Eric K.

My God you have probably had millions of dollars worth come through your hands. I wish I had a time machine.

This is a bit off topic but what are regular/nothing fancy Nevsky's going for these days? 

Eric

I love the quality of the red stars, but the Nevsky's could possibly be the best looking award out there.

Huzzaah!Working!

So I found this in Iraq at a bazaar/market on a foot patrol in Baghdad.

It was thrown in with some small rusty tools and other metal objects in a little tin,I would love to learn the story behind this.

I did clean it up when I first got it. It was completely gunked up with Oil and who knows what else.

It still is pretty filthy but I haven't messed with it since I took the majority of the crud off it.Bet it would polish up nice!

It is the exact same size as an ordinary EK,(haven't weighed it)

The first picture looks a bit crooked and off center but that is just my most excellent camera abilities to make something straight look bent.

The pictures make it look like theres lines and dimples but the back is completely smooth, except for 2 small hash marks on top, I think it was to measure the position of the clasp.

I assume locally made and quite crude, but it is a neat little cross

Tried to post this yesterday, so here it is again

Tan Wonderful stuff!! I'm jealous. I had a good 3-4 year run with a mini obsession, so I'll have to contribute soon.

Eric

Expect me resurrecting a few threads.I'm like a kid at Christmas!

I know this is a bit old..I'm catching up!

Amazing!!! What else is in there? Thats a mighty list of battles I bet his ears are still ringing.

Excellent follow up Paul. Puts things in perspective, but it's still an interesting career he had, Him joining the Sikhs is the thing that interests me the most.

And the fact that he was interned xxxxx me off, I understand the mood of the time but I think he has more than proven himself.

Japanese soldier/journalist named O'Harra, living in India fighting with Sikhs,recovering in a British hospital( only 70 wounds) and wants to be a pilot...what's weird about that?

Thats a great set you have there! I always thought the soldiers on motorcycles were just attached in Kraftfahr units, very interesting to see documents of this! On another note how many battalions were there?

Great pictures guys!

So when is the write up coming? If he wasn't wearing this was it in his pack? hanging on a tree? We want details!!!

Eric

Oh no doubt about that,the closest he came to combat is probably a paper cut. I just have a nagging feeling that I have seen him somewhere.

Not sure whats on his right sleeve tho, any idea?

Excellent!!! A true soldiers uniform. I know how he feels, I kept my uniform after being wounded too, A bit of a gory reminder. I assume all the bits are Wahrheit's also?

Eric

Anyone have any ideas who this might be? I call him the RK poseur...that EK2 is separate for his bar and creeping mighty close to his neck.

Eric

Didn't see that coming, and all these years I thought it was the opposite way.

What the?!?!?! Am I reading this right? Could this possibly be the end to the "unofficial" pinback configuration?

Eric

I will have to post mine this weekend,The back

of mine differs slightly than the ones posted, and it's not numbered.

Eric

Can't believe I've missed this thread. I love how the first guy in the thread

never saw combat yet has an EK etc... I'm sure he could easily make up a few war stories

Same goes for the U.S. Army and bronze stars, you would be shocked to find out who gets those!!!

I would say 75-80% are people who never seen combat at all.

Oh by the way, would a Bosnia vet be considered an Vet A-hole? hehehehe

Eric

You know Eric,

you have the most unique and interesting EK's, no one man should have such luck!!

Eric

I invite your attention to the performance of the brown-water sailors in Viet Nam under Admiral Zumwalt. I'm not talking about the ships offshore, but the guys on the patrol boats (PBR), working directly with the 9th US and other divisions. All the old-line officers (including me) were convinced that Zumwalt would destroy the morale, discipline and fighting capabilities of the Riverine Force. We were wrong. They were not raggedy-ass (well, not too much), but they did have long hair and beards. They kept as clean as they could and many of them did fight like lions.

To the best of my knowledge, the principal issue with beards is gas masks and access to wounds for treatment. This man seems to have solved the first, and, as you say, the second is not likely to be an issue for him.

You might also like to look at some of the pictures from the US Civil War. There were a few beards then. Standards change over time, presumably to meet the needs of the service. The old guys never like it and bitch about it, but the service moves on.

Hugh

(In-country '69-70)

First thing, thanks for your service! you guys that served in Vietnam didn't,and to a degree still don't get the credit you deserve.

You are right about the beards, it is mainly for the fitting of the gas masks, which he will absolutely not be able to wear, so once again

we will have to change the standards (for him) again since he will not be able to participate in N.B.C. training, which even as a dentist he will have to do at least once a year.

So when does this stop? Will it be OK to smoke pot in the military because enough Rastafarian's complain they can't practice their religion?

How about the height and weight standards? Like I said I have zero problems with this guy besides him wearing a beard, and maybe the turban not sure if he can EVER take it off to wear a helmet etc...? There's plenty of Jews in the Army that wear a yamaka (spelling?),but they can wear it under a helmet and even under a beret, so this is perfectly fine.

I think that as American's were so afraid not to be PC that if the Army made a big stink about this guy's beard they would instantly be branded racist? As Peter did to me, go figure.

Eric

Risking getting political and here, but I have to agree with Hugh. Once upon a time, US Army regs. forbade the enlisting of Blacks. And of women. People with glasses. And so on. But time moves on and so do armies.

I assume none of those other things would meet with your approval, so why does this one get such a strong reaction? The name "Singh" means "lion" and traditionally, all 'baptized' male Sikhs use it, as a token that the culture began as a sect of martial Indians, defending their homeland against Mogul [Persian, Muslim] invaders. And, as Hugh says, their reputation as soldiers is second to none.

As one who was born in the US and so technically an American [Canadian by raising and residence] I'm flattered that a new immigrant wants to help defend his adopted, my birth country. And if his hair is long, so what? I've seen lots of raggedy-ass looking troops who fought like lions. And I've seen parade ground by-the-book REMFs whose dress and hair would delight a Sergeant Major and who weren't worth the bullet to shot them! Which would you rather have watching your back?

Peter

Wow strong statement there. I don't know where you get the idea that being black, a women or wearing glasses would get my disapproval??

ANd I'm not sure why your bent on thinking that I have a problem with Sikh's?

I DON'T CARE what religion you are, I DON'T CARE what color you are, I DON'T CARE what gender you are in the military.

I DO care about standards tho. This guy is in a soft skin MOS I'm sure he's not a killer that you all wish him to be.

I am an infantrymen, I served in a couple of wars and was wounded bad enough that I will be getting a medical discharge in the very near future.

And there is no way in hell that I would let any of my soldiers grow a beard, an it's people like you that say "So what if their hair is long" that is ruining our military and traditions.

By the way when did YOU see raggedy-ass troops fight like lions??

Eric

I think if you read a little history, you'll find that the Sikhs are among the most effective soldiers in the world. Your other comments have some merit, but I suggest you dig a little deeper on this one.

Hugh

(30 years of service, not counting the Academy)

Why would I dig any deeper? This man has a beard and according AR 670-1 you are not permitted to have a beard...period. But now I guess with a waiver you can?

We have gotten so politically correct and racially sensitive that we're afraid of our own shadows.

And your comment about Sikh's being effective soldiers, well I hope he's a good dentist.

Eric

What to say? I am currently in the U.S. Army and just seeing this guy with a beard in uniform makes my blood boil.

I understand it's part of his religion and all, but I think you either conform to the Army or you don't join.

It just goes to show the bad situation the military is in, you can have tattoo's on your face and hands, you don't need a high school diploma,

felons are allowed in.Standards have dropped to a depressing level.

I am hoping that i a few years the Army will go back to what it once was, kind of like how the Army went down hill during Vietnam and after, but pulled itself together

again in the early 80's. Here's hoping.

Eric

As I have been away for awhile I am slowly catching up. This deserves to be bumped up, without a doubt. Like usual Chris excellent job!

Eric