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Uniform to Silver Star winner and Battle of the Bulge POW

Article about: Hello all, As suggested by the title, this has quite a history named to 1st Lt. Harold Bain, the commander of a M18 Hellcat of the 811th Tank Destroyer Battalion. He was awarded the Silver S

  1. #1
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    Default Uniform to Silver Star winner and Battle of the Bulge POW

    Hello all,

    As suggested by the title, this has quite a history named to 1st Lt. Harold Bain, the commander of a M18 Hellcat of the 811th Tank Destroyer Battalion. He was awarded the Silver Star and Purple Heart for his gallant actions taken during the first week of the Battle of the Bulge before being taken prisoner.

    Harold Otto Bain was born January 23, 1920 in Distant, Pennsylvania. He began active service on April 1, 1942 and was shipped to Camp Hood, Texas in February 1943. Mr. Bain started his foreign service on June 20, 1944. The 811th TD Battalion arrived at Cherbourg on September 15, 1944 with their M18 Hellcats. The battalion moved across France and into Luxembourg towards the end of the year. Harold was with B Company located about 70km southwest of Bastogne. They would remain around Christnach and Consdorf for the entirety of the fighting in the Ardennes. From what I understand, Harold earned his Silver Star and Purple Heart during the fighting on the 19/20 of December. B Company aided an attack on some Darms on December in which they killed 40 and took 61 prisoners from the 267. Volksgrenadier Division. The next day they clashed with an estimated force of a German Kompanie and multiple tanks moving south from Haller. The Germans were repulsed before a second wave attacked two hours later with the strength of two kompanies and three more tanks. Two German tanks and 50 fighters lay dead as they retreated at nightfall. 1st Lt. Bain’s Hellcat must have been disabled at some point during fighting and he was taken prisoner. I know nothing more than that or anything surrounding his SS, PH, or the dates. The next part of his service that I am aware of is that he ended up at Stalag XII-A in Limburg and Stalag XIII-D in Nuremberg. He was liberated from the Stalag in April 1945. He remained in foreign service until June 12, 1945 before returning stateside. The war finally ended for him on December 4, 1945 when he was discharged at Fort Knox. A lengthy battle with an illness took his life on March 1, 2003 in Dover, Ohio.

    Uniform to Silver Star winner and Battle of the Bulge POW

    Uniform to Silver Star winner and Battle of the Bulge POW

    I acquired this at auction in 2016 shortly after it left the family. It came about from the estate auction in 2015 after his wife passed away. The uniform set is as shown was his M1937 wool service shirt, Khaki side cap, khaki tie, khaki trousers, and khaki web belt. I don’t know enough to say if this set was worn together or not. You’ll notice some oddities with its composition however it’s not unlike what’s seen on the uniforms of other veterans.
    The first things I noticed that were missing were the PUC on the right breast and the Purple Heart ribbon. The ribbon for the Silver Star and European–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medal are present. The campaign ribbon has four Service Stars for Northern France, the Rhineland, the Ardennes, and Central Europe. The collars have the insignia of the 1st Lieutenant and the armored infantry instead of the tank destroyers insignia. The tank destroyer patch in orange is sewn to the right arm while the unnumbered armored division patch is sewn to the left.


    Uniform to Silver Star winner and Battle of the Bulge POW

    Uniform to Silver Star winner and Battle of the Bulge POW

    Uniform to Silver Star winner and Battle of the Bulge POW



    Uniform to Silver Star winner and Battle of the Bulge POW
    This is the rest of the grouping that belonged to Harold Bain. It was purchased at the estate sale and subsequently auctioned off online. It would only be right to try and reunite it all.

    Ben

  2. #2

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    It would be a worthy venture to try to reunite this man’s uniforms. I hate it when identified groups get split up like that

  3. #3
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    I own a large part of this grouping, as shown in the pictures below. The 573rd AAA Bn book is not part of the items from Bain.
    Click to enlarge the picture Click to enlarge the picture Uniform to Silver Star winner and Battle of the Bulge POW   Uniform to Silver Star winner and Battle of the Bulge POW  

    Uniform to Silver Star winner and Battle of the Bulge POW   Uniform to Silver Star winner and Battle of the Bulge POW  


  4. #4

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    Ben,

    This is a great grouping, but I would like to make one correction as a Veteran.

    The Silver Star and all other decorations of Valor and Achievement are not "won". They are earned and awarded. Although the US and its Allies did win the war by acts of individual valor and courage the recipient of the award I am sure was not thinking about "winning" but surviving to make it home.

    It's just a pet peeve of mine when I hear someone say someone won the Medal of Honor, Silver Star, Bronze Star or something along those lines. As a veteran, I earned and was awarded many decorations, I wasn't competing in a track meet or car race for first place, I did my duty and earned the decorations.

    The only thing that I won was beating the odds and serving 21 years without losing my life or limbs. Can't say the same for many of my Brothers and Sisters..

    What they have won is my 100% total respect and gratitude.

    Best regards, stay safe

    Smitty

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