Piece of History

[tlmothy]

Hello everyone

This is my first time posting anything here in the forum. I do however lurk around reading posts. I am not sure if this would be considered a "best find". But here goes.

A family friend in his late 80's had passed away recently. John originally was a Pilot in WW2 for Germany. After the war he moved on to work for U.S government counter-intelligence, and much later worked as a district manager for the Pinkerton's company.

After his passing I asked to keep a few of his things, including his whole picture collection (over 200 pictures), A Nasa jacket, a vintage racing jacket from his alpha Romeo days, and more.

John had known my mother for more than 15 years and had no family left. Much of the time I spent with him I heard many amazing stories.

I think his photo collection is a treasure. I am planning to do a memorial website with a guest book and a gallery of all his photo's. But for now I just have a picasa gallery. Here are some of the pictures. I scanned everything my self.

Johns original Omega Professional Mark 2 watch.

Johns pinkerton Badge

John as a pilot

Mr Jesse Owens
John was an "Olympic Hopeful" at the Berlin Olympic games. He stayed and practiced with US team During the Olympics.

Another member of the US Team. Don't know his name.

John

Johns first wife

Check out the whole Gallery here. It's an amazing piece of History.

http://picasaweb.google.ca/tmothy/John


I have to go but I will post some more info when I have time.

Thanks!

 

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[Thomas007]

Hey Timothy

First off... Welcome to Treasurenet

The pictures you have are awesome. Too bad that he was unable to share with you the significance of each picture... never the less, they are splendid.

thanks for sharing with us

Happy Hunting

Sanat

 

[tlmothy]

More Scanns

I have scanned a few of his things.

Johns 1950's German Passport

Canadian National Exhibition Press Pin

Stop watch from his track and field days.

John had told me he got this patch while consulting for Nasa

 

[JT in Virginia]

Very cool post and great pics!

 

[tlmothy]

Glad you guys enjoyed the pictures. I will be scanning more things soon.
I have 3 of his original German flight books.

From what John told me he shot down 32 allied airplanes in ww2, and was the youngest German flight instruction at the time. Unfortunately he said the he lost all his medals after ww2, including the Iron Cross.

I have loads of stories and I will post them once I have time

 

[RON (PA)]

Welcome aboard. Glad to have you here. That is a lot of great history that you have there. Great idea to put all of this together.

 

[tlmothy]

I will scan everything I think is neat.

Here are some more great pictures:

Enjoy.

 

[CanUDigIt]

Welcome Timothy! They are some great photos and items! Thanks you for sharing them with us!

 

[tlmothy]

Everything here is from my memory and I will do my best to remember.



Escaping the War Part 1

John had told me he was fighting on the front lines as a pilot near the end of WW2. Knowing that the war was almost over and all was lost, John decided enough was enough and planned to make an escape by airplane. Unfortunately while escaping by air an allied plane had shot him down.

John had said that his planes cockpit had a very thick metal shield, enough to stop bullets. This heavy shield pinned him inside the aircraft after crash-landed, leaving him unable to escape.

Unfortunately John was picked up by the Russian army some time later and made to march with thousands of other POW's towards Russian's notorious labour camps. This was a death sentence for thousands of people and John new that.

Previously to the war john had surgery on his leg. "From my track days". After that John pulls up his pant leg and shows me a 5 inch scar near the knee.

On the march to the camps john had played up his leg scar enough to get a medical examination by a nurse. "She spoke both English and Russian, a very smart lady". He knew exactly where to say it hurt and where not to say it hurt.


Next (Medical examination, escape).
Soon….

 

[stryker-one]

Very good stuff. Please continue with the stories.

Welcome also.

Stryker

 

[CRUSADER]

8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)

 

[TN-Joe]

John lived the life that a bunch of people dream of. He also had great taste in women.lol
Joe

 

[Cynangyl]

Truly fascinating history! I am glad to hear that you are preserving it and very glad you are sharing it with us as well. Thanks!

 

[Urban Grund]

Awesome pic!

Thanks for sharing them. I always loved the old B&W photos the most.

 

[romeo-1]

Deleted...decided to keep my political and ethical beliefs to myself...

 

[robbuckalew]

Welcome to T-Net
I love the pics
great post

 

[wesfrye53]

Any possibility the German in the leather coat looking through binoculars might be Rommel?

 

[civilman1]

Very Cool Posting Timothy.....Definetley a Piece Of History,thank's for sharing the past!!

 

[aaron7]

Very cool... always neat to see a window into history that isn't on TV!

Side note, his wife was a looker

 

[cammobunker]

Fascinating! This man was quite a fellow, who obviously had very fine taste in clothing and ladies

Let me shed some light on the four Luftwaffe pilots shot.

All four men in the photo are pilots. The man on the left, with the binoculars, is an officer (cord on his hat says so, although can't see his shoulders so exact rank is a mystery). He wears the Iron Cross, first class, on his leather flying jacket. He wears cloth flying pants.
John has leather flying pants, unlined, and a leather flying jacket. His shoulder straps mark him as a "full sergeant". He has a standard Luftwaffe belt, probably with a pistol on. His hat is the M-43 style that became ubiquitous after summer 1943.
The man next to him wears the Flying Tunic over the one piece flying coverall. He has a pilots' badge, the ribbon for the Iron Cross second class, and the "ground support squadron" flying clasp over his left pocket. This clasp was not introduced until early 1944. His rank is "Junior Sergeant", the lowest flying rank. Note the white silk scarf; pilots often wore silk scarves to keep the neck from chafing against rough leather flying togs.
The man on the far right is also wearing the flying tunic, but in addition to pilot badge, IC 2nd class ribbon and "ground support squadron" clasp, he also wears the Iron Cross first class (hot stuff for an enlisted man, that) and a wound badge in silver (three or more wounds sustained in action). He has a flashlight on his belt.

The mix of flying gear says probably spring or fall, and the Ground Support Squadron clasps they are wearing makes me think Fall 1944 is the probable time frame of this picture. I would bet they are waiting for missing friends to return from a mission. They look as though they have just landed themselves, as all are still wearing flying gloves. The man in the white silk scarf seems to have his flying helmet and goggles in hand, and the fellow behind him has a map protruding from his thigh pocket.

Edited to add: That clasp means they are either flying Stukas or FW190s, with cannons and rocket rails/bomb racks to attack tanks and troops from the air. Almost certainly this is on the eastern front. Considering the aircraft posted in this series of photos are very early JU87A Stukas, this adds up to John being one very lucky man. Very, very few Stuka pilots survived.

Fascinating pictures! Thanks for sharing!