Had a great haul on Black Friday, got a call Thanksgiving night from my add in a local trade paper, should add that I almost never have any response and when I do it is for a sleeping bag or a flashlight or something and almost never for anything worth going to see, well until this time anyway. Went Friday and turns out the Man is the Son of a 45th Dv "Thunderbirds" Veteran and his Dad was one of the liberators of Dachau and was also a direct participant in the infamous "Dachau Massacre" this cap set was taken from the Cap of one of those killed in the shooting. The Skull is an early marked RZM 52 and the Eagle is marked M1/8. Prongs broke when pulled from cap. With the group of bring backs I received his Ike Jacket, named Bronze Star and his named Photo album, will share a pic of the Veteran wearing the Jacket, there is also some incredible pics in this album including the Boxcars full of bodies, dead SS guards, the Munich airfield with ME-109's and Radar equipped Heinkel Night Fighters, also an airstrip in Austria with abandoned ME-262 Jet Fighters. None of these pics have been seen by anyone outside the Family before I got them. Going to keep the cap set and the album and personal effects and the rest of the pile I am going to sell. If someone buys the whole pile I will include a pic of the Veteran and copies of the rest of the album. Great haul that never happens for me but got lucky this day!
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Terrific grouping, wow! If only the veteran had had the good sense of taking the entire cap rather than just the skull and eagle! But beggars can't be choosers, and at least he brought that back. I very much look forward to seeing the pictures in his album. Very cool, thanks for sharing!When you go home
Tell them for us and say
For your tomorrow
We gave our today
--Inscription in the 5th Marine Division cemetery,
Iwo Jima 1945Comment
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Veteran in Ike jacketComment
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Outstanding score, just goes to show there still hidden treasures to be found
GregComment
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Fantastic find!
Congratulations!
Cheers
//FelixComment
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congratulations very nice find
Cheers
Dave.Comment
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Great score, good work. There may be some collectors who might feel that the history of this particular skull/eagle set to be much higher than a "no history" set. Is there any way to prove that he was part of this action? I've got to believe that much had to have been written about this event. The vet could have been bragging to his family. If it could be proved you might go back to the son and nail down the documentation about the set. Might pay dividends later and he might have found more stuff.Comment
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You want to be careful how you go about conversing with the vet on such subjects, he may not want to remember it in too much detail.Comment
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Not a lot of visor caps worn by soldiers guarding the camp that day...wonder if these might be from the acting commandant whom surrendered the camp and was also passed on to enternity that day..or perhaps SS Artz at hospital..
JMHO Billbert
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The only way to buy....that's what I'm talking about ...congrats ...there are still tons of things to be found yet other than gun shows, especially in Maine. Keep it up...Comment
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Nice turn of luck for you! Congratulations on your haul!!!
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That's a typical and very nice vet find. Congrats!
I haven't had one in a while. They used to be quite plentiful, but sadly, they are getting very scarce! I especially like the RAD hewer - an extremely high-quality but very under-rated piece of TR para-Militaria! Don't separate that grouping too quickly! Just words of regretful experience.
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SS-Untersturmführer Heinrich Wicker was the acting Kommadant and he is shown wearing an M43 cap prior to his murder. There was a huge area of the camp that was a billet for SS troops, the cap insignia was probably found there.Originally posted by billbert View Post
IanComment
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