Badge, 3 x CIB Patch 1944 Chinese made one of which is leather. Corporal and Overseas bar insignia denoting 1 1/2 Year. Three portraits of W H Hoover, one wearing the 75th Div Patch (Photo taken in October 1944). A Large selection of bank notes, for Germany, France 1944 Occupation, French, Japanese Occupation Rupees, Commonwealth Indian/British Rupees, Mexican Pesos, Chinese. Interestingly, some of Hoovers photos have been archived by the CIB Archive at some stage, and it is possible that some of his images are already published. In, Merrill’s Marauders – US War Department Historical Division – ISBN 0892010630 A series of original correspondence from W H Hoover – To his parents and friends, interestingly he wrote at the top of every page where he was, this includes, Burma Road, Ledo Road, Assam, India. Photos – His photos show the above named locations, and depict his experience there. Many of the photos are museum grade, some have been archived by CBI Turner – the negatives of many of the photos are included. An Issued of : Merrill’s Marauders – Movie Classic – a COmic cut out of Superman with Merrill’s Marauders. Indian Flyer – likely propaganda. Yank Weekly – June 24 1944 – plus much more. Deserves further research, or possible publishing. Unit History Merrill’s Marauders (named after Frank Merrill) or Unit Galahad, officially named the 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional), was a United States Army long range penetration special operations jungle warfare unit, which fought in the Southeast Asian theater of World War II, or China-Burma-India Theater (CBI). The unit became famous for its deep-penetration missions behind Japanese lines, often engaging Japanese forces superior in number. In the Quebec Conference (QUADRANT) of August 1943, Allied leaders decided to form a U.S. deep penetration unit that would attack Japanese troops in Burma. The new U.S. force was directly inspired by, and partially modeled on Orde Wingate’s Chindits Long Range Penetration Force. A call for volunteers attracted around 3,000 men. A Memorandum from the Operations Division (OPD) of the War Department dated 18 September 1943 (OPD 320.2) listed the proposed composition of the new American long-range penetration force, which would be an all-volunteer unit. The Caribbean Defense Command provided 960 jungle-trained officers and men, 970 jungle-trained officers and men came from Army Ground Forces (based in the Continental United States) and a further 674 “battle-tested” jungle troops from the South Pacific Command (Army veterans of the Guadalcanal and Solomon Islands campaigns), with all troops to assemble at Nouméa, New Caledonia. General Douglas MacArthur was also directed to transfer 274 Army combat-experienced volunteers from the Southwest Pacific Command, veterans of the New Guinea and Bougainville campaigns. A few Pacific veteran volunteers came from stockades where volunteering earned them their freedom. They were sprinkled throughout the unit and called “The Dead End Kids” after the Hollywood film series featuring juvenile delinquents. The unit was officially designated as 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional) with the code name Galahad. The men were first sent to India arriving in Bombay on 31 October 1943 to train. Here they were reinforced with Air Corps and Signal Corps personnel, as well as an animal transport company with mules and experienced muleteers. Officers and men were equipped with U.S. Herringbone Twill (HBT) uniform cotton OD uniforms, M-1943 fatigues, Type II field shoes (with or without canvas leggings), jungle boots, canvas load-bearing equipment, blanket (one-half tent or “shelter-half” per man), poncho, and a machete or kukri for brush clearing. Small arms included the .30-06 M1 Garand, the .30-06 M1903A4 sniper rifle, the .30 M1 carbine, the .45 Thompson submachine gun, the .45 M1911 pistol, the .30-06 BAR (M1922 machine rifle version), and the .30 M1919 Browning air-cooled belt-fed machine gun. Mules were used to haul radios, ammunition, and heavier support weapons, including the 2.36-inch M1A1 bazooka and the U.S. 60 mm M2 Mortar;[6] the latter was often employed without its bipod in order to speed deployment. The 5307th was originally destined to train in long-range penetration tactics under the direction of Brigadier Charles Orde Wingate, commander of the Chindits. At Deolali, 200 km (125 miles) outside Bombay, the troops endured both physical conditioning and close-order drill, before entraining for Deogarh, Madhya Pradesh. The unit was to have 700 animals that included 360 mules. There were to be as many more but the ship that was carrying them was torpedoed in the Arabian Sea. They were replaced by 360 Australian Waler horses that had originally been with the 112th Cavalry in New Caledonia who were deemed unfit for jungle warfare. They had traveled to India where they served with the Chinese Army before being assigned to the…
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WWII US Army Generals Special Passport Grouping – Major General William C Rose – Chief of Executive Services, War Department Manpower Commission – Original (Offer Accepted)
This small grouping belonged to General W C Rose, it seems he used the Special Passport once to go to Canada. These types of US IDs are not common finds. Rose, William Clayton Major-General 6th of July 1889 † 9th of September 1973 (Regular Army) Promotions 1935-08-01 Lieutenant-Colonel 1940-09-01 Colonel 1941-04-07 Brigadier-General (Army of the United States) 1945-09-14 Major-General (Army of the United States) 1945-10-30 Termination of rank Major-General (Army of the United States) 1945-10-30 Termination of rank Brigadier-General (Army of the United States) Service 1941-XX-XX – 1942-XX-XX Assistant Adjutant-General, US Army 1942-XX-XX Chief of Military Division, War Department Manpower Commission Chief of Executive Services, War Department Manpower Commission 1945-XX-XX Vice Chairman of the War Department Manpower Commission 1945-XX-XX – 1946-XX-XX Chief of Staff to the High Commission to the Philippines 1946-10-XX Retired Price is shipped tracked world wide.
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WWII German Costal Artillery Tunic – With FLL Medal – Paris Made Tunic – Küstin Artillerie – Kriegsmarine – Original (Sold)
An original German Costal Artillery Tunic taken by a US GI back to the US after WW2. There is Paris markings on the tunic, there is also a stamp from the NSV which makes not much sense why it was stamped, but it adds no value. If it was done by the KM soldier or post war we will never know. One possible theory is that it was handed over for disposal because of the field repairs. As the NSV did collect material for reuse. It was found without boards and with a FLL made Costal Artillery Badge attached and is part of the sale. Remember our prices are with Tax and Free Worldwide shipping.
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WWII US Marine Corps Trophy Box – Paul B Metzger – 3rd Marine Division – Bougainville – Guam – Agana Race Riot – 21st Marines – Iwo Jima – Japanese Trophy Flags – Insignia – Cut offs – Time Capsule
Never seen anything quite like this before, a real time capsule… This time capsule is in cased in a Japanese Aircraft Ammunition box, no doubt the items were lifted from the following three places he seen combat: Metzger was with M company, 3rd battalion, 3rd Marines for Bougainville and Guam, The Agana Race Riot in Guam and then he was transferred to the 21st Marines in 1945 for Iwo Jima. All events are well recorded and can be seen on the selection of video material taken from YouTube. Some of the items were taken from: Yokosuka Naval Aviation unit The then Private First Class Paul B Metzger sends his parents a Japanese Ammo Box, inside his throphies from his time in the following USMC units according to our research: Name Paul B Metzger Rank Private Enlistment Date 17 Mar 1943 Muster Date Apr 1943 Station Fourth Recrupt Battalion Recruit Depot, Marine Barracks, Parris Island, S CName Paul B Metzger Rank Private First Class Muster Date Apr 1943 Station H and S Co, 23Rd Marines (Reinf) Fmf, Camp Lejeune, New River, N C Paul B Metzger Rank Private First Class Muster Date Jul 1943 Station Headquarters and Service Co,23Rd Mar(Reinf),Fmf, Camp Pendleton,Oceanside,Calif Name Paul B Metzger Rank Private Muster Date Oct 1943 Station Twenty First Replacement Battalion, Fmf, C/O Fleet P O San Francisco, Cali fName Paul B Metzger Rank Private First Class Muster Date Jan 1944 Station Company “M”, Third Battalion, Third Marines, Third Marine Division The 3rd Marine Division was officially activated on September 16, 1942 at Camp Elliott, San Diego, California.[2] Most of the original members of the division were drawn from the cadre staff of the 2nd Marine Division.[3] The division was initially built around the 9th Marine Regiment, commanded by Colonel Lemuel C. Shepherd, Jr. who later became the 20th Commandant of the Marine Corps. Major General Charles D. Barrett was the first commanding general of the division. The division deployed into Auckland, New Zealand, between January and March 1943. In June of that year, it moved onto Guadalcanal for additional training, stopping first at Efate, New Hebrides for rehearsals (16-20 October 1943) and Santo, New Hebrides (21-29 October 1943) for shipboard-staging. 1 November 1943 saw the division land as part of the Battle of Bougainville and fight on the island until their last unit to arrive, the 21st Marine Regiment, embarked on 9 January 1944. During the course of the battle the division had about 400 Marines killed.[4] The division returned to Guadalcanal in January 1944 to rest, refit, and retrain. The next operation in which the division took part was the Battle of Guam. From 21 July 1944 until the last day of organized fighting on 10 August, the division fought through the jungles on the island of Guam. During these 21 days of fighting, the division captured over 60 square miles (160 km2) of territory and killed over 5,000 enemy soldiers.[5] The next two months saw continuous mopping up operations in which the Marines continued to engage leftover Japanese forces. At the end of the battle the division had sustained 677 Marines killed, 3,626 wounded, and nine missing.[6] The division remained on the island of Guam for training, until it embarked as part of the landing force for the Battle of Iwo Jima. The 3rd Marine Division was initially in reserve for the battle.[7] However, the division was committed one regiment at a time when the initial regiments that landed there needed to be relieved. The 21st Marines came ashore on 21 February[7] followed by the 9th Marines, 12th Marine Regiment, 3rd Tank Battalion, on 24 February.[8] The Marines of these two infantry regiments, supported by the artillery of the 12th Marine Regiment and tanks of the 3rd Tank Battalion, fought on Iwo Jima until the end of organized resistance on 16 March and the subsequent mopping up operations for the next month. All elements of the division were back on Guam by 17 April 1945.[9] The fighting on Iwo Jima cost the 3rd Marine Division 1,131 killed in action and another 4,438 wounded.[10] After the return to Guam, the division began preparing for the invasion of Japan. This invasion never took place since Japan surrendered on 15 August 1945. The 3rd Marine Division was decommissioned on December 28, 1945 at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, CA Name Paul B Metzger Rank Private First Class Muster Date Jul 1944 Station 3D Battalion, 3D Marines, 3D Marine Division, Fmf, In The Field Name Paul B Metzger Rank Private First Class Muster Date Oct 1944 Station 3D Battalion, 3D Marines, 3D Marine Division, Fmf, In The Field Name Paul B Metzger Rank Private First Class Muster Date Oct 1944 Station Headquarters and Service Co., 23Rd Marines,. Fourth Marine Division, Fmf, C/O Fleet Post Office, San Francisco, California. Name Paul B Metzger Rank Private First Class Muster Date Jan 1945 Station Headquarters and Service Co, 23Rd Marines, Fourth Marine Division, Fmf Name Paul B Metzger Rank Private First Class Muster Date Apr 1945 Station Headquarters and Service Co., 23D Marines, Fourth Marine Division, Fmf. Name Paul B Metzger Rank Private First Class Muster Date Oct 1945 Station Headquarters and Service Co., 23D Marines, Fourth Marine Division, Fmf Name Paul B Metzger Rank Corporal Muster Date Oct 1945 Station Headquarters, 2Dbn, 21St Marines, 3D Mardiv, Fmf, In The Field. See here for unit History: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/21st_Marine_Regiment_(United_States) A free 40 Page publication on the attack at Iwo Jima https://www.marines.mil/Portals/1/Publications/The%20United%20States%20Marines%20On%20Iwo%20Jima_The%20Battle%20and%20the%20Flag%20Raisings%20%20PCN%2019000316600.pdf Warning – The four spent projectiles can not be sent outside the US. If you order this item these harmless items sadly can not be sent to your address.
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WWII US Army General Ford – Three-Star General Licence Plate – Personal Items – Generals Overcoat Named – Military Intel G2 – White House Meeting – Ultra Rare Original
This amazing Grouping consists of the following items for General Ford. Three Star Generals Licence Plate – 1930s – Pre WWII Issue Generals Overcoat – Nice condition – Named on the interior Two Folders of Speeches – Till 1939 One folder – Confidential G2 – Breakfast with the President – super content in this folder Framed Photo from colleague Other Framed personal items Lieutenant General Stanley Hamer Ford (January 30, 1877 – January 19, 1961) was a senior officer of the United States Army. After serving in numerous conflicts and wars, including World War I, He was commander of the Philippine Department, 1st Infantry Division, Seventh Corps Area, Sixth Corps Area, and the Second Army. Ford was born on January 30, 1877, in Columbus, Ohio. Ford graduated from the Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Philosophy degree in 1898, and was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. He was then commissioned as a second lieutenant of Infantry in the United States Army. Ford saw service in Cuba and the Philippines during the Spanish–American War, serving with the 16th Infantry in Cuba and the 25th Infantry in the Philippines. After the war he served in a series of staff and command assignments, including Infantry and Quartermaster postings to Jefferson Barracks, Missouri, Washington, D.C., and the installation now known as Fort Drum, New York. During World War I, he served as Assistant Chief of Staff of the 84th Infantry Division and Chief of Staff of the 27th Infantry Division. In recognition of his services during the war he was awarded the Army Distinguished Service Medal. The citation for the medal reads: The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Colonel (Infantry) Stanley Hamer Ford, United States Army, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of the United States, in a duty of great responsibility during World War I. As Chief of Staff of the 27th Division, Colonel Ford rendered valuable services in the operations of this division. By tireless energy, good judgment, and keen foresight he proved to be an important factor in the brilliant military operations of the 27th Division. He served as commander of the 16th Infantry Regiment from 1924 to 1926.[19][20][21] From 1926 to 1930 Ford served as Assistant Chief of Staff of the Army’s Military Intelligence Division. Ford attained the rank of brigadier general in 1930. In the early 1930s, General Ford served as military attache in Paris, France. He then commanded 1st Brigade 1st Infantry Division. After his brigade command, Ford took command of the Philippine Department. Ford was promoted to major general in 1936 and successively commanded 1st Infantry Division Seventh Corps Area, Sixth Corps Area, and Second Army simultaneously with Sixth Corps Area. In October 1938 Ford took command of the Second Army, which was responsible for overseeing U.S. Army organizations in several mid-western and southern states. On 5 August 1939, he was promoted temporarily to lieutenant general in accordance with “An Act To provide for the rank and title of lieutenant general of the Regular Army.” He was one of the first four active duty officers promoted to lieutenant general since 1918., He was a member of the Military Order of Foreign Wars. As commander of Second Army Ford oversaw execution of large scale maneuvers and exercises by active Army and National Guard troops that enhanced their readiness in anticipation of fighting in Europe and the Pacific during World War II. Awards and decorations Distinguished Service Medal – in recognition of his superior performance with the 27th Division in World War I. Spanish Campaign Medal Philippine Campaign Medal Cuban Pacification Medal World War I Victory Medal American Defense Service Medal Officer of the French Legion of Honor Belgian Croix de Guerre with palm In 1940 General Ford received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the Ohio State University. <p>
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Inter-War USAAC – Army Air Corps – PT-1 Aircraft Fuselage Fabric Cut – 430th Pursuit Squadron – 15 feet Long – Museum Grade
Interwar Period U.S.A.A.C. Army Air Corps Consolidated PT-1 Aircraft Fuselage Fabric Cut Right Side Skin with 430th Pursuit Squadron Insignia – Dated 1930, Measures 15 Feet – Museum Grade Specimen This exceptional and large fuselage cut piece of material measures 15 feet long, and about 29 1/2 inches across at the front, tapering to about 17 at the rear; this comprises the majority of the right side canvas from The United States Army Air Corps Consolidated PT-1 “Trusty” Aircraft Trainer Serial #26-309 The original military markings on the canvas are still fully visible: U.S. ARMY A.C. 26-309 F.A.D. CONSOLIDATED PT-1 A.C. 26-309-C1-CB-56D1-4PD2–11-18-30 The fuselage section is painted Olive Drab color, and features the insignia of the 430th Pursuit Squadron, a Native American on horseback inside a red heart and the Aircraft’s #4. The 430th Pursuit Squadron was based at Richards Field Kansas City, Missouri from 1926-1939. It is still in very good shape, showing a wonderful period of stitched repair from its time in service. Overall the canvas remains in great period condition exhibiting a period repair and some loss near the edges this statement piece would make a stunning display in a large library, war room, or private airplane hangar. A One of Kind Without Question 430th Pursuit Squadron – U.S. Army Order of Battle 1919-1941 by Steven E. Clay Combat Studies Institute Press. US Army Combined Arms Center. Fort Leavenworth, KS. Unit Lineage: – 430th Aero Squadron (Construction) organized, Jan 1918 – Redesignated 37th Spruce Squadron, Jul 1918 – Demobilized, Jan 1919 – 430th Squadron (Pursuit), constituted in the Organized Reserve, 15 Oct 1921 – Redesignated 430th Pursuit Squadron, 25 Jan 1923 – 37th Spruce Squadron reconstituted and consolidated with 430th Pursuit Squadron, 25 Nov 1936. Consolidated organization designated 430th Pursuit Squadron. – Inactivated, 2 Oct 1939 – Disbanded, 31 May 1942 Unit History: – Constituted in the Organized Reserve on 15 October 1921 as the 430th Squadron (Pursuit), assigned to the 310th Pursuit Group (Sixth Army), and allotted to the Seventh Corps Area. – Initiated in March 1922 at St. Joseph, MO. – Redesignated as the 430th Pursuit Squadron on 25 January 1923. – Relocated on 26 May 1926 to Richards Field, Kansas City, MO. This squadron was one of the few in the Organized Reserve that possessed facilities, equipment, and aircraft. Squadron personnel were largely pilots and ground support personnel employed by Trans-World Airways (TWA) at the Kansas City Municipal Airport. – Participated in a “Fly By” in June 1932 for the Honorable Patrick J. Hurley, Secretary of War, at the grand opening of the Kansas City-St. Louis Waterway. – Consolidated on 25 November 1936 with the 430th Aero Squadron (Construction) (a WWI unit organized in January 1918 at Vancouver Barracks, WA; redesignated as the 37th Spruce Squadron in July 1918; demobilized in January 1919 at Vancouver Barracks; reconstituted on 25 November 1936). – Operated from Paso Robles Airfield, CA, in support of the 40th Division during the 1937 Fourth Army Maneuver. – Conducted summer training at Marshall Field, KS; Richards Field, MO; Camp Dodge, IA; or Camp Ripley, MN, 1922-40. – Inactivated on 2 October 1939 at Richards Field by relief of personnel. – Status: Disbanded on 31 May 1942. The 430th Pursuit Squadron, formed from Kansas City reservists, deployed from its base at Richards Field, and flew to Marshall Field at Fort Riley, Kansas, in August 1932 for its two-week active duty training. There, for the first time in its history, the squadron had available fourteen service planes, three P-6s, three 0-25s and eight 01-Es. In addition, a BT-2C and a PT-3 were available to flyers who needed dual work. This was also the first year the 430th could count a large number of its men who were experienced in all types of service planes. Many of its younger officers, graduates of the Air Corps Advanced Flying School, had served on active duty for a year or two with a tactical unit. Many others were commercial pilots who flew the military service planes on inactive duty at Richards Field. Fortified by this caliber of flying personnel, the squadron launched a tactical training program immediately upon reaching Fort Riley. In other years, more than half the time at camp had been consumed by dual instruction for officers who had not flown since their last active duty periods. Consequently, in 1932 the 430th put in much time on gunnery and bombing ranges as well as on formation flying and combat routine. Typifying the training all across the country that year, the airmen completed a map problem, working with the ground units of the Kansas National Guard. The Consolidated PT-1 “Trusty” (Model 1) was a biplane primary trainer used by the United States Army Air Service (USAAS), and by its successor, the U.S. Army Air Corps (USAAC). The plane became the first training airplane purchased by the USAAS in substantial quantity following World War I. Aviation cadets in Texas and California flew it extensively during the late 1920s and early 1930s. It acquired the nickname “Trusty” for its excellent ability to make a quick and effective recovery from a spin. Easy to fly, the PT-1 made some students overconfident, and they received a shock when they advanced to faster airplanes with more difficult handling characteristics. The “Trusty” was commonly flown without its cowlings in an effort to prevent overheating.
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WWII US Army – Lt General Ben Lear – Three Star Generals Helmet – Deputy Commander of European Theater of Operations – Former: 2nd Army Commander – Rangers Large Presentation Photo Album – Ultra Rare (Sold)
Ben Lear was born in Hamilton, Ontario on May 12, 1879. His military service began in 1898, when he enlisted with the 1st Colorado Infantry, USV, for the Spanish-American War as a First Sergeant. He was promoted to second lieutenant during the Philippine-American War in the 1st Colorado and later in the 36th Infantry, USV, but joined the regular army as a sergeant at the end of the war. He subsequently served in World War I. He was promoted to Brigadier General in May 1936 and Major General in October 1938. He commanded the 1st Cavalry Division from 1936 to 1938, and the Pacific Sector of the Panama Canal Zone from 1938 to 1940. He was commanding general of the U.S. Second Army from October 20, 1940 to April 25, 1943 and was promoted to temporary lieutenant general in October 1940. As such, he was responsible for training a large number of U.S. soldiers during World War II. He became known as a strict disciplinarian. During the Louisiana Manoeuvres, Lear led his U.S. Second Army against the U.S. Third Army under Lieutenant General Walter Krueger. In these manoeuvres, Lear judged the control and discipline of the 35th Division to be unsatisfactory and relieved Truman of his command. Lear Commanded the US Second Army from 1940 till 1943. Responsible for training around 1 million US Soldiers for active combat duty. The Second Army earned distinction as a training army during World War II, preparing nearly one million men to fight. The U.S. Army activated a new Second Army in October 1933, with headquarters at Chicago, Illinois, as one of four field armies that would help mobilise forces in the event of a national emergency. In December 1940, the Army moved Second Army’s headquarters to Memphis, Tennessee, and designated it as a training army, which conducted training in 24 states. In June 1944, the Army reconstituted the World War I Second Army, AEF, and consolidated it with the existing Second Army in order to perpetuate the lineage and honours of the World War I unit. During World War II, Second Army trained 11 corps, 55 divisions, and 2,000 smaller units of all arms and services, totaling almost a million men, for employment in all theatres of operation. Lear did retire in May 1943, but was immediately recalled to active duty to serve on the Personnel Board of the Secretary of War, and promoted to Lieutenant General and later became Commanding General of Army Ground Forces. After the German counter-attack in the Ardennes, caused a manpower crisis, he was appointed Deputy Commander of European Theater of Operations, US Army, responsible for Theater Manpower. As such, he overhauled the replacement system, but the war against Germany ended before the full benefits of his reforms could be realised. He retired again in July 1945, but was promoted to General on July 19, 1954 by special Act of Congress (Public Law 83-508). He died on November 2, 1966. His Medals include the Distinguished Service Medal (2) and the Silver Star. Grave Photo: https://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/blear.htm The incident when Lear sparked Public outcry when he disciplined Soldiers for shouting and whistling at ladies, which he witnessed in civilian clothes. https://www.nytimes.com/1966/11/02/archives/gen-ben-lear-who-disciplined-troops-yoohooing-girls-dies-he-aroused.html His Nickname It was in the lead-up to these maneuvers that Lear acquired the nickname “Yoo-Hoo”. Lear was playing golf at the country club in Memphis, Tennessee, in civilian clothes on July 6, 1941, when a convoy of 80 U.S. Army trucks carrying men of the 110th Quartermaster Regiment, 35th Division rolled past. The troops in the passing trucks subjected a group of women in shorts to a series of whistles and “lewd and obscene” catcalls. Lear had the convoy stopped, and told the officers that this conduct was unacceptable and they had disgraced the Army. Lear’s punishment was to make every one of the 350 men in the convoy march 15 miles (24 km) of the 45-mile (72 km) trip back to Camp Joseph T. Robinson, Arkansas in three 5-mile sections. This they did in the 97 °F (36 °C) heat. Many men straggled and a number collapsed. There was storm of public criticism of Lear’s action from people who felt that the soldiers had been harshly and collectively punished when many had done nothing wrong. The commander of the 35th Division, Major General Ralph E. Truman, was well-connected politically, his cousin being Senator Harry S. Truman, and some congressmen called for Lear to be retired. However, to Army eyes this was not a case of sexual harassment but of indiscipline, and no action was taken against Lear. The derogatory nickname “Yoo-Hoo” stuck. The Helmet – It is clear that Lear was not keen on wearing his steel pot, applying his three stars on his M1 Helmet Liner for wear. A Westinghouse M1 Liner Named: “Lt Gen Ben Lear” with Three General Stars neatly added. Any General’s Helmet is extremely rare to find, and this one would add to any advanced M1 Helmet collection. Photo Album – Rangers School – Second US Army The album (128 Pictures – 1 Certificate and Newspaper Cover) has a hand made cover titled Ranger School 2 Army – Lieut. Gen Ben Lear. On page one, an empty certificate that General Lear would have signed for those that passed the Ranger School of the Second Army. The unique photo album depicts what is listed on the certificate, each photo is described neatly. The album was likely a gift to the General from the Ranger School. The Album is broke down in the following way: Physical Conditioning Group 2 The Log Exercise Hand to Hand Combat Group 3 Instructors of the Ranger School demonstrate how to push off a bayonet charge. Individual Camouflage Group 4 Great photos showing men in all sorts of rarer or early camos and camo helmets. Construction & Passing of Wire Entanglers Group 5 Photos depicting various methods of getting over or under wire traps Booby Traps & Demolitions Group 6 Many photos of traps and various…
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WWII German Army Soldbuch – Wehrmacht Uffz Munz – Panzerjäger Abt 243 – Super Normandy 243 ID – Kampfgruppe Gneisenau – Fought 82nd Airborne – Cherbourg France – Iron Cross & Assault Badge – Lucky Soldier – Super Rare (Reserved)
Very hard to find such a good Normandy related Soldbuch to this division, which came into action right on D-Day! Listing took from original sale is very well done and I have added to it below: Soldbuch to Unteroffizier Franz Münz. First issue from April 1940. Münz was trained as a Heeresflak soldier and then served with the 1. Kompanie of Fla-Bataillon 59, which fought with the 29.ID in the Western campaign. He took a bullet in his left lung in France during the Summer of 1940. His hospitals include Bourges and Orléans, and he was released from hospital in January 1941. The wound might have been considered an accident first, but January 1943, Münz was treated for this same wound again and he finally received a Verwundetenabzeichen. After a long time with reserve units and Landesschützen-Bataillon 604 in Frankfurt am Main, Münz returned to the front with Fla-Bataillon (mot.) 607, and then the 3. (Fla) Kompanie of Panzerjäger-Abteilung 243 in 1944. His Kompanie was armed with 2 cm Flak guns, but other weaponry of the Pz.Jg.Abt.243 included fourteen Marder 38 and ten StuG III. With the 243.ID, Münz experienced D-Day on the Cotentin peninsula in Normandy and very soon began fighting against the Allied paratroopers near Saint-Mère-Église alongside the 91. Luftlande division. The divisional commander was already killed on D-Day +1. After less than two weeks of intense fighting, the 243.ID was pushed back by the 9th US ID and the 82nd Aiborne and cut off from the main German force, retreating to Cherbourg and destroyed there by the end of June. On 27th of June, Münz earned the Allgemeines Sturmabzeichen for the fighting in Normandy. He then avoided capture or worse and was among the smaller parts of the division who escaped from the Cotentin encirclement through the south. He fought with the remains of the 243.ID combined with the 77.ID at Saint-Lô, and received a promotion to Unteroffizier on 1st of August and also the EKII on the same date for his actions in Normandy. Panzerjäger-Abteilung 243 (Pz.Jg.Abt.243) : Kdr : Oberleutnant Franz Fallnich HQ/Gefechtsstand : La Commanderie Stab – La Commanderie (6 kilometers east of Les Pieux) (13 May) The Panzerjäger Abteilung had 14 Marder 38 and 10 StuG III.7 They had been sent to the division in March 1944.8 Also the battalion had a company with twelve 2 cm Flak guns.9 One of these was on tracked chassis, while two were motorized. Panzerjäger-Abteilung 243 : (Oberleutnant Franz Fallnich – CP: La Commanderie) 1. Kp (CP: Aux-Petits) 2. Kp (CP: Le-Pont-aux-Moines) 243. Infanterie-Division formed as a Bodenständige-Division in 1941. (Strength on 1st May 1944 11,529 + at least 442 HiWis) Commanded by Generalleutnant Heinz Hellmich, on 1st May 1944 the Division’s strength was listed as 11,529 + at least 442 HiWis. Their heavy equipment, such as artillery pieces and anti-tank guns, tended to be obsolete models or captured Czech, French, and Russian weapons of varied effectiveness. Despite all the disadvantages listed, however, the Division had one thing on their side: many of the officers and non-commissioned officers were battle-hardened veterans from the Eastern Front, and their leadership would later prove worthy of the task set out before them. The division was formed in July 1943 in Döllersheim, Germany, and sent to Normandy in the autumn. Originally it was a static division, but it had been gradually upgrading its mobility and in May 1944 it had comparatively good mobility for a German infantry division in the west. By 23 July however, the division had only four depleted infantry battalions, eight heavy AT guns, three StuG and nine artillery batteries left was rated to have “Kampfwert V” which was the lowest assignable. It was decided 10 August that the 243. Division should be rebuilt using the 182. Reserve Division, but this was never carried out and the division was disbanded 12 September. Lucky Man As the 243.ID was officially dissolved, Münz joined his last Heeresflak unit, the Fla-Kompanie of Kampfgruppe 2/XIII that same autumn. This unit was also nicknamed “Kampfgruppe Gneisenau” and fought in northeast France, until it was absorbed by the newly erected 16. Volksgrenadier-Division in the Vosges mountains. Münz was wounded again on 5th of February 1945; these were critical days for the 16.VGD as they were nearly surrounded in the Vosges just west of Colmar, but they managed to escape east and cross the Rhine at Neuenburg. Münz was evacuated to hospital in Tirol and would not see action again; he was sent home on 1st of May and might have even avoided capture at the end of the war. The Soldbuch is in a very used (with loose pages) but still complete condition, including the portrait photo and an extra front cover. It really shows the wear of five years in his pocket, and is packed with entries, also including P.38 pistols, Czech rifles and a Tarnnetz in the equipment section. Münz received a total of four awards, also including a Schutzwall-Ehrenzeichen in 1941: all were related to the Western Front. More links: https://www.dday-overlord.com/en/battle-of-normandy/forces/germany/243-infanterie-division https://www.flamesofwar.com/hobby.aspx?art_id=678
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WWI US Army Hate Belt – Imperial German Army Insignia – Super Rare
A so called hate belt, with many Imperial German Army Buttons and includes one US Army Services Button too…. Interesting belt brought back as trophy of the Great War.
