Item Description
Original Items: Only One Lot Available. Now this is a fantastic and rather large grouping attributed to a member of the 44th Infantry Division during WWII. It would appear that he started off enlisted, reached the rank of Staff Sergeant and went to OCS to get his officer’s commission.
The 44th Infantry Division was a division of the United States Army National Guard from October 1920 to November 1945, when it was inactivated after Federal Service during World War II. A second 44th Infantry Division existed in the Illinois Army National Guard from 1946 until October 1954, when that division was disbanded after federal service during the Korean War.
John L. Sullivan ASN: 31045186
John L. Sullivan enlisted in the US Army on September 8, 1941 out of Portland, Maine. We have not been able to locate any service information or when he received his commission as an officer. We do know that he appears on rosters for OCS but they are unclear. From the DUIs present on his uniform and in the lot, we do know he served with the 71st Infantry Regiment of the 44th Infantry Division, it was with this unit that he served the duration of the war with. He was wounded in December 1944 from enemy artillery shrapnel, sustaining wounds to an unspecified hand, he is seen being released from the hospital in the same month.
The Items In This Lot:
- Class A Uniform Jacket: The jacket is in wonderful condition and has original items still attached. There are S/Sgt chevrons on both sleeves, US and Infantry collar discs, 71st Infantry Regiment DUIs, Rifle Marksmanship device, Asiatic Pacific ribbon and Good Conduct Ribbon. The back lining is marked with his laundry number.
Approximate Measurements:
Collar to shoulder: 8.5”
Shoulder to sleeve: 24”
Shoulder to shoulder: 14.5”
Chest width: 17"
Waist width: 15”
Hip width: 17.5”
Front length: 29"
- 34R Ike Jacket: The ike jacket is in good condition but does have some moth nips present on the front left pocket. The devices featured are crossed rifle insignia, US designators, 5 ribbons including Purple Heart and Bronze Star with a CIB above.
Approximate Measurements:
Collar to shoulder: 9.5”
Shoulder to sleeve: 24.5”
Shoulder to shoulder: 16”
Chest width: 17"
Waist width: 16.5”
Hip width: 16”
Front length: 23"
- Combat Worn M43 Jacket: The jacket is worn and torn, all signs of actual field use. There are 2nd Lieutenant Bars on each shoulder with a 44th Infantry Division patch on the left shoulder.
Approximate Measurements:
Collar to shoulder: 10.5”
Shoulder to sleeve: 22.5”
Shoulder to shoulder: 16.5”
Chest width: 20"
Waist width: 18”
Hip width: 21.5”
Front length: 30.5"
- Brown Dress Shirt: The dress shirt is in good condition with minor wear. The left shoulder has the 44th Infantry Division patch.
Approximate Measurements:
Collar to shoulder: 8.5”
Shoulder to sleeve: 23.5”
Shoulder to shoulder: 15.5”
Chest width: 19"
Waist width: 17”
Hip width: 18”
Front length:30.5"
- x4 Garrison Caps: The caps are in good condition, 2 appear to have been when he was enlisted and the other 2 still have 2nd Lieutenant bars present on them. The caps are 6 ¾ and 6 ⅝.
- Documents and Stencils: The documents are mostly travel and civilian related, but there are special orders, a 44th newsletter, Officer’s mess tickets and more. There is also a notebook with the names of each soldier in the squads he commanded.
- 7 Patches: The patches are (6) 44th ID patches and (1) OCS patch.
- x4 Pictures: The pictures are of Sullivan training in Texas with the smallest photo being his Army ID picture.
- x18 Uniform Devices: The devices are (2) 1st Lieutenant Bars, (6) 2nd Lieutenant Bars, (2) US devices, (1) Crossed Rifles, (3) 71st IR DUIs, (2) Wolf Brown Ribbons, (2) Regular Ribbons, (1) Rifle Marksmanship Badge.
- x2 Dog Tags: The tags are tarnished but still easily discernible.
This is an incredible grouping, packed with a lot of history to uncover! Comes more than ready for further research and display.
71st New York Infantry Regiment
The 71st New York Infantry Regiment is an organization of the New York State Guard. Formerly, the 71st Infantry was a regiment of the New York State Militia and then the Army National Guard from 1850 to 1993. The regiment was not renumbered during the early 1920s Army reorganization due to being broken up to staff other units from 1917 to 1919, and never received a numerical designation corresponding to that of a National Guard regiment.
In World War II, the 71st, consisting of three battalions, was part of the 44th Infantry Division, which assembled at Fort Lewis, Washington. Headquarters Company of the 1st Battalion was detached to take part in the retaking of Attu Island in the Aleutian campaign. The 102d Engr Bn (CBT) also had its Company C serving in the Pacific Campaign.
Sergeant Charles A. MacGillivary of the 71st received the Medal of Honor for actions during the German Ardennes offensive of December 1944 near Woelfling, France, near the German border. On January 1, 1945, Sergeant MacGillivary was serving as company commander because of casualties among the officers. Ammunition was low and the company was pinned down. MacGillivary set out on his own to destroy the German machine guns menacing his company. He carried a sub-machine gun and grenades; when his submachine gun ran out of ammunition, he picked up a discarded German weapon and continued the attack. MacGillivary wiped out six German positions and killed or wounded 36 enemy. While attacking the last machine gun position, his left arm was severed by machine gun fire.
In this offensive, the 71st encountered the 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division Götz von Berlichingen, holding off eight attacks.
The Second Battalion and I Company of the Third Battalion were both awarded Presidential Unit Citations.
In the last days of the war, the First Battalion crossed the Austrian border through a mountain pass and attacked a German division.
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