Item Description
Original Items: Only One Lot Available. WWII 82nd Airborne Glider material are some of the hardest most collectible items on the market, due to the small number of Gilder troops that landed in combat in comparison to infantry soldiers. John D Welch (ASN:44041666) was a Private with the Anti-Tank Company of the 325th Glider Infantry Regiment. He enlisted on October 7, 1944 and was sent to Europe during the war and was part of Operation Market Garden the occupation force after the war.
The Ike jacket is in beautiful condition and has his name written as Welch / A-T (Anti-Tank) written on the back lining in purple laundry pen. The front features a beautiful blue felt and white border oval where the gliber badge would have been located. The left shoulder features an 82 Airborne patch, down on the lower sleeve are 2 Overseas Bars denoting 12 months spent overseas. The front right pocket features a lovely Glider Pin and 82nd Pin chained together. The "Belgian Fourragère 1940"- composed of one round smooth cord, partially braided, and of TWO other cords, of which one is terminated by a knot and a brass ferret - it is made of wool and cotton for NCOs and EM, and of silk for Officers - all threads are tinted in colors resembling the ribbon of the Belgian Croix de Guerre 1940 (i.e. basic red, dotted with green threads) - the Fourragère encircles the right shoulder and passes under the armpit, and is fixed by 2 tiny loops onto the button of the shoulder loop. "Order of the Orange" shoulder cord on the left shoulder was awarded by the Dutch government for surviving Operation Market Garden.
Other items in this lot are (2) overseas caps one of which is marked with laundry number W-1666 and is a size 7 with the other cap being 7 ⅛. They both feature blue piping and Glider infantry patches. The other items include a Berlin city pass which has all of Welch’s information stamped on it and an 82nd Airborne Division “Road To Berlin” Christmas map / card.
All items are in wonderful condition and comes more than ready for further research and display!
Approx. Measurements
Collar to shoulder: 10”
Shoulder to sleeve: 25”
Shoulder to shoulder: 16.5”
Chest width: 18”
Waist width: 16.5”
Hip width: 15.5”
Front length: 23"
82nd Airborne Division in Operation Market Garden:
On 2 August 1944 the division became part of the First Allied Airborne Army. In September, the 82nd began planning for Operation Market Garden in the Netherlands. The operation called for three-plus airborne divisions to seize and hold key bridges and roads deep behind German lines. The 504th, now back at full strength, was reassigned to the 82nd, while the 507th was assigned to the 17th Airborne. On 17 September, the 82nd conducted its fourth World War II combat assault. Fighting off German counterattacks, the 82nd captured its objectives between Grave, and Nijmegen. In the afternoon of Wednesday 20 September 1944 the 82nd Airborne conducted a successful assault on the river crossing of the Waal river, capturing the north end of the Nijmegen road bridge. War correspondent Bill Downs, who witnessed the assault, described it as "a single, isolated battle that ranks in magnificence and courage with Guam, Tarawa, Omaha Beach. A story that should be told to the blowing of bugles and the beating of drums for the men whose bravery made the capture of this crossing over the Waal possible."
British XXX corps land forces failed to follow up the 82nd's success by advancing across the bridge toward Arnhem, leading to some friction between 82nd's Captain Burriss, Major Cook, Colonel Tucker and General Gavin and the British Grenadier Guards in their Sherman tanks. So the success of 82nd's Nijmegen drop was short-lived, because of other Allied units at the Battle of Arnhem. After a period of duty on the Arnhem front, the 82nd was relieved by Canadian troops, and sent to France.
- This product is available for international shipping.
- Eligible for all payments - Visa, Mastercard, Discover, AMEX, Paypal & Sezzle
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
