Item Description
Original Items. Only One Group Available. This is the extensive uniform & ephemera grouping of Private First Class James J. Wright, Company K, 354th Infantry Regiment, 89th Infantry Division. Wright served for over a year in Europe and the ephemera he collected tells a great story about his life and service.
The grouping includes:
-Wright’s uniform jacket with an 89th Division SSI, PFC chevrons, Combat Infantry Badge, Expert Carbine badge, and a five-place ribbon bar for the Good Conduct Medal, American Campaign Medal, European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with two stars, US Victory Medal, and Army of Occupation Medal. Two overseas stripes and Ruptured duck patch for discharge.
-Wright’s breeches.
-Wright’s overseas cap with blue piping for Infantry and his laundry number.
-Four boxed medals including the European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, Good Conduct Medal with ribbon and pin, Army of Occupation Medal, and U.S. WWII Victory Medal with ruptured duck pin, all in their original boxes.
-Bag of photographs, postcards, small souvenir booklets, and childhood photos. Many photos of Wright in training and in uniform, great group.
-Scrapbook that Wright originally put together during high school in the early 1940s but also includes many photos from his service including one with his wearing his M1 helmet. Inside the cover of the scrapbook is a great deal more documentation from his service including some 89th Division “Rolling W” newspapers, original but delicate 89th Division correspondence including General Orders announcing his awarding of the CIB, and Enlistedman’s passes to Paris. There’s a ton in here, but the scrapbook itself is falling apart and the covers are broken off. This grouping will require a lot of TLC.
-Mini laminated print of Wright’s Army Discharge and Service Record, listing his battles as Rhineland and Central Europe, and his occupation as Truck Driver Light.
-Letter home to his parents with all the information about his unit.
-Charge Sheet for his AWOL status in September 1945. These are VERY scarce to find and shows a lot of insight into the punishment system in the Army.
-Copy of his record of death.
James Jasper Wright was born on December 11th, 1924 in Columbus, Indiana. enlisted in the U.S. Army on April 5th, 1943 in Indianapolis, Indiana. He was assigned to Company K, 354th Infantry Regiment, 89th Infantry Division, and served overseas from 1945-1946. He was awarded the CIB and European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with two stars. He returned home and passed away on March 1st, 1960 from Lung Cancer, having been a heavy smoker all his life.
This is a stupendous WWII 89th Division grouping with a ton of research potential, perfect for any WWII Collection. The 89th Division is very scarce to find anything from, so don’t miss out. This group comes ready for further research and display!
Approximate Measurements
Collar to shoulder: 10.5"
Shoulder to sleeve: 26”
Shoulder to shoulder: 15”
Chest width: 20”
Waist width: 17.5"
Hip width: 21”
Front length: 31.5"
Pants:
Waist: 16.5"
Inseam: 30"
The 89th Division in WWII
Before Organized Reserve infantry divisions were ordered into active military service, they were reorganized on paper as "triangular" divisions under the 1940 tables of organization. The headquarters companies of the two infantry brigades were consolidated into the division's cavalry reconnaissance troop, and one infantry regiment was removed by inactivation. The field artillery brigade headquarters and headquarters battery became the headquarters and headquarters battery of the division artillery. Its three field artillery regiments were reorganized into four battalions; one battalion was taken from each of the two 75 mm gun regiments to form two 105 mm howitzer battalions, the brigade's ammunition train was reorganized as the third 105 mm howitzer battalion, and the 155 mm howitzer battalion was formed from the 155 mm howitzer regiment. The engineer, medical, and quartermaster regiments were reorganized into battalions. In 1942, divisional quartermaster battalions were split into ordnance light maintenance companies and quartermaster companies, and the division's headquarters and military police company, which had previously been a combined unit, was split.
The 89th Infantry Division landed in France at Le Havre, 21 January 1945, and engaged in several weeks of precombat training before moving up to the Sauer River into jump-off positions east of Echternach, 11 March 1945. The next day, the offensive began, and the 89th plunged across the Sauer in a rapid advance to and across the Moselle, 17 March. The offensive rolled on, and the division assaulted across the Rhine River on 26 March 1945 under intense fire in the Wellmich-Oberwesel region. A pontoon bridge was built across the Rhine from St. Goar to St. Goarshausen. In April, the 89th attacked toward Eisenach, taking that town on 6 April. The next objective, Friedrichroda, was secured by 8 April. On 4 April 1945, the 89th overran Ohrdruf, a subcamp of the Buchenwald concentration camp. The division continued to move eastward toward the Mulde River, capturing Zwickau by 17 April. The advance was halted, 23 April, and from then until VE-day, the division saw only limited action, engaging in patrolling and general security. Three towns, Lößnitz, Aue, and Stollberg, were kept under constant pressure, but no attacks were launched.
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