Military Police in Berlin: Wesley G. McCalla WWII steps
Article about: HI all, I just bought some ebay stuff. All belong to Wesley G. McCalla. I think he was MP. When I bought it I begun to invest the meaning of each medal and pin. Now I try to get all the info
Military Police in Berlin: Wesley G. McCalla WWII steps
HI all,
I just bought some ebay stuff. All belong to Wesley G. McCalla. I think he was MP. When I bought it I begun to invest the meaning of each medal and pin. Now I try to get all the information I can in order to try to follow the McCalla steps in WWII.
I will appreciate your help in order to determine the origin of each article. I do not receive the lot the I only have some pics here. Until now I see a WWII Bronze Star, Good Conduct Medal (1944), some sergeant ranks, "blue spader" patch, Honorable Service Lapel Button (“Ruptured duck”), hand embroided US combat infantry badge , british rank insignia, british Royal Corps of Transport mini badge (or cap badge?), identification tags, Berlin police pin, Munchen pin, European/African/Middle Eastern Campaign Medal Ribbon bar, and another badges & pins not recognized at this time.
About Wesley McCalla this is all the information I got until now from several archives in Internet:
ARMY SERIAL NUMBER : 37728985
NAME: MC CALLA WESLEY G.
RESIDENCE: STATE 73 KANSAS
RESIDENCE: COUNTY 45 DOUGLAS
PLACE OF ENLISTMENT 7325 FT LEAVENWORTH KANSAS
DATE OF ENLISTMENT DAY 14 14
DATE OF ENLISTMENT MONTH 12 12
DATE OF ENLISTMENT YEAR 43 43
GRADE: ALPHA DESIGNATION PVT# Private
GRADE: CODE 8 Private
BRANCH: ALPHA DESIGNATION NO# No branch assignment
BRANCH: CODE 2 No branch assignment
FIELD USE AS DESIRED # #
TERM OF ENLISTMENT 5 Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law
LONGEVITY ### ###
SOURCE OF ARMY PERSONNEL 0 Civil Life
NATIVITY 75 MISSOURI
YEAR OF BIRTH 10 10
RACE AND CITIZENSHIP 1 White, citizen
EDUCATION 5 1 year of college
CIVILIAN OCCUPATION 444 Skilled compositors and typesetters
MARITAL STATUS 2 Married
COMPONENT OF THE ARMY 7 Selectees (Enlisted Men)
CARD NUMBER # #
BOX NUMBER 1255 1255
FILM REEL NUMBER 6.21# 6.21#
Name: Wesley G. McCalla
SSN: 511-01-9212
Born: 1 Aug 1910
Died: 11 Aug 1990
State (Year) SSN issued: Kansas (Before 1951)
Re: Military Police in Berlin: Wesley G. McCalla WWII steps
got this from wikipedia
During the Second World War (1941–1945), the U.S. Army had difficulty in recruiting Infantry branch volunteers, unlike its other, more glamorous branches (e.g. the Tank Corps, the Army Air Forces), and the Marine Corps and Navy. To increase recruitment and raise its esprit de corps, General Lesley J. McNair, the Army Ground Forces commander, conceived of two ideas — (i) a large, recognizable combat service badge, for the infantry ranks, and (ii) replacing the title Private with the title Fighter, thereby, raising the soldier’s morale when addressing “Private Jones” as “Fighter Jones”. The badge idea was accepted, the title idea rejected; however, the General insisted upon the Fighter Badge title.[1][2] On the 7th of October 1943, the War Department formally established the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB) and the Expert Infantryman Badge (EIB) awards in Section I, War Department Circular 269 (27 October 1943):
I have never seen an embroidered CIB like this but it reminds me of something a soldier would have (private purchase) embroidered in france
i only say that because of all the different embroidered wings i see on the forum and it reminds me of that
definitely looks WWII to me but i am not a subject matter expert
the "Steve's" (moderators) and more experienced collectors on the forum will be able to answer your questions more appropriately
but i must say that CIB has got me feelin butterflies lol
oh and this is the best forum ever! and its so nice to see its ranks being filled with more and more collectors every day
Re: Military Police in Berlin: Wesley G. McCalla WWII steps
The Distinctive Unit insignia for the 26th Inf Regt and the Combat Infantryman's badge both look good and although these are private purchase and unofficial, they can be seen from the late WW2 / Army of Occupation period.
Re: Military Police in Berlin: Wesley G. McCalla WWII steps
by Adrian Stevenson
The Distinctive Unit insignia for the 26th Inf Regt and the Combat Infantryman's badge both look good and although these are private purchase and unofficial, they can be seen from the late WW2 / Army of Occupation period.
Cheers, Ade.
Thanks Ade. I'll try to get more info of "26th Inf Regt" in Internet.
Take care,
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