Chris Liontas

excellent photos!! Thank you for shareing! Did you happen to notice any 32nd Division items at the show?

Being auctioned off on a prominent site as an "antique" photo of a real soldier. Can you say "Hollywood"? Anyone see any reason at all to think it's genuine?

Mark C.

Maryland

The silver content in the photo look modern rather than what I would have expected in 1870. Besides what is wrong with the uniform :)

Chevauleger hats, right to the 1st Chevauleger and the visor to the 6th Chevauleger

The belt is a pre war white belt used for dress for the Chevaulegers.

The photo was a gift from my fried Robert Noss, it shows a Bavarian Cav father along with his three sons in field grey, two medics and one priest.

Chevauleger helmets, each around 1880-1900 time frame.

M1873 Officer close up

Uhlans view, again 2nd Uhlan to parade marked 1902 along with M1873 Officer's Tschapka to officer

I wrestled with my principles... and beat them.

ROFL!!!

Principles are made to be beaten down anyways :)

If the Germans, Brits or Americans had had such a fantastically easy to research award as these, they would be the worlds favourite medal!

I love these... if I were to go back 20 years and start collecting again.... these would be the medal I would go for... all day , every day...

I've got to agree with Chris, these are just such outstanding medals. I remember in the 80's, these and Red Stars were hard to come by...but no one wanted them!!! Boy that was a mistake on my part. The history and humanity behind these are amazing (not to mention the great communist writing...Comrade X killed many Fascists with his bare hands while not spilling the Vodka ration--love it!) :)

I am stunned that the Tank badge is on there! I did not think there would have been much demand for such a badge!!

Thanks guys! They really are beautiful helmets.

I agree with you Brian, these have gotten so expensive lately it makes it hard to collect them. I have been lucky to find them from old collectors lately, rather than dealers which has helped a ton. I look at the dealer sites and my jaw hits the floor. Luckly Bavarian helmets seem to be a tad less expensive than their Prussian, Saxon counterparts.

Thanks again guys :)

EM Tschapka to the 2nd Uhlan rgt with Parade bush. The helmet is marked 1902 and profusely unit stamped on the inside. The bush I had to repair the attachment, but is original.

Raupenhelm close up

I absolutly love the German Pickelhaube, however there are so many States to collect, I decided to stick with Bavaria. I love the early pre 1910 wrappen with the leaves upon the lion's legs.

First Two Artillery helmets. One Raupenhelm for parade; while the second is marked to an artillery rgt on the inside. The helmet pre dates the "ball" attachment and retains the spike.

Damn that is nice!!

Chris, how did they distribute the different kinds of grenades? Everyone knows the classic "potato masher" but more and more often I read about WWI German egg grenades. Was it a case of you used what you had? Were stick grenades used more for assult, since their blast radius was smaller??

Very Very nice!! It shows just how much effort you have put into your collection! Fantastic stuff!

Amazing group Scott! Thanks for posting this one!

I think it is a local or even a VFW non military award. I have several named tunics to the US 32nd division which have the same ribbon. I believe it was a standard ribbon, with the State's personal medal attached. I dont think it has any military significance

Here is a link to the US Militaria forum to my topic on the 32nd division. It is hard to tell from the photo, but the uniform of PVT Frank Jaster, 120th FA, 32nd division has that ribbon also. Pretty neat.

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=28862&hl=32nd+division

Hmmm I dont believe so. I think observers recieved the wing after training at Issodun for their specific purpose. Most Observers that I have seen are actually artillery officers assigned to the aviation squadrons. I will check, but I am not sure he would have qualified

I never realized that the KVK would go ahead of the State bravery award. Was this a standard practice for a merit medal in the III Reich??

That is an amazing set!! Thank you so much for shareing.

***comes out from under his rock***

OMG!!! WOW!! I didnt even know this was coming out!!

To Amazon....awaaaaaaayyy!! :)

NICE!!! Fantastic award

Chris I think we need the story of how that one got away!! :)

Really interesting topic Chris. Most of us here grew up with a healthy dose of respect for the medals that individuals wear, hence I think our fascination with them even now. When I think of the IC, I think of men sitting in the trenches of Verdun, Tannenburg, or the Argonne....not sitting in a library. Good work like this SHOULD be recognized I think, but there are other ways to do it, even now.

I remember so many guys taking advantage of the system after the first Storm, and in all the other operations after that. My commander in Dover had two bronze stars for his work in DS, he was a Maj Maintenance officer in charge of heavy back shop maintenance in Saudi -- miles behind the lines.

There was a nurse who showed her Bronze star and talked about being a serious "combat vet", she was stationed in Germany (a loooooong time after WWII)

We had to coordinate extra flights in '96 in Kuwait for the pilots so each of them could get at least one Air Medal (we weren't even carrying ordinance). Some left with two medals after four months.

Does anyone have any information on this individual:

Uffz. Hans Kleinschred, Royal Bavarian Jagdstaffel 23??

I am trying to find out more about his flying career and possibly where he trained, and was posted before and after Jagd 23. Thanks a ton in advance!!

Both, but I currently have a 1928. Just from a "coolness" factor, it looks neater than an M1A1-- vertical foregrip, Cutts Compensator, and drum magazine.

M28 would be my choice. Just a great looking weapon. The M1A1 just starts to look like all modern guns...functional