Item Description
Original Items: One-one-of-a-kind. A fantastic grouping that belonged to Private First Class Maurice Zinker (ASN: 11086180). His Silver Star Medal Citation reads as follows:
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Private First Class Maurice Zinker (ASN: 11086180), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with Company A, 255th Infantry Regiment, 63d Infantry Division, in action on 4 March 1945, in the vicinity of Gudingen, Germany. The company was preparing to dig in and hold a section of woods when they were counterattacked by enemy tanks supported by infantry. Although the tanks were firing directly into the woods with eighty-eights and machine guns, Private First Class Zinker remained at the edge of the woods and fired his automatic rifle at the infantry, killing and wounding several of the enemy. He remained in support of a bazooka team which damaged one tank. When one member of the bazooka team was wounded, he took his place until all the ammunition was expended. Then, under direct fire from the remaining tanks, he withdrew to the company, carrying the wounded man with him. The gallantry in action displayed by Private First Class Zinker reflect credit upon himself and is in keeping with the highest traditions of the Armed Forces of the United States. Headquarters, 63d Infantry Division, General Orders No. 517 (August 29, 1945)
Included in this amazing grouping are the following items:
- Ike jacket size in very good condition with 63rd Infantry Division (Blood and Fire) patch on the left shoulder, PFC Chevrons, Sterling Silver Combat Infantryman Badge, Medal ribbons that include: Silver Star Medal, Army Good Conduct, European–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 3 Bronze Stars, WWII Victory Medal, Ruptured Duck, Carbine Expert Medal and two overseas service bars on the left sleeve indicating 1+ years of overseas service. The inside of the jacket is clearly ink marked in multiple locations Z-6180 which represents "Zinker Army Serial Number 11086180".
- Original Silver Star Medal in Case.
- Original 9 page large format photo album and scrap book with dozens of wartime ETO photos from the Battle of the Bulge that shows, Fox holes with Machine Guns, Captured German soldiers, American officers, vehicles, snow covered landscapes, snow covered woods with soldiers posing and much more. The scrap book also contains currency stamps, receipts, German letterhead, notes, and one wonderful page of German POWS that states "POWS I WORKED. GOOD MEN" with a list of 13 German names. Genuine original Battle of the Bulge photos are incredibly rare.
- Original wartime photo of ZINKER in uniform.
- Original Infantry Overseas Garrison Cap.
- Original Khaki Overseas Garrison Cap.
- Original Wool Shirt with 63rd Infantry Division (Blood and Fire) patch on the left shoulder.
- Original 1903 Web Pistol Belt.
- Original Khaki Neck Tie.
- Original Leg Gaiters Nicely Stamped M ZINKER.
- Original unused medals still in boxes: WWII Victory, Army Good Condcut, Army of Occupation.
- Original WWII Blue Star Service Flag with 2 Blue Stars. This is an official flag or banner that family members wear or display to represent 2 enlisted military personnel in harm's way.
- Original Field Manuals, GI Sketch Book, 63rdID Victory in Europe book (poor condition), Strength for the Day Daily Devotions..
- Unattached patches, Insignia, Medals, Pins, etc....
- Trench lighter.
A wonderful grouping complete with uniform, Silver Star Medal with know citation, documents and a photograph.
Battle honors of the 255th Infantry Regiment:
Ardennes/Alsace Campaign
Rhineland Campaign
Central Europe Campaign
Liberation of a Landsberg Prison Camp
63rd Infantry Division in WWII:
The 63rd Infantry Division ("Blood and Fire") was an infantry division of the United States Army that fought in Europe during World War II.
Three regiments of the 63d Division arrived in Marseille, France, 8 December 1944, trained at Haguenau and, under the designation Task Force Harris, protected the east flank of the Seventh Army along the Rhine River. The task force fought defensively from 22 to 30 December 1944. On 30 December 44, while the 253d Inf Regt was attached to the 44th Inf Div and the 255th Inf Regt was attached to the 100th Inf Div, the 254th Inf Regt was moved to the Colmar area of France where it was attached to the 3d Inf Div which was at the time a part of the First French Army. The infantry regiments remained with their attachments until early February 1945. The rest of the division arrived at Marseilles, 14 January 1945, and moved to Willerwald on 2 February, where it was joined by the advance elements on 6 February. On 7 February, the 63rd conducted local raids and patrols, then pushed forward, crossing the Saar River on 17 February, and mopping up the enemy in Muhlen Woods. After bitter fighting at Güdingen early in March, the division smashed at the Siegfried Line on 15th at Saarbrücken, Germany, taking Ormesheim and finally breaching the line at Sankt Ingbert and Hassel on 20 March. Hard still fighting lay ahead, but the Siegfried Line was Germany's last attempt to defend its prewar boundaries along the western front. Before resting on 23 March, the 63d took Spiesen-Elversberg, Neunkirchen and Erbach. From then until the end of the war, the 63d Division carved a path of "blood and fire" from Sarreguemines through Germany. On 28 March, the division crossed the Rhine at Lampertheim, moved to Viernheim and captured Heidelberg on 30 March. Continuing the advance, the 63rd crossed the Neckar River near Mosbach and the Jagst River The 253rd Infantry Regiment, received the majority of the German resistance during this time at the Battle of Buchhof and Stein am Kocher. Heavy resistance slowed the attack on Adelsheim, Möckmühl, and Bad Wimpfen.
The division switched to the southeast, capturing Lampoldshausen and clearing the Harthäuser Woods on 7 April. A bridgehead was secured over the Kocher River near Weißbach on 8 April, and Schwäbisch Hall fell on 17 April. Advance elements crossed the Rems River and rushed to the Danube. The Danube was crossed on 25 April, and Leipheim fell before the division was withdrawn from the line on 28 April, and assigned security duty from the Rhine to Darmstadt and Würzburg on a line to Stuttgart and Speyer. The 63d began leaving for home on 21 August 1945, and was deactivated on 27 September 1945.
From mid-February 1945 until the end of the war, the 63rd Infantry Division made a path of Blood and Fire rom Sarreguemines through the Siegfried Line to Worms, Mannheim, Heidelberg, Gunzburg and ending in Landsberg Germany at the end of April 1945 when the division was pulled from the line for a much needed rest.
Casualties
Total battle casualties: 4,502
Killed in action: 861
Wounded in action: 3,326
Missing in action: 98
Prisoner of war: 219
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