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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 621
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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 621 |
This cut-off has a bloody history. On the night of 29-30 July, 1944, above St Denis le Gast, France (SW of St Lo), a 2nd Armored roadblock force was decimating retreating Germans from 'DR'. A machine-gunner named Michael Gainey was facing south with his machinegun, in the same direction the Germans were retreating. As they flowed past either side of his position, he'd wait for them to walk in front of a burning barn, then shoot the silhouetted figures from behind. He took quite a toll that night, melting the barrel of an air- cooled light machine-gun then switching to a water-cooled M1917 Browning. Eventually, an SS noncom (original owner of this eagle), saw what was happening, doubled back and rushed Gainey's position. Gainey cut him down, but not before the German hurled a concussion grenade, which blew Gainey out of his position. The SS Sgt was wounded and began screaming for help. When Sgt L.E. Williams went out to help him, the SS Sgt spun around on the ground and fired a pistol at him. Incensed, 'Chubby' Williams used a B.A.R. to riddle the SS Sgt with two 20 round magazines of 30-06 ammo. The next morning, Sgt Tucker of 2/41st Armored Infantry Regiment (AIR), cut this eagle from the noisy SS Sgt's arm. The holes were made by Chubby's B.A.R. rounds. This is among the stories in my 'Breakout at Normandy' book (MBI pub. 1999) now out of print.
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Joined: Feb 2002
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Here's the reverse of that cutoff.
As to Michael Gainey, he received nothing more than a Purple Heart Medal, despite all the enemy troops he shot on 'Death Night'. He recuperated from the grenade blast and rejoined his company late in 1944. While sleeping in a halftrack under blankets in the Battle of the Bulge, a German mortar shell exploded right inside the vehicle, blowing Gainey out onto the road. He was running down the road, covered with blood and screaming, when his buddies tackled him and sent him for aid. He received 'shock therapy' at US Government hospitals and his health declined. He died in the mid-1950s, as a result of his war wounds.
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Joined: Feb 2002
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More insignia salvaged during the St Lo Breakout. Large caliber slugs (.50s) hit the tab and board. Sgt Shorrock of the 17th Armored Engineer Bn, a two-time Silver Star winner, kept these souvenirs of 'GvB'.
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Joined: Dec 2004
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 226 |
I do not wish to distract from the historical accounts, but for the purpose of collecting, I would like to point out something of a purely technical nature. The stitching on the above cut-off appears to be what I believe is called a "blanket stitch." Regardless of what it is called, it is important for collectors to note that this stitch, though less common, was originally used. Too many believe that only a zig-zag stitch is found on authentic SS sleeve eagles and condemn stitching like this as post-war (which this piece OBVIOUSLY is not!).
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Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 4,426
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Joined: Oct 2001
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You are absoutely right Brad, how often you see it these days on tunics, same in regards of cufftitle stiching on offered tunics. Of course you can see this ir that stiching technic on a tunics. But certain things just disappeared.
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Joined: Feb 2002
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Two shortened, combat-acquired cuffbands for the 4th SS Polizei Division. These were salvaged during night patrols in front of the main dike on the south shore of the Neder Rhine river, between Heteren and Driel, Holland. This area is SW of Arnhem and was near the DZ where the Polish Brigade of paratroopers jumped during Market-Garden. I use the word 'salvaged' because when insignia were removed from bodies on the battlefield, it saved those insignias from being interred with the bodies, which merely resulted in disintegration, destruction, and permanent loss of those insignia. As to why the unit cuffbands were crudely ripped-off the sleeves of the fallen, it was done quickly, while on the move behind enemy lines. The purpose for bringing these back was for S-2 to establish unit identification of the enemy forces opposing them. Since the 4th SS Division was on the Eastern Front at the time,these bands caused confusion. Two different members of the 501st PIR (one in 2nd Bn HQ S-2 and the other in G Co, 3rd Bn) brought these in and it was eventually learned that like the Luftwaffe 'HG' Division, the 4th SS Division also had a training school situated somewhere west of Arnhem. Soldiers from that school were sent into the battle lines when the fighting came to that area(students or instructors? Not known). You can see that the EM RZM version has the golden brown discolored lettering on (formerly)white silk, while the flatwire version is made similar to the rare flatwire'Deutschland' illustrated earlier in this discussion. I have laid the examples on a map showing the part of Holland known to US paratroopers as 'The Island'(because it was surrounded by rivers), where these insignia were liberated.
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Joined: Feb 2002
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Captain Bult of the 2nd Armored MP Co. liberated this salty GvB title at Lengronne, France around August 1, 1944. This makes an interesting study piece, because you can see how the German who applied it to the tunic, had shortened it, before sewing it on. One end was made much shorter than the other, to reduce overlap.
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Joined: Feb 2002
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Here's a reverse view of Captain Bult's GvB cufftitle. You can still see French mud soaked-in on the exposed places. Notice the mint (clean) section at right, which was concealed under the rest of the band while in wear. The 17th SS saw their first combat on 12 June, 1944 at Carentan. This was liberated about 7 weeks later, after being in continuous action in the battle of the hedgerows.
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Joined: Feb 2002
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(I meant at right on the first Bult GvB photo).
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Joined: Feb 2002
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Another salvage job by Captain Bult 2nd AD MP Co. near Geronswiller, Germany (Aachen sector) Siegfried Line, October, 1944. As a part of the IInd SS Pz Korps, the 9th SS Pz Div was withdrawn from the Arnhem sector after their successful defense against British Airborne forces, (late Sept-early Oct, 1944)and rotated to defense of the west wall before the Ardennes offensive began. Hohenstauffen would also take part in that offensive in Dec 44-Jan 45. To me, this cufftitle has just the right amount of wear, although it is full-length it is obviously removed from a tunic. It's a good bet that the original owner saw action at Arnhem and posibly also in the British sector in Normandy.
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Joined: Feb 2002
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The other half of IInd SS Pz Kps, and another perfect specimen. Full-length, tunic removed and blood-stained. Sorry no vet provenance on this one.
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Joined: Feb 2002
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Back side of the 10th SS Pz Div cuffband.
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This collar is ripped/cut of a uniform. No nice vet story or provenance on this one. A nice nice and usable item for display by itself or along with a camo smock.
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Collar tab with yellow/tan toned colour. Notice the precise fit under the litzen as well as padding under the tab.
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Posts: 408
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Well used and salty uniform removed SS NCO collar tab. One of my favourite items and the first SS collar tab in my collection. I wish some of these items could speak!
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Very salty uniform removed Nordland cuff title. Clearly combat dirty! Again, I wonder what hell this cuff has went through!
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Posts: 4,426
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Joined: Oct 2001
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vertical NCO skull tab out from my box
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Posts: 226
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Joined: Dec 2004
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Some salty machine-woven runic tabs. The flatwire has really "been there." Note the different backing materials which were used, including the late-war cardboard.
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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 621 |
Felix- That cutoff collar is an absolute screamer. I remember being delighted to see it the last time this discussion ran. If you ever decide to sell it, I know somebody ;-)who would like to own it.
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Joined: Feb 2002
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Why is it when you see a Bevo AH cuffband it is almost always in unissued condition? I've been searching for years to get a full-length but obviously worn example, cut from a uniform. Finally found one in an AZ collection and just acquired it this week.
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Joined: Feb 2002
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Always liked the "DF" in quotation marks also. This one is marked Bevo Wuppertal on the end.
BTW, the AH above is still joined sewn-together) in the back.
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Posts: 621
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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 621 |
Now for some vets who added W-SS insignia to my collection. Fist, Wilson Boback of the 501st PIR
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Captain Chuck Bult, commander of the 2nd Armored M.P. Company sold me some of Tychsen's photos and his cuffband and .25 Mauser pistol. That was in 1995, and that purchase started research which led to my 3rd book, 'Breakout at Normandy' (MBI pub. 1999). As you can see from the postings above, I also got a number of other W-SS insignia from him. Being a Dutch-American and not long-removed from the old country, he was well-aware of the elite status of the battlefield SS and treated the prisoners accordingly. He always swapped a bar of soap or pack of smokes for a PW's badge or insignia. Most GIS simply took whatever they wanted from the prisoners.
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Posts: 621
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Joined: Feb 2002
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Al Morfee landed in Normandy to replace the Big Red One's D-day casualties. He fought with the 16th Inf Rgt from St Lo thru the Hurtgen and the Bulge to the end of the war. The metallic wire runic tab with stitching coming clear thru the buckram backing was acquired by Al in the Bulge. Both sides of that tab were illustrated earlier in this discussion.
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,128 Likes: 2
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,128 Likes: 2 |
This is both an Utterly Fascinating, as well as a Super Informative Thread!!!
Not only are the superb SS Insignias which you're sharing with us - but the Real stories behind them - are "Priceless."
Adding the VET'S information / Photos gives a real human touch - to these otherwise lifeless precious pieces of cloth!!! MORE.... Dave/dblmed
[Always looking for TeNo � Schuma � Technische Noodhulp Items...]
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Mark, Haveing picture size trouble. John
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I'd jut like to thank you all, especially MBando, for this remarkable, wonderful and very kind lesson.
It's been fantastic. Thank you very much.
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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 621 |
I know it's not a uniform or insignia, but since I'm posting US vets w/SS souvenirs ... here's where I got my M36 chained dagger. Sgt Bill Knight (506th PIR)received it from a surrendering SS officer at Bad Gastein around VE-Day. The SS officer handed it to him and said in English: "...a souvenir..."
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Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 1,215
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Joined: Apr 2001
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A Big Thank You to Mark Bando for taking the time to post all of the great pictures and information!
Thanks Mark!!
Chief
"Gott Zur Ehr Dem N�chsten Zur Wehr"
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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 221
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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 221 |
Here's my favorite Worn SS insignia,The evasive "Bergfuhrer"Badge in Bullion.It still has the tunic material behind it.
"Fast as a Greyhound, Tough as Leather, Hard as Krupp Steel!"
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Joined: Oct 2005
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"Fast as a Greyhound, Tough as Leather, Hard as Krupp Steel!"
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Joined: Mar 2002
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Joined: Mar 2002
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Regards, Tony www.SSRelics.netExperience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterward. -- Vernon Law
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Joined: May 2006
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Personally I like the higher-end silver bullion insignia, such as SS-Obergruppenfuhrer collar tabs...
Bill
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