Dave Suter's bunker

[François SAEZ]

Quantity and Quality is not a mix you encounter everywhere believe me!

Welcome good friend!

[Dave Suter]

WOW! Thanks for all the kind words! Guess I'd better post some more photos. (Bill, I do have a few LW engineer tabs.)

[Dave Suter]

Guess the first tunic to post would be my first one. It's a Model 1936 Service Tunic for a Captain of the 131st Infantry Regiment. (The glasses actually are Heer issue.)

Edited April 17, 2007 by Dave Suter

[Dave Suter]

Shot of the trifecta.

[Dave Suter]

And a straight-on of one of the shoulder boards.

[Dave Suter]

I have a love for dress tunics, and this is another of my early ones. It came from a dealer in Germany, who identified it as Panzergrenadier. Could be. Could also be J?ger, as the sleeve patch wasn't introduced until 1942. The shoulder straps had metal unit numbers but they were gone when I got it. I decided to 'adorn' it as Panzergrenadier, reasoning that the removal of the regiment numbers could indicate that it was a late-war piece. It is private-purchase rather than issue, so perhaps it's one of those late-war 'wedding' tunics.

Edited April 17, 2007 by Dave Suter

[Dave Suter]

And, here's the tab/strap/eagle shot.

[Dave Suter]

Here's an outfit that clearly is J?ger. It's a complete set of tunic, trousers and overcoat. Due to space concerns, I decided to display it with the overcoat half on/half off.

[Dave Suter]

Side view. Imagine the owner entering a nice Berlin restaurant and the coat check lady saying 'Herr Oberleutnant, may I take your coat?'

[Dave Suter]

.

[Andwwils]

Hey Dave, nice collection but what kind of calendar is that in post # 14? It looks like it's dated September 1944. Is that an advertising piece for Farm Bureau or maybe (long-shot) International Harvestor-Farmall? Oddly enough I collect advertising items for old farm machinery and farm-related "things" so it caught my eye.

-Andrew

[Dave Suter]

You have a good eye! The calendar is indeed from September 1944. As I recall, it's from an IH dealer in Nebraska. Next time I go down the hill I'll take a photo of it for ya.

Suppose I should explain 'down the hill'. I have a house in Lakewood, Colorado (a Denver suburb). That's where the bunker is. About a year and a half ago I left the Douglas County Sheriff''s Office (located between Denver & Colorado Springs), where I'd worked for 16 years and was a sergeant, and took a job up in the mountains as a captain with the Summit County Sheriff's Office. (Summit County is a 'tourist' county - we have the Eisenhower Tunnel, Lake Dillon, and the Breckenridge, Copper Mountain, Keystone and A-Basic ski resorts, if that rings bells with anyone.) The wife and I live in a condo up here now - my son (also a cop) and my college-bound granddaughter live in the Lakewood house. I go down every couple weeks, but that's why I can't just go down the stairs and take the photo now.

[Dave Suter]

I should be in bed, but what the hell, here's another one. This is an issue enlisted reed green HBT tunic that was upgraded for use by an Ordnance 1st Lieutenant.

[Andwwils]

Do you collect tractor related things as well? It's a very nice calendar - fairly rare too. I've never seen one *quite* like it. In 1944, rubber-tires on new farm tractors and machinery were still banned for the duration and the image of the machine in the photo has rubber tires on it BUT it's a representation of a farmer on a tractor so they got around the regulatory law by not actually showing an image of a new Farmall with rubber on it being offered for-sale - but whomever happened to walk into the dealership would have made the mental connection...no one by the mid-40's wanted a new tractor on steel, talk about old-fashioned (even by 1940's US standards). Bumpy as hell too.

You calendar is worth some money. Peanuts compared to your German items, probably 100 to 150$ if you found the right guy. I would love to see a close-up sometime.

-Andrew

Edited April 17, 2007 by Andwwils

[Dave Suter]

The 1-2-3.

[Dave Suter]

A shot of the back of the collar. These EM tunics came from the factory with the enlisted collar tabs and breast eagles sewn on. As you can see, the EM tabs are still there under the officer tabs.

Edited April 17, 2007 by Dave Suter

[Dave Suter]

Do you collect tractor related things as well? It's a very nice calendar - fairly rare too. I've never seen one *quite* like it. In 1944, rubber-tires on new farm tractors and machinery were still banned for the duration and the image of the machine in the photo has rubber tires on it BUT it's a representation of a farmer on a tractor so they got around the regulatory law by not actually showing an image of a new Farmall with rubber on it being offered for-sale - but whomever happened to walk into the dealership would have made the mental connection...no one by the mid-40's wanted a new tractor on steel, talk about old-fashioned (even by 1940's US standards). Bumpy as hell too.

You calendar is worth some money. Peanuts compared to your German items, probably 100 to 150$ if you found the right guy. I would love to see a close-up sometime.

-Andrew

Well, speaking of 'found', I actually found this lying in my yard. I have no idea where it came from, and can only assume that it was going to go into someone's trash until the wind intervened. I don't collect anything but militaria, but since this was from 1944, I hung it on the wall.

The next two week-ends the sheriff & undersheriff are out of town, so I'm the 'acting' sheriff and I can't leave the damn county. Once they get back I'll travel down the hill and take a good clear photo of it for you.

[Dave Suter]

Last one for tonight - I've got to get my arse to bed. This one is for a Special Service Officer, Administrative Branch, 1st Lieutenant. The Truppensonderdienst Offizier des Verwaltungsdienst (Special Service Officer, Administrative Branch) was created mid 1944 and replaced the Beamte Intendant and Paymaster Branches.

BTW, my wife bought me this for Xmas a couple of years ago. (Our 40 year anniversary is this May.)

Edited April 17, 2007 by Dave Suter

[Dave Suter]

I'm always amazed at how many people think this is a medical tunic - I've even seen dealers make the mistake.

[webr55]

Hello Dave,

is this tunic with the giant ribbon bar named? And did the bar come with the tunic? If so, I would be VERY interested in a close-up of the ribbon bar!

Thanks

Chris

[Ulsterman]

So am I! I would also love to see that photo at the bottom of the tunic. I suspect it might be the companion snap of one I have.

[Bob Lyons]

Hi Dave,

As a fan of what you have previously posted elsewhere, I am always in awe of what you have in that magnificent bunker of

yours, and I love looking at your goodies here too. Glad the Luftwaffe is represented in one of the rooms!

...and that dust you mention is very privelidged dust indeed!

Best wishes, and thanks for sharing those great photos with us.

Bob

[Paul R]

Hi Dave,

As a fan of what you have previously posted elsewhere, I am always in awe of what you have in that magnificent bunker of

yours, and I love looking at your goodies here too. Glad the Luftwaffe is represented in one of the rooms!

...and that dust you mention is very privelidged dust indeed!

Best wishes, and thanks for sharing those great photos with us.

Bob

I could look at your collection for hours. I have never seen so many fantastic items in one collection. The Jaeger Officer tunic and overcoat display is really something. Did these two items come from the same soldier? Also, The TSD tunic is something rarely seen. I look forward to seeing more, as time permits!

Paul

[Dave Suter]

Hello Dave,

is this tunic with the giant ribbon bar named? And did the bar come with the tunic? If so, I would be VERY interested in a close-up of the ribbon bar!

Thanks

Chris

I'm at work right now, but when I get home I'll see what I have for photos. Except for the Spanish Cross on the right pocket, all of the medal, etc. are original to the tunic. (I got it from Jack Angolia, BTW.) Rick R. figured out who the owner was, but I'm not sure of I have that info up here or if it's down the hill. I'll post whatever I have up here when I get home tonight.

[Ed_Haynes]

Thanks for these Dave. While far FAR outside my "turf", I always enjoy seeing and learning new things.

Edited April 17, 2007 by Ed_Haynes