Hauptmann

February 21, 2010

The latest additions to the ribbon collection. On the first two I could use some help in ID'ing a couple of the ribbons.

On this first one I don't think the last ribbon is Soviet... so could use an ID on that one:

And on this one I'm in the same boat with the last ribbon. I've checked the Soviet ribbon chart for both of them with no luck.

February 21, 2010

Dan

February 21, 2010

Here's my latest addition to the West German collection. A Military Proficiency Badge in Silver. Interesting story behind this one. This was a gift from the same friend who gave me a few other TR pieces at Christmas including a screwback Wound Badge in Silver. I'd actually seen this one a few weeks previous to Christmas as he'd sent it home with Kim on the weekend for me to identify it. It was stone cold mint. Was an easy ID and so I sent it back to him.

Well, just after Christmas he'd come home from work one even to his farmstead, parked his truck outside and went in the house to get ready to get some sleep. A few minutes after he'd gone in he saw a strange glow from the front yard and looked out to realize in horror that his truck was on fire! He called the Fire Department but by the time they got there the truck was a total loss. And worse yet he had alot of his stuff in the truck at the time so it was basically all destroyed.

Well, turns out this badge was also in the truck when it burned. Kim brought it home and told me that he was giving it to me and that he hoped I might be able to salvage it. Needless to say I was shocked as the first time I'd seen it it was absolutely mint and now it was almost completely black... although it appeared it was not physically damaged... amazingly enough.

So with some TLC, elbow grease and about fifteen minutes of work it now looks like new again. I'm only sorry I didn't think to do before scans. But trust me when I say it was black as midnight with only a couple tiny spots of silver showing thru. My big fear was that most of the finish was gone but thankfully it was only a very thick coating of soot. It wouldn't just wash off... really took some work but I think it was well worth it. Not a rare badge by any stretch of the imagination but I'm very glad I could save it.

February 20, 2010

http://news.yahoo.co...sia_us_wwii_vet

Anybody know the medals he would be awarded?

Hi Bob,

Actually I'd posted this both in the U.S. and the Soviet sections. Here's a pic with him wearing his awards:

There appears to be a breast star type order which is hardly visible and a bunch of U.S. awards but Soviet wise an Order of the Red Star and Order of the Red Banner... and looks like he might also be sporting a Guards badge but again it's hardly visible in this pic. No idea if there are more pics of him out there wearing his awards but if so wish someone would post them.

Anyhow hope this helps.

Dan

February 20, 2010

Yet another crime against history!

Dan

February 20, 2010

http://news.yahoo.co..._unknowns_honor

By BRETT ZONGKER, Associated Press Writer Brett Zongker, Associated Press Writer – Fri Feb 19, 6:01 pm ETWASHINGTON – For the first time, two brothers have earned the rarest honor offered in the U.S. Army, having completed training to serve as highly regimented sentinels guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Army Spc. Mathew Brisiel of Spring, Texas, on Friday followed his brother, Staff Sgt. Jonathan Brisiel, when he became the 578th soldier awarded the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Identification Badge since 1958.

The 24-year-old said it was the toughest thing he's ever done. Sleep only averaged about four hours a night after 20-hour days of work, studying "tomb knowledge," shining shoes and perfecting uniforms.

The job entails guarding the tomb at Arlington National Cemetery all hours of the day, regardless of weather. The soldiers pace silently and deliberately 21 steps in front of the tomb and pause facing the tomb for 21 seconds. Each walk lasts a half-hour in the summer months and an hour in the winter.

Most striking, though, was what it came to mean for him when his trainers would ask if he "loved the unknown soldiers."

"In my head, I was thinking, love the unknowns? That's a little strong, that's a little much," Mathew Brisiel said.

But something changed over eight months of training.

"When I'm standing out on the plaza and I'm walking and I see an elderly woman sitting there by herself crying ... it sends chills up your body," he said. "You realize how awesome it is. ... You represent every soldier that gave the ultimate sacrifice."

Soldiers in the Old Guard, part of the elite 3rd U.S. Infantry, at Fort Myer in Arlington, Va., can train for as long as a year to pass a series of tests to become sentinels — or move on. They must reach near perfection in uniform inspection, outside performance, and extensive memorization of the tomb's history and meaning.

About 27 soldiers serve in the platoon guarding the tomb, 15 of whom are full sentinels. The others are in training.

All volunteer for the mission. Each soldier must be in excellent physical condition with an unblemished military record and must pass a two-week trial to pursue sentinel training.

Mathew Brisiel passed in about eight months.

He enlisted in the Army in 2008 and completed basic training at Fort Benning, Ga., and joined the Old Guard in 2009. Now he will train other soldiers to guard the tomb with his 27-year-old brother, Jonathan Brisiel, who has served at Arlington for the past three years.

"To see my little brother be this peer, this equal and watch him grow into such a man, it's exciting," said Jonathan Brisiel, who enlisted after the Sept. 11 terror attacks and served in combat in Iraq in 2004.

He said the driving motto for guardians of the tomb is: "Soldiers only die when they are forgotten. Tomb guards never forget."

Their mother, Cathy Brisiel, said her sons have joined a tradition she knew as a child. She grew up in Washington, and her grandfather is buried at Arlington.

"I wish my late husband had been present to witness such an accomplishment for his boys," she said. "I thought my heart would pop out of my chest this morning when I saw my boys in their uniforms."

___

On the Net: U.S. Army 3rd Infantry Regiment: http://www.army.mil/oldguard

February 19, 2010

http://news.yahoo.co...sia_us_wwii_vet

Russian museum honors US WWII vet

By IRINA TITOVA, Associated Press Writer Irina Titova, Associated Press Writer – Thu Feb 18, 4:32 pm ETST. PETERSBURG, Russia – An exhibit opened in Russia on Thursday on the life of an American veteran believed to be one the few soldiers to fight for both the U.S. and the Soviet Union in World War II.

The Russian Museum exhibit, titled "Joseph R. Beyrle — A Hero of Two Nations," presents 260 artifacts from Beyrle's life and military career, including a collection of his medals, uniform and photographs.

His son, U.S. ambassador to Russia John Beyrle, attended the exhibit opening and said that though his father was called a hero by both nations he never considered himself one.

"He always used to say that real heroes were those who never came back from the war," Beyrle said in fluent Russian.

Beyrle said his father "all his life was extremely grateful to the Russians, who saved him." He said his father's experience was a symbol of the strong relationship between the two countries.

The ambassador said Russian soldiers were grateful for billions' worth of Allied military aid sent to the Soviet Union during the war — including U.S. Studebaker trucks.

He said he and his sister asked their father if he ever drank vodka with the Russians. "'Yes, we drank vodka,' he would reply. And here is a toast we had: To Roosevelt, To Stalin, To Studebaker!'"

Anatoly Tabunshchikov, 81, Russian war veteran who attended the opening event, said the exhibition "underlines the importance of the Soviet, American and British coalition that broke the back of Hitler's machine."

The highly decorated Staff Sgt. Beyrle parachuted into Normandy on D-Day with the U.S. 101st Airborne Division and was captured by the Germans. He escaped and joined a Soviet tank battalion before he was wounded near Berlin and sent home through Moscow. He died in 2004.

The Muskegon, Michigan, native said he raised his hands and shouted the only two words of Russian he knew when he met Soviet troops after his escape from a German POW camp in January 1945. "Amerikansky tovarishch," he called, American comrade.

Beyrle joined Soviet troops and was wounded as his unit approached Berlin. He was treated in a field hospital before being sent back to the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, a mission his son now leads.

After the war, Beyrle returned to Russia several times. He was awarded numerous decorations by the U.S., the Soviet Union and, later, Russia.

Beyrle's son became a Russia specialist with the U.S. State Department. John Beyrle served as U.S. ambassador to Bulgaria from 2005 to 2008, before being named to the top diplomatic post in Moscow in July 2008.

Among the artifacts in the St. Petersburg exhibition are telegrams notifying Joseph Beyrle's parents of his capture, his uniform and boots from WWI. The exhibition comes to Moscow on May 6.

U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Beyrle attends the opening of the exhibition devoted to his father, Joseph R. Beyrle, a legendary World War II veteran who fought with U.S. and Soviet armies, in St. Petersburg, Russia, Thursday, Feb. 18, 2010. Russian Museum exhibit, titled 'Joseph R. Beyrle — A Hero of Two Nations,' opened in Russia on the life of the American believed to be one of only a few soldiers to fight for both the U.S. and the Soviet Union in World War II. Joseph Beyrle parachuted into Normandy on D-Day with the U.S. 101st Airborne Division and was captured by the Germans. He escaped and joined up with Red Army troops.(AP Photo)

February 19, 2010