Father in Law's WWII Stuff

Well Tojo, that is pretty cool to have all those items. I hope you keep them in the family for a long time. Thanks for posting and sharing.

Patrick

That is pretty sad when the "family" decides to junk all those personal items. My parents and brother have been gone for several years and I still have certain of their personal items that I will NEVER get rid of.

GMorrison

My mistake, one rocker not two.  Sergeant.

 

Staff Sergeant

If you contact the resords building in St. Louis, you might be able to get hold of a copy of his military records.  I ordered my Father's records (for a price of course), and luckly they were mostly intact.  They did show some water and fire damage but that was minor overall.Some records were destroyed but it wouldn't hurt to check on it.  I'm thinking on ordering copies of myrecords as well as my wife's before too long.

WillysMB

Good on you Patrick for preserving those materials. The Air Force does indeed have a large museum in Dayton, and there are the two Smithsonian Air museums, but they are so large that your materials may just be lost in a cabinet some where. See if you can find a smaller local air museum where your materials would be more prized for the local connection. We have three close to us in PA; the Mid Atlantic Air Museum, National Helicopter Museum, and the Pitcairn Wings of Freedom museum. 

 

Thanks, Willys

There is a small air museum in my towns airport, but I am thinking the significant airborne photos, citations, hand held computer, etc, would be seen by more visitors at the Air Force Museum. I'll scout around to find a # for the curators, then see about getting it to them.

I find it important to remember these brave young patriots, and honor their service. I'd also like to let you all know his name, in case you'd want to give him your silent respects. He witnessed things that no man, young or old, should ever have to experience. He was 19 at entry to service.

John (Jack) Barcovic, discharged as a Captain, returned to home in Minnesota. Worked in the timber industry for his career. A very good man, fine neighbor and friend. Liked cigars and Johnnie Walker Black. I'm grateful to have known him.

Patrick

Nice collection of memories.  It is too bad that he never opened up and the stories could be saved to go with them.

Knew 3 WWII guys back from the 60's to 80's.  One was on the Maryland at Pearl, the other two were Marines, one on Siapan and the other on Iwo.  Neither would open up about either place.  They just didn't want to dredge up the horrors anymore than what was stuck in the back of their minds.  All are gone now, my Siapan friend in the last year or so.

Most of them, and even up to today, look at it as something that had to be done, and just file it away, never to be spoken of again.

My mistake, one rocker not two.  Sergeant.

Thanks guys for the clarification on some of the stuff,all his pics were the real prizes,the insignia was just the topping.He had it all in a safe with insurance and financial stuff. As far as selling off some stuff,probably not,wouldnt even ask my wife.

Three chevrons and two rockers are for Sergeant First Class. In today's Army, an E-7. Pre WWII, that was the grade for a First Segeant, just add the diamond in the middle. In WWII the Master Sergeant grade (three rockers) was created and First Sergeant moved up to that equivalent grade.

the hash marks worn on the cuffs are angled for service stripes, one representing three years service, and the shorter horizontal stripes for overseas service, six months per stripe. Left cuff service stripes, right cuff, overseas stripes.

I was going to ask you about that one. Thank you for clarifying.

My F-I-L had five bars on his lower left sleeve. Plus three chevrons and two rocker bars on his shoulder.

He had the sense to keep the jacket they were stitched to, which we have. And his fore and aft cap.

Two bronze stars and a purple heart.

But best of all thousands of photos which my wife and her brother copied and shared.

Italian auto pistol her brother got. Luftwaffe wings which disappeared during the disposition after his death.

Leather US marksman rifle sling 

GMorrison

12th Air Force.

Two Overseas Service Bars. One each for 6 months in a combat zone.

"Ruptured Duck" Honorable Discharge Medal patch.

Two ETO Service ribbons.

Good Conduct Medal ribbon.

The Oak Leaf Clusters represent subsequent award of those medals.

 

His discharge papers list his occupation as a supply clerk.

I'd assume he's in some of those photos?

Pretty much airplane pictures like that are something that the service member saw and thought were interesting. Do you know if he had a camera?

 

 

Ya missed one GM. The blue ribbon with the gold border is a Presidential Unit Citation. The two oak leaf clusters mean 3rd award. So his unit was cited, as a unit for distinguished service on three occasions. 

Dad was in the Navy in the south pacific in WWII. I have his custom blue uniform he had made on a whim when he got back to Seattle. Gunners mate 1st class. Maybe I will dig it out and post a pick sometime.

Patrick,

Don't be afraid to look for brokers who buy and sell this stuff.  Due to our generation having such a large interest and a disposable income, there seems to be a big market for this stuff. It may go to someone who would be proud to own and display it.   

As regards the original poster, Tojo, I'd keep it all. It is really only valuable as a personal history.

As was noted, the Discharge Papers are in really good shape.

Good on you Patrick for preserving those materials. The Air Force does indeed have a large museum in Dayton, and there are the two Smithsonian Air museums, but they are so large that your materials may just be lost in a cabinet some where. See if you can find a smaller local air museum where your materials would be more prized for the local connection. We have three close to us in PA; the Mid Atlantic Air Museum, National Helicopter Museum, and the Pitcairn Wings of Freedom museum. 

Hey Tojo,

Thanks for posting.  In regards to your F-I-L being "sketchy with the details", I have found this to be true of most of the WWII vets I have talked to, including my dad. 

We had two vets at my job working through the Dept. of the Aging as couriers.  One talked a lot about his service (Recon platoon, involved in the Battle of the Bulge).  The other was pretty reticent, but he eventually talked to me about being on Saipan.  He said he was in a heavy weapons platoon.  He did not say much, but enough for me to know he was involved in a real horror show.  They have both passed away. 

It is important to keep this heritage alive, so thank you Patrick for saving your neighbor's service items.  We need to remember.

D

Thanks, Tojo - I'm glad to see that his memory things are in good care, it's a great way to honor him and his service, by showing the respect to maintain them.

My next door neighbor passed a few years ago at 93, B-17 Bombardier, North Africa and Italy, 52 missions. I had the old Monogram '17 kit in my stash for about 30 years, built it for him. He showed me all of the things he brought home at end of action, an amazing amount of the history of his service.

After he passed his son and daughter in law were cleaning out the house, in the back of their pickup I got a glimpse of the B-17 model, sitting with the trash going to the dump. Lots of small parts broken off, but salvageable. Then I saw his E-6B computer, in the leather holder with 4 digit number stenciled on it, (maybe crew number or partial A/C number?) Folders of photos, in flight, mess hall, "O" club, barracks, etc. Service citations and medals, all being disposed of as just garbage. Shameful.

Son wasn't there, Daughter in law said they didn't want it as they didn't have the room for it, and it would just be more "junk" to store. I confirmed with son to see if he wanted it, answer was no, so I have it all. I'm 76, no kids, I want to see it go to a museum for respectful permanent display. I believe the Air Force must have a museum, I'll check on it.

Thanks again, Tojo, very nice of you.

Patrick

The flight jacket story of my F-I-L was that it wasn't warm enough at altitude so he wore the nylon coat and tossed the jacket in the burn barrel in Tunisia.

I have a B-I-L so it's no concern of mine anyways.

Excellent collection of mementos.  Thanks for posting them.

My dad was a P-47 pilot in the process of being assigned to the Pacific when the war ended. I have his logbooks, notebooks, class A's, overcoat and lots of pictures. He traded his flight jacket for the proverbial bottle of scotch, however, which he always regretted. He's been gone two years now and the number of times I've thought, "I wonder what dad would say about that," seems to increase each year - especially when I see a Thunderbolt at an Airshow.

GMorrison

12th Air Force.

Two Overseas Service Bars. One each for 6 months in a combat zone.

"Ruptured Duck" Honorable Discharge Medal patch.

Two ETO Service ribbons.

Two Good Conduct Medal ribbons.

The Oak Leaf Clusters represent subsequent award of those medals.

 

His discharge papers list his occupation as a supply clerk.

I'd assume he's in some of those photos?

Pretty much airplane pictures like that are something that the service member saw and thought were interesting. Do you know if he had a camera?

 

 

Yes he was in those shots,there were also many shots of him visiting family in Italy on leave,there were also pics of planes in flight which I assumed he purchased or was given.

My F-I-L was in the 12th as well, 414 NFS. Tunisia, Corsica, Sardinia, Italy.

I'll bet you miss yours. I sure as heck miss mine.

12th Air Force.

Two Overseas Service Bars. One each for 6 months in a combat zone.

"Ruptured Duck" Honorable Discharge Medal patch.

Two ETO Service ribbons.

Good Conduct Medal ribbon.

The Oak Leaf Clusters represent subsequent award of those medals.

His discharge papers list his occupation as a supply clerk.

I'd assume he's in some of those photos?

Pretty much airplane pictures like that are something that the service member saw and thought were interesting. Do you know if he had a camera?

fotofrank

Tojo, thanks for sharing. Your father-in-law's discharge paper says PFC but the top photo shows sew-on 2nd Lt. bars. Did your father-in-law receive a battlefield commision? He was a crewman on a B-25?

My dad passed in '02, at age 81. I have very little to show for his AAC service. When I was just a kid in the 1950s, he threw away all of his B-29 and flight engineer manuals. I do have his flight logs, but no pictures of him with actual airplanes. You are very lucky your father-in-law kept all this stuff. Thanks again for sharing

 

No he was a supply clerk,I supect that some stuff was given to him or he collected,not sure.I really have a lot if pictures,most personal,but some were bought also,he was mainly in Corsica and Italy.

Tojo - 

Thank you for sharing these wonderful items. The DD 214 form and photos are in great shape...your father-in-law did a great job storing them. Again, thank you for sharing these with us.

Tojo, thanks for sharing. Your father-in-law's discharge paper says PFC but the top photo shows sew-on 2nd Lt. bars. Did your father-in-law receive a battlefield commision? He was a crewman on a B-25?

My dad passed in '02, at age 81. I have very little to show for his AAC service. When I was just a kid in the 1950s, he threw away all of his B-29 and flight engineer manuals. I do have his flight logs, but no pictures of him with actual airplanes. You are very lucky your father-in-law kept all this stuff. Thanks again for sharing