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LOT 3395
Grouping of Items
for a Glider Pilot
with the 43rd
Troop Carrier
Squadron, with
Attribution -
The items in this
grouping are
attributed to a C.H.
Griswell with the
43rd Troop Carrier
Squadron, which
was responsible
for transporting paratroopers and gliders to Normandy for D-Day. Information on Griswell is limited; records
show a Charles H. Griswell as a Staff Sergeant with the 65th Troop Carrier Squadron in New Guinea c.1943, but
this has not been confirmed to be the same man. Grouping includes a 43rd Troop Carrier Squadron patch (4 3/4”
diameter, embroidered felt, featuring an elephant in juvenile garb with a slingshot), I Troop Carrier Command
patch (4 1/2” diameter, embroidered cloth, featuring an eagle carrying a soldier), Air Force patch, two Honorable
Discharge/”ruptured duck” emblems (one lozenge patch, one lapel pin), silver “G” glider pilot wings, eagle hat
badge, a pair of W-1 Flight Officer rank pins, ribbon bar with the Air Medal (x1 oak leaf) and European-African-
Middle Eastern Campaign (x3 stars) ribbons, and dogtag for Griswell.
CONDITION: Minor wear and stains, otherwise fine overall.
Provenance: The Putnam Green/Sycamore Collection.
Estimate: 1,500 - 2,500
LOT 3394
Grouping
of Uniform
Items for a
Lieutenant
in the 508th
Parachute
Infantry Regiment - Activated in 1942, the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment arrived in England in 1944, where
they would prepare for Operation Overlord; as part of the 82nd Airborne, the 508th was dropped into Normandy
on the morning of July 6th, and like most airborne units that day found itself scattered, needing to reorganize
itself into ad hoc groups to carry on the fight on the ground. The 508th dropped again in Holland for Operation
Market Garden, as well as seeing combat in the Battle of Huertgen Forest and the Battle of the Bulge. Grouping
includes a green twill garrison cap with bullion wire parachute patch and metal 1st Lieutenant insignia, 508th
Regiment “red devil” patch, 82nd Airborne “AA” patch with “AIRBORNE” rocker, “U.S” lapel pins, silver jump wings,
Combat Infantry Badge, Presidential Unit Citation ribbon, and ribbon bars for the Bronze Star, Purple Heart (x1
oak leaf), American Campaign, European-African-Middle Eastern (x2 stars), and World War II Victory.
CONDITION: One of the lapel pins is bent and the patches show minor stains and wear, otherwise fine.
Provenance: The Putnam Green/Sycamore Collection.
Estimate: 2,000 - 3,000
LOT 3393
Grouping of Items
for a Captain in
the 325th Glider
Infantry Regiment,
with Personal
Attribution - The
contents of the lot
are attributed as
the personal items
of Captain Walther
F. McLane of the
325th Glider Infantry
Regiment. Originally
formed for World
War I, the 325th was
reactivated in 1942
and trained as glider
infantry as part of
the 82nd Airborne
Division. The 325th
would perform
glider landings for the Normandy Invasion and Operation Market Garden, an amphibious landing at Salerno, and
ground combat at the Battle of the Bulge. Grouping includes an overseas cap with captain’s rank insignia and
glider patch, Combat Infantry Badge, Glider Badge, Marksmanship Badge with rifle bar, five captain rank insignia
(one metal, two tan cloth, two green cloth), Purple Heart, “U.S.” and “crossed rifles” lapel pins, Presidential Unit
Citation ribbon (with 1 oak leaf), 325th Regiment pins, “glider” and “eagle claw” patches, seven uniform ribbons
(Purple Heart, Bronze Star, Bronze Star with V, American Defense Service, European-African-Middle Eastern
Campaign with arrowhead and two stars, National Defense Service), and dog tag marked to McLane.
CONDITION: Fine overall.
Provenance: The Putnam Green/Sycamore Collection.
Estimate: 2,500 - 4,000
LOT 3392
Rare Sealed U.S. Navy Atlantic Escape
and Evasion “Barter Kit” - Designed for and
issued to American pilots possibly as early as
World War II, for use in the event they were
downed behind enemy lines, or otherwise
found themselves in hostile territory. On
average the kits contained approximately
.90 Troy ounces of fine gold in the form of
coins and rings, and were issued sealed. Due
to the value of the individual kits, each kit
was serial numbered and had to be signed
out and signed back in with all contents
accounted for if the kit was opened in
the course of duty. The kit in this lot is the
Atlantic variation, which would traditionally
contain a British or South African Pound gold
Sovereign, two British and/or South African
gold half Sovereigns, a 10 Franc coin, a 20
Franc coin, and three golden rings. The case is
hard rubber and marked “IF FOUND RETURN
TO/COMNAVAIRLANT (CNAL 34)/NORFOLK,
VIRGINIA” on both sides and the individual
serial number “903” marked on one side; the
use of the “COMNAVAIRLANT” abbreviation
for Commander, Air Force Atlantic, started in
the 1950s. The kit remains sealed. Information
supplied by the consignor indicates this kit
was released from government inventory as
part of a Defense Logistics Agency property disposal auction in 1980 in Columbus, Ohio.
CONDITION: Very fine with scuffs and minor handling marks on the exterior.
Estimate: 5,000 - 7,000