103rd AA Bookends

[RH1941]

I picked one of these up at a great estate sale awhile back and a buddy found the other one for me . The guy he bought it from also got it at the sale sale as I did . I was very happy to reunite them . Thing is I can't find this unit . Gary

[MilitariaOne]

Greetings Gary,

VLA = Very Low Altitude. From page 69 of The U.S. Army Barrage Balloon Program, "In early 1943, three separate Barrage Balloon batteries (the 102nd, 103rd, & 104th) manning VLA Balloons were sent to Europe and participated in the Sicilian Campaign and the landings in Italy." You can see in the shape of the bookends, the barrage balloon featured on the brass portion. They had .50 CAL M2 HMGs to take on aircraft that came to bust their balloons. Not sure what "SLN" stands for.

Best,

V/r Lance

[RH1941]

Very nice Lance I couldn't find a thing on line about them . Thank you again Gary

[AZPhil]

Great looking book ends Gary.

Excellent information Lance,

Semper Fi
Phil