The Capstone

Incredible post. Medal of Honor winners are always interesting to check out, especially the few double MOH winners. Ryan

Very nice medals! My grandfather has several of these, as he worked on the Apollo program and others. I love to see these posted, though they are not necessarily "military" medals. NASA employees and workers did not have uniforms per se, but they did have to wear badges and identification at all times. Most of the astronauts NASA used were Navy or Airforce pilots who wore uniforms, but only because they were military. Check NASA's website to find some pics of Mission Control and launch preparations. Mostly the men who worked on the spacecraft just wore jumpsuits and protective gear. Hope this helped! Take care, Ryan

Yes, thanks for the heads up Julian. Their site does have a nice museum. Take care, Capstone.

Does anyone know what year this may have been taken? It is in very nice condition, Sal. The clarity is fairly impressive. Thank you for posting, Ryan

Fascinating topic, gentlemen. It is very interesting to hear all these different names! I am not aware of many American nicknames, but I will ask some of my friends in the military about them. A few I know are USMC- "Uncle Sam's Misguided Children," the US Airforce- "US Chairforce," and plenty of jokes on the Navy which lack appropriateness... Anyway, Thanks for posting! Capstone

Ah, thank you, Bob. I will ask her about the bracelet tonight if I see her. Perhaps she can shed some light on it for me. It will be interesting to hear what she has to say. Thanks, Capstone

Great piece. Vet acquired I assume? Looking forward to seeing more, and thanks for posting. Capstone

Julian, Very nice piece! These are not common at all, from what I hear. A lady whose husband was in the AAF from early '42 through the 50's wears hers still today. I don't know if it is his or if she had it made to keep him present with her, but she still treasures it after all these years. Thank you for sharing, Capstone

An acquaintance of mine recently acquired two M42 para jackets and one pair of jump pants at a "yard sale" as we call them in America. It is my opinion that there are likely those issued vests still out there to be had from various places. I agree that if the vest was unpopular amongst the troops, they would have likely opted out of wearing them. After reading the information posted in the link below,I can see why they would be unpopular. Today's vests are much improved: they provide easy access to ammunition, medical supplies, grenades, and a even clip to hang the soldier's weapon on. Today's assault vests used by Special Forces troops are very popular for just those reasons. However, given their unpopularity in The Second World War, most surely would have been left in surplus in Great Britain. Here is a good link for pictures of the assault vest: Assault Vests Thank you for the information, Ryan

Excellent helmets. I love the Inland liner; its condition is very nice! Thanks for posting, Ryan

Very nice list there, Ulsterman. I think that carbine may rival my vote for "The Best." Capstone

Phenomenal pictures! Thank you very much for sharing. Capstone

Thanks for the background on the award, PK. Where would Guynemer have hung his Croix if it were 18 inches long? Quite an accomplished pilot, to say the least! Capstone

Quite a group. Once they're arranged properly, you are set! Capstone

Darrell, Your award is absolutely beautiful. In prime condition as well. Do you have any numbers on how many recipients there were of this award? A very nice addition to your collection. Capstone

Very nice group, Prosper. I always enjoy your contributions. Thank you, Capstone

I tried to upload some photos, but I forgot that I cannot since I am as yet a "Probationary Member." Here is another link: http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/i?amme...LD(COLLID+fsa)) Capstone

While doing a research paper in college, I discovered a database with pictures from the Library of Congress. The collection, known as "American Memory," has thousands of pictures from many different eras, from the War Between the States to the Second World War. If you have time, it would be worthwhile to browse through the various collections here. Here is a link to a picture of an early U.S. paratrooper in training. Note the Riddell football helmet from which the later M2 and M1-C were derived. http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?fsaa...p/~ammem_a9v1:: Thanks, Capstone

Nice medals, Rich. They bring with them a good bit of emotion! Capstone

I specialize in Second World War American headgear, especially the M1 helmet. I have seen many paratrooper helmets that I could have sworn were genuine, only to turn out to be cleverly aged and faked. Not much gets past my eye, but there are still those that are nearly perfect. Probably my favorite authenticity test is the "smell" test. There is just no substitute for the smell of an original piece of equipment. It is nearly impossible to replicate the smell as well. After talking to a fellow historian and collector from another forum, he seems to believe that genuine assault vests are in short supply, hence the high price tag (eBay estimates between $550 and $2500). Surely there are many examples to be had, but the majority of genuine ones are likely already residing in private collection or museums. Thanks, Capstone

Thanks. That is the dilemma with creating near perfect props for movies: you must mark them somehow, and be sure that mark cannot be removed or altered by a third party to sell. Capstone

I have noticed that prices on original Second World War assault vests are quite high. Depending on the make and model, I have seen them go for as little as $500, or as much as $4,000. Given that these rose in popularity after movies like Saving Private Ryan came out, what is their availability right now? They were not common before the collecting boom, and surely they are at a premium today. What would those with more experience in this area think a fair maximum price would be for a genuine U.S. assault vest? Capstone

Fascinating story, Rick. Do you conduct family tree research? It seems you know quite a bit about your ancestors' history, and I applaud you for that. Unfortunately, the records of many C.S.A enlisted men are lost or never existed. I too agree that anything from an ancestor would be a possession to be prized: especially if one knew the story behind the item. Regrettably, the items that came home with my family members so long ago has found residence with other members of the family. They do not have much interest in history unfortunately, so maybe the items will find a good home one day, even if that is not with me. Capstone

Nice: I'm not sure I have ever seen a Coast Guard- marked DUKW before.

That would be a great piece to own: I didn't expect anyone to list a DUKW. Capstone