Forums

This jump jacket is definatly my favorite! It belonged to '1st Lt. James F. Dunham', 'Jr. O-1825336', who was a member of 506 1st Bn. A Co.

 

I am still researching James and i think that he jumped in Son, although i am not 100% sure. I got this jacket with the Dutch Lanyard on it so who knows. I hope i get a positive reply on my request at the National Archives. Dunham was probably a replacement, and therefor i think that Operation Market Garden was his first war experience, but like i said, i am not sure.

 

[

 

I hope everyone enjoys it as much as i do, i really love it to preserve this piece of history!

That drooling sound you hear in the background is me! Awesome jumper!

Hi Dogdaddy,

It would be great to hear more about your uncle.

So, if possible, tell me about him and maybe send a photo of him during WWII.

I "collect" stories about men in the TD Forces too.

It would be for my personal collection, please don't be afraid I'll publish it.

T(h)anks in advance.

Erwin

Hello Jeeper- My Uncle Rusty was in the 691rst Tank Destroyer Battalion!

Dogdaddy

This jump jacket is definatly my favorite! It belonged to '1st Lt. James F. Dunham', 'Jr. O-1825336', who was a member of 506 1st Bn. A Co.

 

I am still researching James and i think that he jumped in Son, although i am not 100% sure. I got this jacket with the Dutch Lanyard on it so who knows. I hope i get a positive reply on my request at the National Archives. Dunham was probably a replacement, and therefor i think that Operation Market Garden was his first war experience, but like i said, i am not sure.

Don Burgett's reply regarding Dunham. Probably NOT what you were hoping to hear...

================================

Lt. Dunham came to us, "Able Company, 506, 101st Abn. Div. January 1945 as a newly arrived replacement in Europe after Patton's 4th Armored broke through the German perimeter in Bastogne. This was long after Operation Market Garden was over, Nov. 28, 1944. It would have been impossible for Lt. Dunham to have jumped into Holland in Operation Market Garden. The Orange Lanyard was not and is not a Divisional award, it was a awarded under Ministerial Decree No. P-203, 20 September 1945 by the Netherlands Minister of War by special decree: That each member of the 101st Airborne Division, United States Army, who took part in the operations in southern part of the Netherlands in the period from 17 September to 28 November 1944 is authorized to wear the Orange Lanyard of the Royal Netherlands Army.

Lt. Dunham made serious and irrational command decissions during the short time he was with Able Company that jeopardized the lives of the men in his command. As soon as it was possible the men of Able Company petitioned Regimental Command to relieve Lt. Dunham as being unfit to command in combat.

When the war ended we were in Bruck, Austria and celebrated the end of the war with a drinking party within the company. Lt. Dunham was not invited to our party but entered our billit, loudly declaring "The war is over" and fired a shot with his .45 cal. 1911 pistol into the ceiling, wounding a paratrooper sitting at a table upstairs writing a letter home to his mother that the war was over and he had made it safely through.

Lt. Dunham was transfered that same night out of Able Company, and evidently out of the Div. altogether with no word to where he was transfered.

Donald R. Burgett

That's unfortunate, but history is what it is, warts and all. Still one heck of a nice-looking uniform that I would be happy to display (if I could afford one, that is!).

Dogdaddy

Thank you very much for your information, and for the comments, i really appreciate it

I think it's still an interesting jacket (definatly WWII period), and it's also pretty interesting to see the 'dark side' of 506th PIR (these things probably happend more often then everyone thinks?).

Well here is an other jacket, in fact it's a grouping! This Shirt, cap and Jacket belonged to T/4 Linnie W. Vaughn, HQ Coy, 101st Airborne Division. The jacket is a size 38S and dated May 31, 1944. I am also researching T/4 Vaughn and i hope he got a better reputation hehe.

I am getting a new Ike jacket this Thursday, it belonged to a member of 907 Glider Field Artillery Battalion. I know that he landed on 23 Sept 1944 in Son, Holland. On the jacket isn't a Dutch lanyard but he deserved one, so i think i am going to remove the Dutch lanyard from the M42 and put it on the jacket, that belonged to Pfc Jesse Moore (also researching him, hehe).

Any information about these names would be much appreciated, thanks in advance!

Daan:

My friend Doug posed this question for Don Burgett:

=====================

Don, On reading your story about Lt. Dunham, were there other officers like that in the 101st and what was done with them?

doug wilber

=====================

Doug,

There were other officers who weren't liked for one reason or another but I never knew or heard of another officer so completely unfit for military duty, especially combat where time after time he nearly got men killed. It was only by the troopers envolved, that by their combat experience that they were able to keep their lives.

On my last patrol in the Bastogne area when I walked into a sleeping German camp and managed to extract my patrol without loss I returned and reported the German camp to Lt. Dunham, asking that he radio a request for artillery on that location which I noted on a map. Lt. Dunham adamatly refused my request to the point of becoming angry. The Germans in that encampment evidently got away with their troops and tanks intact without being fired on; to kill Americans again elswhere. I am still angry about that to this day.

Don Burgett

Thank you very much for your information, and for the comments, i really appreciate it

 

I think it's still an interesting jacket (definatly WWII period), and it's also pretty interesting to see the 'dark side' of 506th PIR (these things probably happend more often then everyone thinks?).

 

Well here is an other jacket, in fact it's a grouping! This Shirt, cap and Jacket belonged to T/4 Linnie W. Vaughn, HQ Coy, 101st Airborne Division. The jacket is a size 38S and dated May 31, 1944. I am also researching T/4 Vaughn and i hope he got a better reputation hehe.

Daan:

It's never easy hearing things like that, and I admire you for your attitude. Keep on researching and gathering uniforms. Behind every uniform is a story!

Hi Marion,

It's indeed something i didn't want to hear but i rather find out the truth then a 'fake story'.

Thanks again for your reply! Any information or stories like those are very welcome.

Regards Daan

Hi Daan:

Well one thing we don't believe in, is sugar-coating things to make them easier to swallow. As they say, the truth shall prevail. Hopefully we'll have some good or more inspiring news for your next search effort.