The John Bannister Collection - D-Day and Militaria
Lot 1007:
Description
Uniform. This jacket is custom tailor-made of a whip cord fabric. Interior is lined with “quilted” silken material, and arm-pit shields in each sleeve. Inside the interior breast pocket is a “Union-Made” tag — there is no tailor tag evident. The Union tag has “H.J. Meyer” stamped twice by ink-stamp. The same name is marked on the upper edge of the neck liner. The size is approximately a 36-37L. USMC buttons. Staff Sergeant stripes sewn on each sleeve, with the flat rocker indicating ‘staff’ (this checks with his apparent “clerk” designation on 5th Div. Muster Doc (see below). On left shoulder 5th Marine Division shoulder patch and a very RARE red-embroidered on fabric parachute insignia, indicating either para-qualified or Parachute Battalion veteran. All insignia is machine sewn-on. There is no ribbon bar. Lapels have pair of USMC Globe and Anchor insignia-unmarked. Trousers are made of exact matching fabric. They are marked inside 4 times with the “H.J. Meyer” ink stamp. Also present are the hand-printed numbers “5870-3” & “6776-2″ These are not serial number designators, so must be tailor designations. There is also an ” S’ ” & “Sexton” handprinted — the latter has been crossed out; the printing style and ink matches the numbers so probably a tailor mark or simply an error. The size is correct to the jacket: smaller. Inseam is 31.5 inces and the waist about 30″. Exc condition with no damage, mothing or tears. Nothing glows or responds under UV light. Necktie; khaki. 48 in. Everything appears original and unmodified. Please see photos for condition.
DOCUMENTS: Uniform came with 2 sets of documentation from the Marine Corp Historical Center in D.C. One document shows that then-PFC Herbert J. Meyer was a member of Company A, First Parachute Battalion, First Marine Divison. This Muster Roll for 1 Sept to 30 (‘0’ there but weak) shows Meyer was wounded in action by gunshot on the 14th — (on the night of Sept 13 thru daybreak on the 14th, Marine Parachutists & Raiders held off a massive attack by the Japanese on the 1stMarDiv positions south of Henderson Field. This was the infamous “Edsons Ridge” battle on Guadalcanal. The 1st Parachute Battalion suffered 128 casualties that night. Of those, 59 men were dead or missing-in-action. (46% casualties!). The 2nd document shows he also served with the HQ Battalion, 5th Marine Division on Iwo Jima. USMC publications included: “First Offensive The Marine Campaign for Guadalcanal” by Henry I. Shaw Jr. and “Silk Chutes and Hard Fighting: U.S. Marine Corps Parachute Units in World War II.” By LT Col Jon T. Hoffman.
From the Raider web site: “The 1st Raiders and the1st Parachute battalion were deployed in defensive positions across a rolling grassy ridge guarding the approach to Henderson Field. During the nights of Sept. 13-14,heavily outnumbered, they withstood continuous, close in assaults against their positions. The fighting was intense, vicious and at close quarters for the duration of the battle.” This a rare find, seldom seen. Paratrooper, Guadalcanal, probable Edson’s Ridge tie-in, plus Iwo Jima.
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