This is special

[birdman]

Hi all, we just had a couple days visit with my wife's 98 year old grand mother. I went down into the basement of her home and saw this jacket.
It belonged to my wife's grandfather who passed in 2012. He was in a tank destroyer outfit and saw heavy fighting from D day through the bulge where he got frost bite on both feet and was taken out of the fight. He almost lost his feet but his amputation was put off and his feet got slowly better.
As I was admiring the uniform jacket I was asked if I wanted it. I'm really humbled to have this piece of family history from the greatest generation.

 

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[smokeythecat]

That's great. I have my dad's. He had two "spares". I gave one to each of his grandchildren. Dad's still has all the patches on it. He was in the 21st Engineers in North Africa and Italy. He died in 1997. They are almost gone now. That rounded emblem with the bird is called a "ruptured duck" emblem, denoting the servicemember has been mustered out of the service.

 

[islamoradamark]

A true family treasure

 

[dts52]

I’m lucky to have uniform parts from both my parents who both served in the Pacific in WWII. My Dad with the AAF and my Mom with MacArthur when he returned to the Philippines. Theirs truly was the greatest generation. I’m so very proud of them.
dts

 

[delnorter]

Really a nice family treasure birdman.

Mike

 

[Mackaydon]

Some history on the 'ruptured duck':

It was issued to service personnel who were about to leave the military with an Honorable Discharge. It also allowed them to continue to wear their uniform for up to thirty days after they were discharged since there was a clothing shortage at that time. This showed the MP's that they were in transit and not AWOL. Well, the boys thought the eagle looked more like a duck; and, because it meant they were going home, the popular saying was, "They took off like a Ruptured Duck"...hence the nickname.
Source: ​

https://www.therupturedduck.com/pages/the-origin-of-the-ruptured-duck-insignia
Don.....
PS: I didn't know that.

 

[birdman]

That's great. I have my dad's. He had two "spares". I gave one to each of his grandchildren. Dad's still has all the patches on it. He was in the 21st Engineers in North Africa and Italy. He died in 1997. They are almost gone now. That rounded emblem with the bird is called a "ruptured duck" emblem, denoting the servicemember has been mustered out of the service.

The thread is there where the patches were. I'm going to hit ebay and see of i can get the tank destroyer patch.

 

[Trezurehunter]

Glad you were given that family heirloom. My wife has her Mother and Fathers WW11 uniforms. Her mom was stationed in the European Theater with the U.S. Army, and her dad saw heavy fighting in the Pacific ( Guam, Saipan, and Iwo Jima ) with the U.S Marines. Her mom passed away young, at age 68 - 30 years ago, and her dad passed away at age 88 - 10 years ago. Always treasure that uniform from what was the greatest generation (but more importantly, your Father in Law) who fought for our freedom.

 

[TooManyHobbies]

Very cool. I think I would place it in a display case and hang it on the wall to keep the moths and dust off of it, and to just show it off.