Show us your Militaria

[V.C. Brunswick]

Not mine, but could someone decrypt this?

The first two or three digits of the Army Serial Number (ASN) denote status (Regular Army =1, National Guard = 20, Draftee =3) and area of origin. The letter on the far right denotes blood type and the letter in the corner denotes religion (P = Protestant, RC = Roman Catholic, H = Hebrew or Jewish)

From the looks of it, our man was a draftee from the Southeastern part of the US (second digit 4 = 4th Army Corps Area -- prewar Army administrative area), Blood Type O and of the Protestant faith. The dog tag was issued sometime between July 1943 and March 1944.

 

[Giftmacher]

Thank you very much for such quick reply, I appreciate it!

 

[Luftwaffles]

My dad's old stuff and a 98k rifle my cousin gave me for Christmas.

 

[GoetzManor]

This is my Great Uncle Mitt's swastika arm band. Story goes: My great uncle was an American soldier fighting in Europe when he engaged in close combat with a Nazi soldier. When the soldier fell, my uncle wanted the arm band but the soldier was resisting. So he knocks him out and took the arm band as a trophy of sorts. He gave it to my grandfather and when my grandfather passed, he left it to my father. If you look really close at the upper part of the white circl, you can see dried blood.

I've always thought this was a cool piece of history to have, especially when it comes with such an exciting story.

 

[Wolfgang]

Edelweiss insignia for German WW2 Gebirgsjäger

 

[Luftwaffles]

East German Wachregiment Friedrich Engels uniform jacket with a repro M43 field cap.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Today's Militaria Show Find: JMSDF (Japanese Navy) Cap

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Advanced Combat Helmet (ACH) with 101st Combat Aviation Brigade (101st Airborne Division) helmet patches:

 

[TomS]

I like the dog tag...

 

[mr_lits]

Here is a couple of AAF uniforms I have been working to put together.

Kit includes: B-6 flight cap, F-1 GE blue bunny suit (crazy hard to find in good condition) with inspection tag, theatre painted D-1 jacket, A-4 fight suit, A-1 flight pants (shearling inside with exterior horse hide, pre-war production), A-1 (first production) flight boots, B-3 Mae West, and and A-3 red group parachute harness.

Sill looking for the b-2 cap in good condition and an A-8 oxygen mask.

Here are the photos, enjoy:

 

[Binary Blue]

I got some new stuff yesterday.

First is a Belgian paratrooper's smock in what I think is the first pattern of their Jigsaw camouflage.

Can anyone give me an approximate date for when it was made? A lot of them appear to have been from the 50's and 60's. It also appears to be cut similarly to the Denison smock and its fabric is a cotton twill similar to denim. It's very comfortable.


It also has a "beaver tail" that goes from the back of the uniform and attaches to the front so that the smock doesn't fly up as the paratrooper is falling.

Beaver tail:

Attachment point:

Unfortunately, I cannot seem to find any tags or markings on it and it is missing a few plastic BDU type buttons.

Would it destroy the value if I sew on some replacement OD BDU buttons?

Here's me wearing it with a Pattern 37 webbing belt, similar to the mercs, er.... paratroopers in the Congo during the 60's. All I need now is an FAL and a bush hat.

You can see that the smock is missing a button to fasten the left shoulder strap since it's hanging out there.

I want to say it's likely seen service in the Congo just from the missing buttons, very worn fabric around the elbows and belly, and faint smell of cigarettes.

Does anyone know more about it?


The other item is a British Pattern 37 Webbing belt:

It is very thick and solid, being made from entire single sheets of tough canvas material.

It has a very interesting system for adjusting the size using 2 rows of holes and a brass "hook".

There are these holes running throughout the length of the belt on the inside:

In order to adjust the belt's size, you have to use 2 hooks on opposite sides of the belt, both on the inside as well, to attach to a set of holes like so:

And here's some markings I found on the inside of the belt in the middle between the suspender attachment points:

What do they mean?

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Vietnam Era US Navy Grouping
Named to Chief Comissaryman* Hugh L. Kruger, USN. Chief Kruger served aboard the guided missile cruiser USS Providence (CLG-6) sometime between 1959 and 1973.
*Ship's Cook

USS Providence (CLG-6)

 

[jamespowers]

Vietnam Era US Navy Grouping
Named to Chief Comissaryman* Hugh L. Kruger, USN. Chief Kruger served aboard the guided missile cruiser USS Providence (CLG-6) sometime between 1959 and 1973.
*Ship's Cook

USS Providence (CLG-6)

A twenty-five year man.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

^^^
I also found a pigskin cigar case with three cigars in one of the pockets.

 

[jamespowers]

^^^
I also found a pigskin cigar case with three cigars in one of the pockets.

Nice! How were they?

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

As I don't smoke, I wouldn't know what 40+ years-old King Edwards would be like.

 

[jamespowers]

As I don't smoke, I wouldn't know what 40+ years-old King Edwards would be like.

Send them here. I'll let you know.

 

[amoulet69]

Here's one of my reenacting uniforms: USMC Blue Dress Uniform with Guadalcanal patch, WWII tags, ruptured duck...
and my vintage girlfriend, of course... hehehe

 

[amoulet69]

And here another of my uniforms: an Airborne 101st Ike jacket (from eBay) w/patches and all details and garrison cap.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

And here another of my uniforms: an Airborne 101st Ike jacket (from eBay) w/patches and all details and garrison cap.

A very nice uniform. :thumb: The Combat Infantry Badge is actually worn above the jump wings and ribbons.