240th M.P. Bn. - FDR's Ornaments

[Historyguy00]

That’s the mystery. I’m thinking he had it during the war. He treasured it and was always messing with it when I was a kid and my uncle said the same thing from when he was little.

[GIZMO8Z]

Sorry for the slow reply! I don’t think this type of pocket watch was an MP issue item. It’s possible he purchased it on his own or was given it by someone who had some ties to aviation.

[real steel]

Great thread !! I was there this year in early June. I try to make it every year when I visit upstate. A lovely, peaceful place
Thanks, D.

[AZPhil]

Sorry for the slow reply! I don’t think this type of pocket watch was an MP issue item. It’s possible he purchased it on his own or was given it by someone who had some ties to aviation.

I was hoping you would chime in Joe,
If anybody knew what they carried, it would be a reenactor who specialized in that unit!!

Semper Fi
Phil

[Historyguy00]

The watch is military issue. It has all the serial numbers on it. It’s 130 out of 5000 so this particular watch wasn’t very common. There were two other companies that manufacturers this exact model but they numbered in the much higher quantities. I do know that since it was military issue he probably didn’t purchase it. And my grandfather was never assigned duties at an airfield during the war. He was with the 240th from its creation till after V-J day. He did serve, for a time at Camp Croft in Spartanburg, SC (1940- till he went to Hyde park) This watch was manufactured in 1942. Prior to the war he was in Panama in the Canal Zone but that was in the late 1930’s.

[GIZMO8Z]

The watch is military issue. It has all the serial numbers on it. It’s 130 out of 5000 so this particular watch wasn’t very common. There were two other companies that manufacturers this exact model but they numbered in the much higher quantities. I do know that since it was military issue he probably didn’t purchase it. And my grandfather was never assigned duties at an airfield during the war. He was with the 240th from its creation till after V-J day. He did serve, for a time at Camp Croft in Spartanburg, SC (1940- till he went to Hyde park) This watch was manufactured in 1942. Prior to the war he was in Panama in the Canal Zone but that was in the late 1930’s.

I’m not saying the pocket watch isn’t military issue. I’m saying it’s not something that I recognize as standard issue specifically to MPs. It’s possible he got it from a friend or relative who was a pilot in the military. In fact, I’ve heard that the MPs at Hyde Park had a close relationship with the fighter pilots at Stewart Airfield in nearby Newburgh, NY who flew air cover for the Springwood Estate.

[Historyguy00]

I’ve also heard there was a radar monitoring station in Hyde Park from a contact I have at the Roosevelt library. So who knows it’s just an odd enigma.