Article about: These items were given to me by a local veteran Gordan R. He was in the US army air corp during the war and served in a piper cub messenger unit. He was a young mechanic trained at Willow Ru
These items were given to me by a local veteran Gordan R. He was in the US army air corp during the war and served in a piper cub messenger unit. He was a young mechanic trained at Willow Run Michigan. The tropical tunic, hats, and medals were taken by him on the last day of the war. His unit dragged a set of quad .50 calibres around during the entire war wo ever firing them. On the last day a Fiesler Storch flew over and they hit him with several slugs in the motor. The german plane went down on its wheels and Mr. Gordan and his friends captured the pilot and the a passenger. According to Mr. Gordan the pilot and passenger were heading to Spain or toward Spain. Mr. Gordan took the pilots suitcase and in it was this tropical tunic, both hats, and the medals. I will post other relics of Mr. Gordan later that he took from what he described as a Luftwaffe storage center. This is another interesting story.
After the war was over he and his unit went into what he described as a warehouse for Luftwaffe gear. He took all he could carry and began sending it home. He sent two summer flying suits, heavy high altitude suit, two pair fleece flying boots, one pair of what he described as ski boots but actually turned out to be second pattern fallschirmyager boots, unissued flying goggles in the box with lenses, some other things that are for rank on the collars and some arm bands but I dont know what they are, then other odds and ends he picked up here and there. Much of it was sent home in a c ration box which shows the markings of cans still.
Mr. Gordan and his son ran a auto repair shop together. On really really cold days his son would wear this high altitude suit with the flight boots both to school and to work. He said he even wore them hunting. The flight suit is worn out but the boots are ok.
The summer flying suits are mint with tags on one of them. The 2nd pattern fallschirmjager boots are unissued. Mr. Gordan told me there were lots of "motorcycle looking helmets" there which I like to think these were airborne helmets.
Last edited by paragon man; 02-11-2012 at 05:21 PM.
By all means-please do post the other items that were acquired at the same time! They look to be quite late war pieces, but are very interesting nonetheless! The clasp is especially so!
William
"Much that once was, is lost. For none now live who remember it."
Some good items there. Knowing the story behind them is always a nice bonus.
Cheers, Ade.
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Thanks guys...I appreciate your kind interest and comments....here is the rest of the story and the other relics. Mr. Gordan is still living and I pass by his house everyday. His son is named after his brother who was killed in a B 25 mission.
He sent two summer flying suits, heavy high altitude suit, two pair fleece flying boots, one pair of what he described as ski boots but actually turned out to be second pattern fallschirmyager boots, unissued flying goggles in the box with lenses, some other things that are for rank on the collars and some arm bands but I dont know what they are, then other odds and ends he picked up here and there.
The armbands are for civilian personnel of certain Luftwaffe agencies.
The one witout lace borders is for Hilfspförtner [assistant doormen] and Fahrstuhlführer [elevator operators]. The one with the lace border at the bottom edge is for Pförtner [doormen].
Oberpförtner [senior doormen] wore an armband with a lace border on top and bottom.
Luftwaffe relics US vet bringback
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by paragon man
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