Combat liberated but not well-worn - 11/06/2007 09:16 PM
In the course of interviewing 992 101st Abn vets and over 300 2nd Armored Div vets, I have acquired a few examples of W-SS abzeichen which were never sewn-on to a tunic or cap.
The American GI was a world-class souvenir scrounger and these items were found in a careful search of the pockets, paybooks, wallets and breadbags of SS casualties.
Since they are not 'well-worn', I have not posted them on that thread.
I'll start with a bevo em sleeve eagle found SW of Carentan on 13 June, 1944. This was found by Jim Martin of G/506th PIR near 'Bloody Gully, after the aborted attck by the 37th SS Pz Gr Rgt of the 17th SS Pz Gr Div.
The same day, Jim found another just like it, but battle damaged and bloodstained, as it had been on the person of a Grenadier who was torn-up by an artillery shell.
The American GI was a world-class souvenir scrounger and these items were found in a careful search of the pockets, paybooks, wallets and breadbags of SS casualties.
Since they are not 'well-worn', I have not posted them on that thread.
I'll start with a bevo em sleeve eagle found SW of Carentan on 13 June, 1944. This was found by Jim Martin of G/506th PIR near 'Bloody Gully, after the aborted attck by the 37th SS Pz Gr Rgt of the 17th SS Pz Gr Div.
The same day, Jim found another just like it, but battle damaged and bloodstained, as it had been on the person of a Grenadier who was torn-up by an artillery shell.