USA 4229 Labor Service Company (Estonian Guard Company)

[Noor]

Hi all,

 

Picked up this last week, when I was on my "holidays" at a NATO Steadfast Defender 2024 exercise.

 

It is an USA 4229 Labor Service Company (also known as Estonian Guard Company) Private LÕOKE permanent pass. There were in total 4 companies of Estonians in US military after 1945 and their unit numbers were 4221, 4027, 4228 ja 4229. They were even used for guarding the Nuremberg tribunal and war criminals in there.

 

Weird twist in history - most of these men were escaping from communist Soviet Union (Estonia was occupied by the Red Army 1944) and therefore fought in German side, including private LÕOKE, who actually was forced to wear German uniform until end of the war!

I thought it was an interesting piece to pick up and share here too.

another doc that I got belonged to Herbert Vasemägi - emigrated to US, NY 1957. Previously mobilized to Estonian Waffen SS Legion, WIA July 1944 in Estonia, evacuated to Germany Sep 1944 and 1945 POW in Belgium. Not fully sure but I think he was a Guard as well at some stage.

[Gordon Craig]

Noor,

Interesting permanent pass.  Documents for these, and similar units, that I have seen in the past were usually in English and German.

Regards,

Gordon