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    Mike

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    Everything posted by Mike

    1. Hi Stogie ! They are heavily "gilded" ..like a very rich Gold almost like the Gold Party Badge ("Fire Gilded?") and no casting marks that I can see or ..pock marks from a cheap cast. Not marked at all. At first , I thought repro but then , I started wondering if they could have been a replacement set made in the late 30's (early 40's) for an Imperial Award . They are not lightweight and , you can see the nice job they did soldering the "paper-clip" to the back --not sloppy at all. I've had them for 3 years now ? (I forget) and Bob's is the only other set I've ever seen . There has to be someone out there that knows what they belong to ..or can explain them.
    2. While sorting through a ziplock with about 10 tinnies and other assorted Imperial & European pins in it ...I found these Oaks. They do have nice detail but ..I can't lock them in. I was thinking along the lines of Imperial ...what's interesting is I posted these and Bob Hritz posted a matching set that he bought with a group of Imperial Awards. Have any of you seen this style before ?
    3. Nice meeting you WM ...nice to see there are quite a few members here
    4. That sounds like a question for Chris .. He's the only lucky Collector I know that owns an 08
    5. Burbank California Lodge #406 & Royal Arch NY
    6. I agree with Bro. Wilson , ..Malta . It also looks custom made to me , with the owners initials on the side. As far as value ...I'm not sure what a Masonic collector would pay , $100 or more ? (also dep on Gold content) I know that if Charlie Snyder had it on his table ..he'd claim it belonged to Himmler ("HH" initials)and want thousands for it.
    7. I agree Rick ...although, that would complicate things for the Printer unless they printed these up months in advance and already knew who'd get one. There could be another explanation ...Since it is serial numbered , they could have created a list with the recipients names ...that way they could double check to comfirm the person presenting it was the one it was assigned to. If the name and that number didn't match up there'd be a problem , unless Steve Martin was at the checkpoint... remember the Movie "The Jerk" ? -- MasterCharge do? --That's fine. We take MasterCharge. --You want a fill-up, Mrs. Nussbaum? --Uh , Yeah , I'm Mr. Nussbaum. --Yeah, that's his wife's card. -- His wife's card? --Yeah, I'll vouch for him. --Okay, as long as we got a voucher.
    8. I'm from Worcester and know the area . That's close to Hampton Beach RI , north of Sunapee ..right ? but as I said in my first post , I thought I was adding that " From Maine to Florida " line in and for some reason only Maine showed up ..it was a Goof and I tried to fix it but , the Edit feature won't let me. Paul ..maybe you can use your Moderator button and fix that for me so I don't get razzed If not , I'll just grin and bear it !
    9. Hi Paul (long time no see) ..I bet you might be able to find out more about this story at your ?office? . They?ll probably have more documented about it than what the Newspapers had. I wonder what happened to those Boats. If you do go searching , try to look around for that "Iron Cross" that was worn around the neck ..you know Reporters don't lie right ?
    10. The Big Prize Arrives May 19, 1945 The 1,600-ton U-234 arrived at the lower harbor or Portsmouth at 7:30 in the morning. Key prisoner Luftwafer leutnant Ulrich Kessler was described as "a typical Hollywood version of a German general." "He wore a long leather greatcoat," the WHEB evening news report continued, "which reached to his ankles, highly polished leather boots and an Iron Cross which hung tightly about his neck. He posed for newsreel cameramen and seemed to be enjoying the publicity he was receiving. He was tall and wore white gloves." After the crew was transferred to the Portsmouth Naval Prison by the Coast Guard, the captured sub was carefully searched for the bodies of the Japanese scientists, but they were not found. The crewmen, wearing "nondescript" uniforms, were described as generally well-fed, ruddy and sporting new haircuts. In a story that went unreported on the radio, crewmen claimed that they had been "victims" of the Norwegian Underground while docked there, since many of the sailors had received venereal diseases from prostitutes. The local press relished in reports from the Naval Prison that Oberleutnant Barndardelli, skipper of the U-805, had complained about the food, refused to eat cafeteria style and dine with his own crewmen. The reporter then detailed the menu for the prisoner's meal -- lamb stew, steamed rice, lettuce and tomato salad, pickled beets, onions, cornbread and butter and stewed peaches and tea. The prisoners were transferred to Washington soon after. Then the following news appeared on the wires from the first of the German prisoners already transferred to Boston: The skipper of one of four surrendered German submarines now at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, has committed suicide in his cell at the Charles Street Jail. Army authorities said that Kapitanleutnant Fritz Steinhoff, commander of the U-873 broke his spectacles and used a jagged piece of lens to slash one of his wrists." Steinhoff was taken to a Boston hospital where he died. Off to Washington May 21, 1945 Prize captive Generalleutnant Ulrich Kessler spoke to reporters in fluent English with a "decidedly Oxford accent" a reporter noted. Asked how he felt about the surrender, he replied, "I was in the last World War. I've been through it before. I'll probably go through it again." Naval authorities expressed concern over the number of souvenirs that were finding their way into the city. Missing were dextrose "pep" pills, revolvers, canned goods, parts of German uniforms, many of which reached the hands of Portsmouth residents before the U-boats docked at the Yard. Reporters on the press tug observed some of the articles handed off the US Coast Guard boats by soldiers and marines to local boys in small boats. A breaking news report off the wire services said that the mysterious stranger aboard the latest U-boat had been identified as designer of the German Messerschmitt combat air plane. This revelation brought to a close one of the most exciting news weeks at "America's oldest naval shipyard." Source: Charlie Gray, "Surrender at Sea," (pamphlet), published by WHEB and Colonial Cleaners, Portsmouth, NH, June 1945. Abridged by J. Dennis Robinson at SeacoastNH.com Original essay ? SeacoastNH.com. Do not duplicate. All use must be attributed. This rare photo shows not the surrender, but the commissioning of the U-boat 873 in Bremen Germany, the year before it arrived in Portsmouth, NH. The picture was given to a member of the US Coast Guard escort ship by a captured German crewman. (US Coast Guard Public Relations Office) http://www.seacoastnh.com/Maritime_History..._at_Portsmouth/
    11. Interview with Nazi Crew May 17, 1945 Portsmouth radio news reporter Charlie Gray scooped the world with his morning radio report of an interview with German U-boat commanders, Oberleutnant Albert Finster, aged 29, was described by local radio as a "typical dyed-in-the-wool Nazi" when he said there was no difference between a good German and a good Nazi. The submarine lietenant stated that England was to blame for the war and that his native town of Hamburg had been ruined by Allied bombing. When shown a copy of German war atrocities in Life magazine, ship's cook Reiner Landgraf, 20, of Leipzig said the pictures were faked. The crew member stated that his ship had fired no torpedoes at Allied targets in its brief career. In the morning 58 men aboard the U-1228 were brought to Portsmouth Yard. Reporters observed that this crew appeared healthier than earlier men. This sub, unlike the earlier two, was immaculate, according to USN Comndr. J. Kincair Kimmell. Kimmell told reporters that the U-873 had fired on a tanker while in waters off Norway within the last two weeks. Six of the ship's 15 torpedoes were missing at the time of capture. Rampant Speculation May 18, 1945 Awaiting the arrival of the fourth captured submarine, reporters openly speculated on the rumors that the sub contained upper echelon Lufwafer officers and two dead Japanese aviation experts. (Note: The Japanese, it was later reported, committed suicide after drinking Luminal. A civilian V-2 rocket expert, three Luftwafer generals, hidden uranium oxide and chemicals stashed in the hull -- all originally headed for Japan during a period when the war was continuing in the Pacific.) Original caption reads: "Its fangs yanked out, this prize U-boat will prey no more upon Allied shipping in the Atlantic." The captured U-805 arrives in the Piscataqua in May 1945. (International News Photos)
    12. The First U-boat Arrives May 15, 1945 Having surrendered in the North Atlantic to Allied forces the week before, the 245-foot German U-boat was towed into Portsmouth Harbor and moored near the Revolutionary War Fort McClary. The Navy tug US Dekanisora with dozens of members of the press met the sub off the Isles of Shoals. A large patch of green water, dyed with chemicals, was the spot marked for the rendezvous. Three German officers with "surly expressionless faces" were seen on deck and a near accident occurred when the U-boat cut across in front of the press tug, missing by about 15 feet and angering the tug captain. The official surrender took place at Kitt's Rock Buoy, one mile out from Whaleback Lighthouse at the entrance to the harbor at 4:25pm. After the ship arrived at the navy yard in Kittery and publicity photos were taken, 27 crewmen and four officers were removed to the naval prison by bus. Two More Subs Surrender May 16, 1945 Two more surrendered U-boats arrived in a less formal process this day. The U-873 arrived in Portsmouth Harbor at 2pm and the U-1228 arrived that evening. A reaction of "unbounded excitement" occurred in the evening when a UPI teletype revealed that another German sub had been captured in the Newfoundland area with three high-ranking German officials and two dead Japanese scientists aboard. Fritz Steinhoff, captain of the 305-foot U-boat 873, now already in harbor, announced that he would give a press concfered soon. (German officers aboard the U-805 as it is escorted to Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine, then the largest American submarine base in the Northeast in 1945. (AP Photo))
    13. Many of you might have known about this but , I always found it interesting but never knew about the War Souvenirs being a local topic . BTW ..I goofed on the Thread Title . I meant to post " From Maine to Florida " as a sub title. The Shipyards in New Hampshire were very busy throughout the War ..right to the end. Captured U-boats set off World War II victory media blitz Portsmouth NH Naval Shipyard was the largest American submarine base on the Atlantic coast when Nazi Germany surrendered on May 7, 1945. The Yard became the natural site for the surrender of up to at least seven German U-boats operating in the region at the end of the war. Local excitement and media coverage increased as, one by one, the worn German U-boats were towed into Portsmouth Harbor. German prisoners were housed briefly at the "Castle," a giant re-enforced naval prison that still stands abandoned in the harbor today. At the time, German U-boats were considered the most sophisticated underwater technology on earth. What Really Happened in NH ? Four U-boats arrived at the Yard within a five-day period and the city was shot through with drama as locals clamored for details about their Nazi foe, long vilified in the national media, now defeated and at hand. Souvenir hunters did a healthy business as residents rubbernecked for glimpses of the crewmen and their high-tech, but battered German subs. German seaman were required to reveal the secrets of their subs which were later refit for use by America. The flow of news from the large press corps kept the story alive for days as the thrilling story unfolded -- a tale of battles, suicide and espionage -- and the clash of cultures at the end of a long war. One of the U-boats, famous for its super-quiet engines, was placed on display in Portsmouth Harbor for visitors to tour. It languished in the Piscataqua for almost a decade until it was acquired by the Museum of Science and Industry, and removed to Chicago in 1954 where it remains part of the museum display. (JDR) German boat U-805, the first Nazi submarine to surrender in New England waters, arrives in Portsmouth Harbor with American seamen seen here on board. Note rowboat in background. Many German souvenirs found their way into the city via a network of local onlookers. (AP Photo)
    14. I posted that 4 months ago and , still feel the same way since I have not seen any proof either way. I have a 3 ? binder full of Soviet Propaganda leaflets and there?s one common theme that keeps popping up ..the Iron Cross . To them , it seemed to symbolize the German Army , and it shows up quite a bit. From what I?ve read about East Germany ?they went out of their way to ignore anything about the War, they were not even actively trying to convict or find War Criminals. They just wanted to move on as if it never happened ..so I doubt they?d go out of their way to produce these and ?upset? the locals Someone once told me that ..If you really want to "See" what it was like and understand or get a feel for History of a certain era ..you must first examine the attitudes and mentality of the people involved at the time ...if you don't , nothing will ever make sense. With all the fellow Collectors we have in Russia today ..I'd have thought one of them would have been able to get into those files and research this ..the answer is out there somewhere
    15. I'm just glad nobody posted that old -- " It's Greek to me" saying ..bad enough I own a Restaurant , the Greek jokes get old fast
    16. Looks like it?s been sleeping quietly for a few years ..just waiting for you Chris ! Great find
    17. I agree Rick ?I searched without luck ,but you and others really dug and posted a wealth of Information on him. I know that was used ..I know the Dealer saw this thread because he mentioned ? A Collector in the United States? owns the ID ..how else would he have known I had it ? I was going to post another fantastic Document grouping but to tell you the truth , I?m worried now and don?t want to see what I own copied and used in a Book or something else. Now I?m really starting to wonder exactly when this grouping first came out of the closet ?Imagine if it was bought from the family last year and found because of information on this thread ? I started looking for the Family but , I didn?t have any luck. But then , I had a reason to look into it and was not ?claim ?jumping? anyone. There are still collectors who follow up Obituary notices so , it?s not that far fetched. Is there a way GMIC can watermark the photos , or would that be too involved ? The item and research was done here ?at least GMIC should get the credit.
    18. I don't remember hearing about his Uniforms being out there. I wonder if any of the research provided on this thread helped someone to track down Plessen's Uniform Grouping ...or ...Maybe it's not the first time on the market and the grouping has been in collectors hands before ? What I am upset about is that someone copied/lifted the pictures of my Plessen ID I posted here and the Dealer is including them in his sale - without even asking me or GMIC. Read the last line of the sale description -- "Johann Baron Von Plessen diplomatic pass is in the hands of a collector in the United States with the pass photograph. A copy of this diplomatic pass does come with this uniform. Stock no 39104" The Dealer never Emailed me for permission . It even looks like he used the research from the GMIC thread to make his description ...glad GMIC can help a dealer make a buck. Adding a "Face" to a grouping does help it sell and , a Photo ID adds a lot to a group. Maybe I or GMIC should have watermarked my pictures before I posted them.
    19. Funny how "things" turn out ...and turn up http://www.regimentals.co.uk/viewitem.php?id=1055
    20. Thanks Snoopy ..and thanks for not thinking I?m arguing with you. I always thought these lights were cool and just accepted the ?description? our collecting world has given them ..I never really looked into them before this and I find myself now re-thinking my position. This thread has actually raised a lot of un-answered questions for me now and I doubt they were meant for only Mechanics or only Landing lights. --Are there others Army or Navy marked ? --Why encase the battery like that unless it was re-chargeable ? (that "CEAG" company website shows they specialize in special Batteries still today) --Is the on-off switch complicated making it ?explosion-proof?? --If used outdoors & in Combat areas ..why no provisions for a blackout attachment like most Carbide Lanterns & Flashlight lamps have ? --Could the Red-Lense versions be for outdoor night use ? --Is the Bulb the same size as the 4-1/2 Volt flashlight that attached to Uniform button ? I?ll keep an eye out for period photos and some of my manuals ..if I find anything I?ll let you know. Whatever the story is ..it is still a piece of History and a nice addition to any Collection.
    21. Thanks for posting that Snoopy but you know ...I've looked through both the Luft and Army 3 volume Angolia sets and most of the reference I have and I still can't lock this design in. Why would they make a design that ,if it was meant to stand up by itself, why wouldn't it have a wider base to maintain its balance? It would be cheaper and easier to wire lights to a generator or just use "smudge pots" (Lanterns with a flame). Then I looked at the way the Light is made and , it looks not only waterproof, but also spark (explosion) proof as well ...that would explain why the heavy duty threaded (screw on) battery. I started searching the web and found a close "relative" ...Miners Lamps. look at this site you'll see almost the same design- http://64.233.179.104/translate_c?hl=en&am...l%3Den%26sa%3DG Miners lamp..Bunkers, Tunnels , also a safety light I kept searching and found another Thread on a different forum where it looks like they were talking about the same lights ...here's a post done by "Kongo Otto"-- Diese Lampe hat nix mit der Luftwaffe zu tun. Bei dem abgebildeten Teil handelt es sich um eine Gruben Lampe Typ: Akku Handlampe Dominit EPL Akku Handlampe mit Gestellst?ben aus Blechstreifen. Gefertigt von der Firma Dominit Grubenlampenwerk AG, Dortmund Manch wurden auch mit der milit?rischen Herstellerkennzeichnung "ezy" versehen. Baujahr um 1940 Auch alternativ gefertigt von der Firma Friemann & Wolf GmbH Zwickau/Sachsen. Wurden von der Firma CEAG noch bis in die 1950er Jahre gefertigt. Here's the thread -- http://forums-de.ubi.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/...23/m/2441063275 I remember them being called and sold as Panzer mechanic light but , I can see where use of the word "Panzer" could mean only "heavy duty" as David Gregory said ..maybe these have been mis-labeled for years ..No doubt they are WW2 German but , maybe these are just Utility lamps for use in Bunkers or general purpose. I bet working around Aircraft Fuel would be a problem with a normal battery Torch. I think the answer is out there somewhere but , I just don't believe these were runway lights ..not large/bright enough , not balanced (if close enough, prop blast from the first plane would prob blow it over) It looks like it was meant to be hand held ..not mounted . Many times I've read where they'd line a landing-strip with cars and trucks and use the Headlamps to light up the runway ..not flashlights Maybe I'm wrong here but , I'm not gonna jump on the first answer wagon ..there must be documentation someplace.
    22. Why would it be marked "Einheitspanzerlampe" then ? Could you post a picture of the "Betriebs amt Luftwaffe" stamp ..is it an ink stamping? I'll look through my books to see what I can find on them, you've got me wondering now.
    23. Hi Jan ...I've never seen these associated with Luftwaffe landing strips . I think these were always called Panzer service lights used by mechanics. If you look on post #3 you can see the name - "Einheitspanzerlampe" ..nothing Luft related stamped on it. Unless ..maybe some Luftwaffe mechanics used them as well ? They are pretty heavy duty and made to put up with quite a bit of abuse so , I guess that's possible.
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