Category Archives: WWII 101st Airborne Division Groupings

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.

WW2 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment Ovals and Jump Wings on 101st Airborne Paratrooper Uniforms

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506th PIR Oval and Jump Wings on a G Company, 506 PIR Uniform

506th PIR Oval and Jump Wings on a G Company, 506 PIR Uniform

These original WWII 506th PIR ovals and jump wings are on uniforms that belonged to two different 506th PIR paratroopers.  This style of 506th PIR oval is the type most commonly found on WWII 506th uniforms and in groupings.

The first oval and jump wings are on a uniform that belonged to a member of Company G, 506th PIR.  The jump wings are sterling pin back wings.

The second oval and jump wings are on a uniform that belonged to a member of Company C, 506th PIR.  The jump wings are also sterling pin back wings.

The final two photos show another original WW2 506th PIR oval that is not on a uniform.  The photo of the back of the oval, shows what you want to look for on the back of these original World War Two 506 ovals.

WW2 101st Airborne Division Screaming Eagle British Made Patch – Two Different Types From The Same Veteran

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World War Two 101st Airborne Division Patch British Theater Made Front

World War Two 101st Airborne Division British Made Patch Front

These original World War Two 101st Airborne Division British made patches were purchased last week directly from a WWII 101st Veteran.

I got a call last week from my one of my good friends who is a picker, and he told me that he had just met with a WW2 veteran of the 101st Airborne Division.  He had been a clerk and was a member of the 101st Airborne Division Headquarters.  He was with Division Headquarters through all of the 101st campaigns and was glider qualified.

He had contacted my friend because he was looking for a couple of medals he was awarded, but never issued, for a shadow box display he was doing.  My friend was able to provide him with those medals.  The veteran brought both of these patches with them to the meeting and sold them to my picker, because he had enough patches for his display.  He had obtained them during WWII while he was stationed in England.

I was very happy to purchase them a couple of days ago from my picker.  I love to get items directly from the Veteran because you get all of the history to go along with the item.  As an added bonus, this 101st veteran also gave my friend a photocopy of his discharge to go along with the patches.  Also, like most collectors, I like different variations of items.

The first two photos are of a British made 101st screaming eagle patch with a British made Airborne tab.  Both the tab and patch have a black back.  The second two photos are of a second British made 101st screaming eagle patch with a white back.  The Airborne tab is not British made, but it is the tab the Veteran had with this patch when my picker purchased it from him.

WWII 502nd PIR 508th PIR 101st Airborne Division Uniform Grouping

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This group belonged to a paratrooper who was a member of I Company, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division during WWII.  After the war ended, he was transferred to the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division for occupation of Germany duty.  This was a common practice among the US Airborne units during WWII.  Airborne personal were often transferred to different regiments and divisions, starting with the end of the war in Europe, dependent on how long they had been in the service, how many points they had accumulated, and the needs of the various units.

This group includes his Ike jacket which has the insignia common to the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment in the occupation period.  The black and white oval indicates the 508th PIR.  The ribbon bar is German made and I have seen this exact style of ribbon bar on other Ike jackets from the 508th PIR in the occupation period.  The jump wings are sterling and pin back.  On the left sleeve is an 82nd Airborne Division patch and on the right sleeve is a 101st Airborne Division patch and the Belgian Fourragere.  The 101st patch on the right sleeve indicates that this was a former unit that he had served in combat with.

This group had a box full of stuff (pictured) from his service in World War Two.  It contained the white silk scarf and white gloves which were used by the 508th PIR for for formal functions.  There are several paper items including passes, a ration card, a Berchtesgaden tourist brochure, a folder with commerical photos of paratroops in action, and other miscellaneous paperwork.  There are a stack of photos of him and his paratrooper friends in uniform on holiday including a bunch of shots of them skiing at a ski resort.  Also included was a piece of camouflage parachute material that he had cut from a chute and his American flag armband.  The flag armband is my favorite piece because he put a roster the names of his fellow members of Third Platoon, I Company, 502nd PIR on the back along with the phrase “Ready to Jump”.  Please note that we have intentionally blurred the name of this Veteran on the two passes, ration card, and the flag armband, for privacy.