Chris Liontas

rofl!!! Nice of you to notice! I DID just buy a new camera AND a flash Still looking foward to that beer in Germany. :)

last. The roundel is from a American SPAD

Another shot, again all named to the 32nd division, names coming tomarrow

A few new shots. All tunics are named to their owners of the US 32nd Division.

I'm very happy you sold it! That is excellent! I am sorry agian if my post was inflamitory, it was not meant to be. When I post, I always assume people know what I am saying, without me having to tell them what I am thinking. My posts are always messed up like this, and my meaning comes off wrong. I am sorry about that. Very happy you sold the group! :)

Let me send his name to a few of the guys that run "The Aerodrome" form. They have lists of German aviators that were not destroied in allied bomb raids in WWII. They might have him. That is a beautiful tunic. Very rare.

Wow Alex!! That is an amazing tunic!! Is it named? Any history with it?

Wow!! What a nice piece!! Any history on who made it, and how it was presented??

So, I am glad I crack you up!! How did that auction go??

very nice helmet and cover Chris! Looks in great overall shape too! A very nice find!

Rhw high collar looks like velvet. Engineer or Artillery?

Here is a good combat uniform. Uniform of CPL Walter Francis Miller, of Portage, WI. Enlisted in Wisconsin National Guard in 1916, after Mexican expidition was incorperated into Co F, 128th Infantry during WWI. Served in the 64th Brigade, 32nd Division until 8 Octover 1918. On that date, the 64th Brigade was in support of the 63rd Brigade (32nd division) to crack the Krimhilde Stellung. CPL Miller was hit by German Artillery fire. His wounds being such, he did not rejoin the division until after the Argonne offensive.

If anyone would have Austrian uniforms, I am betting it would be Sergio Seminio. He comes upon the most rare items I have ever seen from WWI and before. He does not speak English, but usually with small translations, he gets what you are trying to say http://www.kunst-und-militaria.de/

amazing as always Chris!

Wow Cody, to have a documented helmet like this is amazing. I have rarely seen such nice documentation to come out of German helmets from the III Reich era. If this isnt your best.....well lets see it!! :lol:

Hi Chris! Could be, I will scan the document. Arthur Schaap appears in the lists of the 126th Infantry regiment's history, but there is no mention there or in the 32nd Division's history of him recieving the medal. However, he was wounded during Soissons to the extent he did not return to the 126th Infantry (I am getting his AGO card, but I believe by machine gun fire). I am not sure if he was mentioned in dispatches, then never realized it, or if it was awarded for some other event? I am not sure.

Does anyone know the award criteria for the Croix de Guerre for US military personel in WWI? I now they were awarded during the war, but why were they awarded in the 20's to US servicemen? I have a copy of a document to Arthur Schaap who seems to be awarded the medal in 1928. Were they awarded via brigade for action during the war?

Thanks Dave! I never understood what grounds qualified as meritorius service. This makes more sense.

Thanks Les! This does seem to be an area where US collectors have overlooked. For fielding such a huge army in WWI, it is surprising how little of the Austrain Military's uniforms are collected in America. Speaking of this, How often, if ever, do Turkish uniforms ever surface?? The Ottoman's had a huge empire still at the start of the war, yet I never see uniforms/medal groups to Turkish soldiers. I see Turkish medals on German tunics, but not straight Turkish. (or Romainian for that matter)

Now that is a beautiful tunic. You never seem to see WWI Austrain uniforms. What a pleasure to see!

Great grouping! That 1/2 wing is amazing!! Any history on the pilot?

In WWI, the PH could also be awarded for "meritorious service" I dont know what the requirements were for such an award though.

WW2 I would not know. In WWI, according to Flying Officers of the USN 1817-1919, lighter than air pilots were trained in Akron, Chatham, Montauk, Roackaway, Cape May, Hampton Rads, and Pensacola. I am betting at least one of these stations survived to train officers in WW2. Check with the Pensacola aviation museum. They are a great source of information on training.

WW2 I would not know. In WWI, according to Flying Officers of the USN 1817-1919, lighter than air pilots were trained in Akron, Chatham, Montauk, Roackaway, Cape May, Hampton Rads, and Pensacola. I am betting at least one of these stations survived to train officers in WW2. Check with the Pensacola aviation museum. They are a great source of information on training.

Hi Chris! Most are 20-25K range for really nice US groups to ACE's, squadron commanders, DSC winners. It all really depends on the group. I have not seen one sell for US $ 30K+ yet. -- I knowof a Lafyette Escadrille group that was about as complete as you can get, it sold for 26K with the uniform. (he had about 6 kills) -- and ACE fabric I missed out on (see photos) sold for $25K just this month. Named to the squadron commander 91st Aero with 5 confirmed kills. The killer part was it was from one of the two SPAD XIII's the 91st aero squadron operated (they were a Salmson unit) The problem with Swaab's group, is most of the senior US Aero Squadron collectors saw it when it was offered for $30,000--and they thought that was 8-10,000 too much. Now it is around $50,000 to even get a shot at it (with Andre's commission). Waaaay too rich. Whoever bought it, is going to lose a lot of money.