417th HQ-Co 1st Sergeant Uniform Grouping. BSM and Distinguished Unit Citation Recipient!

1st SGT E. Chamberlain was born in 1920 in Greeneville, Tennessee and lived there his entire life. He enlisted in the United States Army on August 8th 1942. Upon completing his basic training, he quickly rose through the ranks obtaining the TOP enlisted spot in HQ-Co, 417th Regiment, of the 76th Infantry Division. SGT Chamberlain was awarded three battle stars for Campaigns in the Ardennes, Rhineland, and Central Europe, a Bronze Star for meritorious service, and also (along with the rest of the 1st Battalion, 417th Infantry), the Distinguished Unit Citation. After the 76th Division was deactivated, he was assigned to the 90th Division and stayed in the ETO for Occupation Duties. He was discharged in January of 1946. He later went on to open up a sheet metal shop in Greeneville. He passed away in 1999.

 


Please read the words of the Citation below to get the true feeling of what these 417th Regiment personnel went through in the 76th Division's "Baptism of Fire" Echternach, Luxembourg...

"Members of this combat team led an assault across the swollen Sauer River into one of the deepest portions of the Siegfried Line. The river was at flood stage, the current so swift that attempts by engineers to erect a footbridge proved futile, and the crossing had to be made in assault boats. The alerted enemy covered the area with heavy artillery, mortar, and machine-gun fire. Many of the boats were overturned before reaching the far shore and heavy casualties were suffered. Despite all difficulties, the major portion of the 1st Battalion, 417th Infantry Regiment, succeeded in making the crossing on the first night. Under heavy fire, members of this battalion scaled the muddy, steep, pillbox infested cliffs, whose every approach was heavily sown with mine fields, and succeeded in capturing the high wooded ground near the river bank. Two strong infantry counterattacks, supported by armor, were launched by the enemy, but both were repulsed after bitter encounters. Although this was the combat team’s first engagement in combat, the 1st Battalion was the only unit in this vicinity to reach its objective on its initial assault and hold the ground gained. By similar aggressive action, the remainder of the 417th Infantry Regiment made the river crossing on the second and third nights and established contact with the initial force. The swiftly flowing river prevented supplies being crossed by boat and it became necessary to supply isolated groups by air. Despite violent enemy attempts to dislodge it, the combat team held tenaciously to the bridgehead it had wrested within the Siegfried Line and secured a strong foothold, which facilitated the movement of other forces across the river and insured the success of an operation of major importance. In its initial appearance in combat and in the face of conditions which at times appeared prohibitive, the 417th Regimental Combat Team displayed outstanding heroism. determination, and an indomitable fighting spirit which reflect great credit on all participants and are in keeping with the highest traditions of the armed forces of the United States."

This man and the rest of the 417th will go down in history as one of the 76th Division's fiercest fighting units and I am honored to have this uniform in my collection! 

Combat Wounded 304th Regt Infantryman. Easy- Co, Weapons Platoon Member.

PFC Hougnon  was born in 1921 and enlisted in the Army in 1942. He was a replacement in the 76th and fought in the Rhineland and Central European campaigns with the rest of the men of the Weapons Platoon, Easy Comany, 304th Infantry Regiment in the 76th Division. In April of 1945, while in intense small arms combat with the Germans, he was wounded in action. He recuperated in time to serve on occupation duty before shipping back home in the fall of 1945.

This uniform came to me through a trade and was obtained directly from the veteran's estate. It, like many others in my collection are 100% original and unaltered. The Wolf Brown Ribbon Bars always look great on these uniforms and the soldiers were proud to display the awards received upon shipping home.

PFC Hougnon hung up his uniform at the end of the war and never did rejoin any branch of the Armed Services. He ran a garage in Illinois until his passing in 1999.

May this brave 304th vet rest in peace! Your story will last for generations to come Private!

A Redlegged Onaway...An all original Field Artilleryman's Uniform Grouping

PFC Nelson was a member of A Battery in the 364th Field Artillery Battalion. He was with the 76th from Camp McCoy until the unit's deactivation in Germany in August of 1945. Nelson was then transferred to the 83rd Infantry Division for occupation duties. Many of these veterans who arrived later in the war (Post January 1945) simply didn't have the points to return home.

Sadly, all of Nelson's files were destroyed in the 1973 National Archives Fire. Fortunately, Nelson recorded all of his information in his service dress hat. This uniform group is 100% original as found.  Note the rarer 83rd Infantry Division OD bordered patch variation, which is a must have for patch collectors. This one is staying put though however! Nelson was also a member of the 76th Division Association and his name can be found in the 1992 Association Directory.

PFC Nelson passed away in 1995. Artillerymen are often overlooked in WWII, however, they inflicted much more damage to the enemy than any infantryman and saved countless infantryman's lives with their precisely placed "Steel Rain". A Photo of A Battery 364th is below.

A 76th Division "Top Kick"..."A" Company, 417th Regiment First Sergeant Uniform.

1st SGT Degon enlisted in 1939 and was part of the 76th Division from it's activation in 1942. This jacket also came with the VERY rare 1st Battalion 417th Regimental unit history.

He served in all three campaigns with the 417th and in an interview, he stated he was most worried about how the food tasted for his men. He passed away in 2011. Being awarded the Combat Infantry Badge was his greatest wartime achievement he stated. He was retroactively awarded the Bronze Star Medal in 1947.

355th Field Artillery Battalion S-2 Captain's Uniform. Wounded in Action...

Capt. Kacena graduated from the University of Chicago with a Degree in Mathematics. He was drafted into the Army in 1941 and quickly entered Artillery Officer Candidate School. He rose through the ranks and transferred to the 76th Division before their deployment overseas. He served as 355th Field Artillery Battalion's S-2. He was wounded in action in Germany in 1945. He was directing his unit's artillery fire using a tank as a shield when an enemy mortar landed a few yards behind him, blowing him over. His arm went limp as he tried to raise himself up from the ground and he knew that he had been hit. A large piece of shrapnel struck his left arm. In his words, "It went through the flesh and dug a tunnel through my arm. I was in the hospital for about 5 weeks. I also had to call my Lieutenant and let him know he was going to be in charge."

He was discharged as a Major in 1945 and continued his affiliation with the 76th by being a lifelong member of the Division Association

This uniform came out of an Iowa antique store. It retains all of it's original insignia including the hard to find 355th Field Artillery Battalion DUI's on the epaulettes. It is laundry marked and named to him also.  I was lucky enough to obtain an interview with Capt. Kacena before his passing. He was a great man and will be truly missed. RIP Sir.

417th Regiment Combat Medic. Bronze Star and Purple Heart Medal Recipient

T/5 Cline enlisted in 1943 and spent the entire war as a combat medic in the 1st Battalion, 417th Regiment. He was wounded in action in March of 1945 and was captured at the same time. Please read the newspaper clipping about this incident and also the original telegram explaining his capture to his wife back in Ohio. This uniform grouping is 100% original down to Cline's enlistedman's dress shirt, hat, and tie. Note the Sterling Combat Medic Badge, the Wolf-Brown Ribbon Bars, and also the rarer "White-Bar" 76th Patch variation.

A 417th Regimental Company Commanding Officer...

Capt. Maynard was born in 1914 in Minnesota. He Graduated from North Dakota State University in 1937 with the rank of Second Lieutenant. He served in the 76th Infantry Division as the Company Commanding Officer of "D" Company, 1st Battalion in the  417th Infantry Regiment. He made the Army a lifelong career and retired as a Colonel in 1967.

He was awarded the Silver Star Medal, Soldier's Medal, Bronze Star Medal, and the EAME Medal with 3 stars for the Ardennes, Rhineland, and Central European Campaigns.

This man embodied what it means to be a soldier and was a true hero for his actions in Germany during the war. This uniform is the centerpiece of my collection and it is only fitting to be the first featured item on this site.