Not sure where to have put this, but this is my cross-town friend's latest score.
I will let him take it from here:
This U.S. officer uniform has more story possibilities, and raises more questions, than you can count.
In addition to collecting German WWI and WWII, another interest of mine has been U.S. uniforms, 1920 to the Korean War, especially with embroidered insignia. When these U.S. uniforms are made in Germany, even better.
The Major Richard Casper Berlin made tunic came with his partial service records. He enlisted before Pearl Harbor, fought on Guadalcanal two months after Marines landed, fought in the Northern Solomon’s, South Philippines, Battle of Manila (called the Stalingrad of the East), etc.
From his record, he was awarded a number of decorations, like the Purple Heart, Bronze Star, etc., that would be worn embroidered on this custom made tunic. Interestingly enough, he choose only to have his Army Presidential Unit citation, two Navy/Marine Corp Presidential Unit citations (awarded to individuals within the unit, not to the unit or regiment as a whole), as was customary with Presidential Unit citations. Again, this is an army officer awarded two Navy/Marine Unit citations. Also embroidered were the Philippines Presidential Unit citation, and the Combat Infantry Badge. None of his personal ribbons were added. His full list of decorations is the last attachment.
From the 1945 Fighting Divisions book, Major Casper’s unit became part of the only un-numbered W.W.II U.S. division, the Americal. Fast forward to Vietnam, the Americal became a disgraced army unit, after the massacres by Lt. Calley at My Lai in 1968.
The tropical worsted tunic was made by Fritsch & Rohr, makers of first class German uniforms during W.W.II. It is interesting to note that the embroidered CIB badge displays the same metallic beading as on Heer officer breast eagles. See breast eagle attachment. Did Fritsch and Rohr use surplus W.W.II stock material to make the CIB?
I am in the process of getting the fuller story of Major Casper.
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