Monthly Archives: March 2013

WWII 319th Glider Field Artillery Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division, Ike Jacket Uniform Grouping

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319th GFA Grouping

319th Glider Field Artillery Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division, Uniform Grouping

This World War Two 82nd Airborne Division uniform grouping belonged to a member of the 319th Glider Field Artillery Battalion.  It was purchased from him in the late 1980s.  He was with the 319th GFAB through all of its campaigns during WWII.  This Veteran, and the 319th GFAB, first saw action while supporting Darby’s Rangers during the invasion of Italy in September 1943.  Darby had picked the 319th GFAB to be the artillery support for his Rangers during the invasion of Italy.  The 319th GFAB saw heavy action during this campaign.

He next saw action when the 319th GFAB was landed in Normandy via gliders on D-Day, June 6, 1944.  The 319th GFAB again saw heavy action during the Normandy campaign.  The next campaign for this Veteran was Market Garden, the invasion of Holland.  This was followed by more heavy fighting during the Battle of the Bulge.  The 319th GFAB continued to deliver artillery fire against the Germans as the 82nd Airborne Division pushed into Germany, in the closing months of the War.

This grouping consists of his Ike jacket, his wool shirt, overseas cap, and some letters and documents.  After the end of the War, he spent a brief amount of time assigned to the 17th Airborne Division before being sent home.  This is the reason his shirt and Ike jacket have the 17th Airborne Division patch on the left sleeve.  His Ike jacket has the 82nd Airborne Division patch on the right sleeve indicating combat with that former unit.

His Ike jacket has the pin back, distinctive unit insignia, of the 319th Glider Field Artillery Battalion on the collar.  The red oval behind his glider rider wings indicates airborne artillery.  His overseas cap has the red piping used by artillery units and the cap disc is the style used by both paratroopers and glider towards the end of the War.  The ribbon bar is British made and has the arrowhead indicating participation in an invasion.  The final picture is of a letter that the Veteran included when he sold the grouping.

WWII USMC Purple Heart and Bronze Star Medal Grouping to a Former Marine Raider Wounded On Iwo Jima

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WW2 USMC and USN Style of Purple Heart and Bronze Star Medal

WW2 USMC Medal Grouping to a Former Marine Raider Wounded on Iwo Jima

This World War Two USMC Purple Heart and Bronze Star medal grouping belonged to a Marine who had been a Raider, but later transferred to the Ninth Marine Regiment, Third Marine Division.  While with the 3rd Marine Division, he was wounded during the fighting on Iwo Jima.

Both the Purple Heart and Bronze Star Medal are one of the correct styles, for these medals, that the Marines and Navy used during World War Two.  The two cases are also the one of the correct styles used by the USMC and USN during the War.

The letter discussing the awarding of the Purple Heart and also the deformed bullet, were both found inside the Purple Heart case.  I have had many groupings over the years, were Veterans kept the bullet or piece of shrapnel that wounded them as a souvenir.  I am guessing that this is the case with this bullet, but unfortunately have no other information regarding the bullet.

WW2 506th PIR Promotion Document signed by Colonel Robert Sink

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506th Parachute Infantry Regiment Promotion Document

506th Parachute Infantry Regiment Promotion Document

This original WWII 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment promotion document was given to a member of C Company, 506th PIR.  It is part of a larger group that I own from that Veteran.  Please note that we have blurred the Veterans name in the photo for privacy.

These documents were printed by this regiment to be given to their paratroopers when promoted.  It is signed by Colonel Robert Sink, the famed commander of the 506th P.I.R. throughout the war.  Col. Robert Sink was portrayed by the actor Dale Dye, in the HBO’s miniseries The Band of Brothers.

These documents are fairly hard to find today.  Because they are hard to find and they are signed by Colonel Robert Sink, they usually are very pricey when they do surface.