Exotische: Rare Cloth Headgear of the Third Reich

<p style="margin-left: 40px;"> <em>More information on the book release date and its contents will be released soon.  Please check the website often for updates.<br /> </em></p> <p> The Wilson History and Research Center is proud to present the first volume of a planned series on rare and exotic headgear of the 20th century. This initial volume will focus on soft caps of the German Third Reich. Hundreds of pieces of extraordinarily unique and never before seen headgear has been masterfully photographed and presented in this 200 plus page hardbound work. The authors have graciously been granted access to some of the most prestigious collections throughout the world and have presented these extremely rare and unique treasures in a high manner and quality.<br /> <br /> Beginner and advanced collectors alike will have a rare opportunity to see digitally photographed details of caps that have never before been publically presented. Many of these caps have only been seen, if at all, in grainy period black and white photographs. This work promises to be not only a wonderful opportunity to see the greatest collection of Third Reich headgear ever assembled in one volume, but also to share in a tremendous learning forum. The authors have employed the latest and highest quality digital photography in capturing and presenting these rarities. Exotische affords the collector and researcher a unique opportunity to view these historically significant caps and provide a permanent reference for comparison and education. This photographic study will present painstaking detail of both the caps and their high quality insignia. This work is presented with the thought in mind that knowledge can only be obtained through the experience of seeing the quality of construction and attention to detail utilized in the originals. Each of these rare caps will be identified and described.<br /> <br /> Exotische will present an astounding array of headgear ranging from caps worn by Third Reich leaders (Hitler, Göring, and Dietrich) to the most unusual and obscure paramilitary and civil organizations for visual inspection and study. The authors are incredibly excited about this endeavor and are looking forward to sharing these amazing pieces of history with fellow collectors, historians, and researchers.<br /> <br /> <br /> The Authors<br /> <br /> Paul Sack has been a collector and researcher in the field of German military and civil headgear for 40 years. He occasionally finds time between acquisitions to practice law.<br /> <br /> Robby Wilson has been a life long collector of 20th century militaria and is the founder of the Wilson History & Research Center. He has been an Attorney at Law since 1978.</p>

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#<Slug:0x7fed6eff1bb8> Exotische: Rare Cloth Headgear of the Third Reich

2010-02-20T03:55:06Z

Daniel Roberts <p class="MsoNormal">  <style>  </style> <style>  </style><img align="right" alt="" src="/images/content/mhg_int_img_blue-helmet-93.gif" />To this day the insignia of the United States 93rd Infantry Division is a blue French Adrian helmet against a black background, but few people know why. The reason for this choice is tied to the segregationist policies of the United States military during World War I (1914-1918), and the experience of black American soldiers on the Western Front.<br /> <br /> When Woodrow Wilson and the American Congress declared war against Germany and Austria in 1916, it was a commitment to place the full force of the United States military, industry, and labor force at the disposal of the war effort. This doctrine of Total War required the participation of every American citizen regardless of race, gender, or class. The resulting mobilization created vast domestic and social changes: including the migration of southern blacks to the industrial north and the inclusion of women in the industrial workforce.[1]<br /> <br /> Large swaths of young men joined the military, seeking to fulfill their patriotic duty. Many of those volunteers were black Americans who saw the war as an opportunity to display their loyalty to the United States and their own valiance and worth to a nation plagued by institutional racism.[2] In order to meet the massive manpower needs of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF), President Wilson introduced a universal male selective service registration. Men, regardless of race, were drafted into the United States military in previously unseen numbers. Of the 24 million men who registered, one in ten was selected for service in the AEF and sent to Europe.[3]<br /> <br /> Even with the need for national unity to ensure total participation, black American soldiers were subjected to unrelenting racism as they were drafted and volunteered to serve their country. Black Americans were drafted in disproportionately high numbers. While blacks constituted only ten percent of the male population who registered for the draft, 12.5 percent of all soldiers drafted happened to be black. Many of the Army’s training centers were constructed in the American south for climate purposes, and as a result all black servicemen were subjected to oppressive Jim Crowe legislation. This condition tasted bitter to northern blacks not used to that level of institutional racism.[4]<br /> <br /> Racism in the Army only added to black soldiers misery. 6,000 drafted black stevedores arrived at Camp Hill, Virginia, to find no barracks, mess halls, sanitary facilities or clothing. They spent the winter is tents, on the bare ground, with the only heat coming from fire pits. Worse still, the white NCOs (non-commissioned officers) were often selected for their “experience” dealing with blacks. This included those who worked in traditionally oppressive southern agricultural industries, including sharecropper plantations and turpentine factories. Some were intentionally selected for willingness to physically abuse black soldiers.[5]<br /> <br /> Military policy also restricted most black soldiers to menial labor positions. Only one in five black soldiers sent to the Western Front ever saw combat.[6] Those who did were placed in disorganized segregated units. The Army made it policy to never allow these units to train as a full division and much of the esprit de corps, camaraderie, and identity that came from constituting a large unit was lost. Even the white officers overseeing these divisions suffered from this choice. Much of their time was spent traveling amidst training facilities and most senior officers never saw their own troops.[7] Members of the 92nd Infantry Division suffered from these policies. The 92nd never assembled as whole division and one General’s looming threat that “white men made the Division, and white men can break it just as easily if it becomes a troublemaker,” created animosity between the officers and troops.[8]<br /> <br /> Regardless of these setbacks, black soldiers in the segregated 92nd and 93rd Infantry Divisions fought valiantly while being under-equipped and rushed to the Front. The black soldiers in the 93rd found themselves without proper equipment, and no American Model 1917 helmets. Because the division fought as individual regiments supporting separate French forces, the black soldiers were given sky blue Model 1915 French Adrians.[9] The black soldiers fought alongside French forces in the 2nd Battle of the Marne, playing a crucial role in repelling the German attack.[10] From then on the 93rd Infantry Division was associated with their service on the Western Front, as split segregated units, working alongside the French Army and wearing foreign Adrian helmets.</p> <div style=""> </div>

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fn1. Jenel Virden, _Americans and the Wars of the Twentieth Century_ (New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2008), 36-37. fn2. David Kennedy, _Over Here: The First World War American Society_ (New York: Oxford University Press, 2004), 29. fn3. Virden, 24. fn4. Virden 26. fn5. Frederick Binder ed., _The Way We Lived, Volume II: 1865-Present_ (New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2000), 118-119. fn6. Virden, 26. fn7. Binder, 118-119. fn8. Binder, 123. fn9. Paolo Marzetti, _Elmetti (Helmets)_ (Italy: Ermanno Albertelli Editore, 2003), 393. fn10. G.J. Meyer, _A World Undone: The Story of the Great War 1914-1918_ (New York: Bantam Dell, 2007), 678-679

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#<Slug:0x7fed6efefc28> American WWI Segregation Policy and the Birth of the "Blue Helmet" 93rd Infantry Division

2010-02-16T16:36:44Z

Robby Wilson, Founder <p> OUR CHARTER – TO LOCATE, ACQUIRE, AUTHENTICATE AND DISSEMINATE an example of every single designed, approved, produced and modified military headpiece from each country, regime, and geographical area during every war, dispute or period which occurred during the 20th century. No small feat when one realizes that the number has been estimated to be as high as 10 million headpieces! - One year ago in an open invitation to you and other visitors to our web site, I advised:</p> <blockquote> <p> “We have remaining <strong><em>only nine million, nine hundred and ninety thousand pieces to go</em></strong>! A lifetime of work awaits us. As our second year begins, we ask your help. <a href="/contact">Contact us</a> if you have pieces to sell or donate. We can explain to you the tax advantages of donations. But most of all watch our web site, enjoy its growth and be a part of its accuracy. As pieces go on the site, give us your feedback. Are they correctly identified? If not, straighten us out. We will give you a contributing author acknowledgement. Do you have one of a kind pieces which you would like to display? If so, we would like to include them in our web site and studies. In fact, we want this web site to become a basis for research, so you may see multiple items nearly exact in similarity, but for us, the catalogue of existing pieces, no matter how similar is very important in grading quality, authenticity and placing it in history. So join us and be a part of our team.”</p> </blockquote> <p> I can proudly report to you that you have joined us by the thousands. We launched our third generation site in mid December 2008. In that fraction of a month we saw just over 200 hits; one year later, we found that December was our strongest showing of the year, with 15,555 hits! I want to thank you for your support. We have friends in over 90 countries, and each day brings a higher and higher hit count. To thank you for your steady support, we now present to you the fifth generation of our web site. This site is designed to be the backbone of many requested features. For example we now provide you with the ability to search by artifact number; this makes researching much more convenient. You simply go to the information box at the bottom of the artifact display page and write down the artifact number. Later, if you want to refer back to the same piece you can enter the number in the search box and you are brought back to the artifact you wish to see. Using the number can be very useful as well when you are contacting us so that we can know exactly which piece you are referring to. We have also included another new aspect for those deeper researchers; this is our FEATURED HEADGEAR section. Displayed prominently on our home page, this new section focuses your attention on pieces we feel are significant additions to our collections. As a treat, and to kick off our new FEATURED HEADGEAR section, we offer a true U.S. Paratroop M-2 D-Day and Market Garden authenticated 506 PIR Fox company helmet. Named to and worn by Armand Beauchamp who was KIA in market garden. Provenance on this piece is without equal as is its role in history. We know you will enjoy viewing it and will be happy to field any questions you might have. More so we will be offering more in the way of education, as our podcasts come on line this year. We have conducted two Knowledge Share conferences this year with six of the leading collectors in WWII cloth and steel headgear. Having taped all sessions, and more important, having focused the sessions on timely issues, we will offer you a chance to be a one on one participant in personal lectures given by the people who write the books. It will be the next best thing to being there. Additionally we will be offering at least one foray into the print media as well.</p> <p> Let’s not forget that 2009 transformed us into a public institution with our receipt of the 501c3 charitable institution status. This allows us to continue the growth of the foundation, not only through purchase but through the receipt of gifts, not necessarily money. In other words, we will seek out those people who wish to preserve the collection that has taken them a lifetime to aggregate and would only take an auction house 30 minutes to piece out. We have many tools available to us in cases such as this and I would personally like to discuss them with those of you who feel that your collection belongs to the interested public and that you are simply a person who is caring for it during this time.</p> <p> This brings me to 2010 and our goals for the year. Obviously, we have grown faster than the number of pieces on the web site. In fact we acquired nearly 4000 pieces last year, although over 1000 of them will not be in our possession until the early part of this year. While we feel that we can be more selective with the acquisitions we make through direct purchase, we feel that we have more than enough momentum to keep the numbers on a continual upswing through the gifting process, which is an integral part of acquisition. Another exciting addition in 2010 will be the “COLLECTIONS,” which is divided into two categories “acquired” and “personally held.” We will attempt to develop over time the catalogue of all pieces that fit our Charter, first by publishing along with the acquired piece the collector or dealer from whom we acquired the piece. The “ACQUIRED COLLECTIONS” offers the opportunity to see where we obtained our pieces and it gives you the opportunity to compare their pieces with yours or the one you are thinking about buying. Seeing things for first time can be unnerving, particularly when you may think that you have stumbled upon the find of the year. Being able to look at pieces we bought from experienced and knowledgeable dealers will help the collector in making the often expensive decision, to buy or not to buy. On the other hand in our “PERSONAL COLLECTIONS” category we will offer the complete collections of many collectors whose names are not common household words, yet these collectors possess a wealth of knowledge and many unseen and unknown of pieces that no one has ever seen. Pieces, which while rumored to exist in the form of a reproduction or being passed off as authentic, that are in fact as real and right as any historic artifact may be. I have always taken the position that we do not have to buy every single piece of 20th century headgear in order to display every single piece of 20th century headgear. So with the list of volunteers growing for their collections to become a part of our web museum, we will be going to them to photograph their items and conduct complete historical analysis of each piece offering them as a part of the total WHRC historic presentation and thus giving you a deeper and richer experience. It is with great pride that I can announce to you today that renowned SS collector Willi Schumacher will lead off the collections category of the WHRC site. Join us mid-February for a glimpse of this exciting SS uniform and headpiece collection, considered by many to be the best in the world. One day we will close the catalogue of 20th century headpieces and when we do it is our goal to state unequivocally that we have found and listed every piece.</p> <p> Finally, 2010 will be a watershed year for SS helmets. A new technology has arisen as a result of the near perfect SS helmet reproductions that are being made and sold as original and authentic. By employing the use of XRF (x-ray fluorescence) technology, which is a stable means of determining metal alloy and composition percentages through the use of x-rays, the collectors of SS steel helmets will be offered the opportunity to test and certify the authenticity of their collections. The product from this science is indisputable. We have had the pleasure of being a part of a demonstration, and while some of our most “prized” pieces didn’t stand up to the challenge, the ones that did are now authenticated for all time. This technology is going to be very important and WHRC endorses its use and endorses “XRFacts,” the company that offers the authentications. As proof of our commitment to this technology, we offer a treat for those of you attending the Show of Shows this year. We will be residing at the XRFacts table acompanied by a couple of our SS Helmets as will a few others. One of our pieces is the much discussed Heimwehr Danzig helmet, a relic which was the topic of several forums last summer. Having acquired this controversial piece,we are bringing it to the SOS for you to insepect yourself. During the SOS, we want you to tell us, is it real or is it an imposter? At the end of the show XRFacts will test it and announce the results during the last hour of the show. For those of you who won’t be there at the end, we will release the results on our web site as well as the XRFacts web site. Additionally, we will be testing the SS double decal M-40 which was formerly displayed at the Museum in Averanches, FranceWith this kind of technology, our collections and their value in history can only become more stable.</p> <p> That’s it for this year’s wrap up. Thanks for the many hands of friendship which have helped us so far along this exciting journey. And, lest I forget, “join us and become a part of our team.”</p>

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#<Slug:0x7fed6efedba8> Wilson History & Research Center - Year Two

2010-02-02T20:02:56Z

<p> Welcome to the Wilson History and Research Center (<strong>WHRC</strong>), a tax exempt, charitable foundation serving in accordance with our Charter. Our goal? A complete collection of every piece of military headgear developed, produced and modified, by every country during the 20th Century.</p> <p> This Charter has been the basis of my collection for many years, but when museums began to accept our promise to complete their exhibits with a loan of our headgear, it became clear that we would need to develop a formal institution to serve as the lender of materials. This entity would be responsible for providing material and headgear which passed the scrutiny not only of museum curators and staff, but the ever watchful and keen eyes of the many collectors who would be examining our loans and contributions. The material and headgear, along with their descriptions, would require an academic analysis which could be understood in methodology and conclusion by all levels of all interested parties. Thus was born the concept of a tax exempt foundation. So, on January 1, 2008, we launched <strong>WHRC</strong> without fanfare.</p> <p> As we began to examine our needs versus our stated goal, we felt compelled to estimate how many headpieces our Charter encompassed. Only then did we realize that every country has some form of army, navy, air force, honor guard, presidential band and so on. We also found that each individual soldier has numerous uniforms for work, dress, parade and combat to name a few. And, that many uniforms change within weeks of being approved and most, if not every, uniform has a separate distinct head piece. This goes on and on to the point of becoming mind numbing. To illustrate the point on January 1, 1900 there were 57 countries on the face of the planet. On December 31, 1999 there existed 192 sovereign nations—nearly four times as many nations at the end of the century than when it began. To the uninformed such growth should signal that the 20th Century was a time of prosperity and growth where peace reigned supreme; in reality the 20th century was the most destructive, violent and costly century in history. It was virtually one hundred years of war and warfare where twenty percent of the buildings and structures on the planet were damaged or destroyed and the crème of four generations, nearly 200 million young men and innocent civilians, lost their lives. What then of the headgear that the soldiers of humanity's most violent century wore? Our estimate (and we can only estimate because in the final destruction of countries and regimes paperwork which provides the exact numbers have been lost or destroyed) is that there were 1,000,000 designed and produced head pieces during this period! But if that figure by itself doesn't surprise you consider for every designed and produced piece there were an average of 10 authorized modifications. That brings the universe of our charter to a staggering 10,000,000 separate pieces.</p> <p> In all honesty, I thought it might be 10,000 or so total, but with 10,000 or so separate pieces in our care, I can now see where our new estimates will be much closer to the mark than my original thoughts. We have remaining <strong><em>only nine million, nine hundred and ninety thousand pieces to go</em>!</strong> A lifetime of work awaits us. As our second year begins, we ask your help. <a alt="Contact us" href="contact@militaryheadgear.com">Contact us</a> if you have pieces to sell or donate. We can explain to you the tax advantages of donations. But most of all watch our web site, enjoy its growth and be a part of its accuracy. As pieces go on the site, give us your feedback. Are they correctly identified? If not, straighten us out. We will give you a contributing author acknowledgement. Do you have one of a kind pieces which you would like to display? If so, we would like to include them in our web site and studies. In fact, we want this web site to become a basis for research, so you may see multiple items nearly exact in similarity, but for us, the catalogue of existing pieces, no matter how similar is very important in grading quality, authenticity and placing it in history. So join us and be a part of our team.</p> <p align="right"> — Robby Wilson, Founder</p> <p> <br /> <em>Please <a alt="contact us" href="mailto:contact@militaryheadgear.com">contact us</a> if you have any questions, comments or suggestions on improving the foundation and this website.</em></p>

2009-12-31T18:54:45Z

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#<Slug:0x7fed6efebc40> About the Wilson History & Research Center

2009-12-31T18:54:45Z

<p> Wilson and Associates, PLLC and the Wilson History and Research Center in Little Rock, Arkansas will open “Law in a Land Without Justice: Nazi Germany 1933-1945” with a press conference in the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law library at 10 a.m. OCT 6th. The event will feature a question-and-answer session with Dan Roberts, Wilson Center Director of History and Research, and Robert White, Curator.<img align="right" alt="" src="/system/bowen/a.jpg" /></p> <p> The exhibit is on loan to the UALR Bowen School of Law through July 31, 2010. It focuses on the destruction of justice in Nazi Germany by examining the ways members of the Nazi state used legality to justify tyranny, theft, and murder. Included in the exhibit are artifacts from the World War II era, including a German judge’s robe and cap and headgear from American soldiers who oversaw the Nuremberg Trials in 1946-1948. Also present are pieces from the personal collection of William H. Bowen, former UALR Bowen School Dean and World War II pilot.</p> <p> From 1933 to 1945, the Nazi regime in Germany instituted a violent dictatorship, which stressed and eventually destroyed any semblance of justice. Malicious and arbitrary laws served to advance the Nazi agenda of militarism, subservience to genocidal authority, and organized theft. Random arrests and show trials invoked terror for those who might have resisted and the court sanctioned thousands of murders of innocent Germans and other European citizens. All the while prosecutors, attorneys and judges continued to function in the midst of Hitler’s ever changing legal code. While few resisted the tyranny of Nazi laws, many in the legal profession welcomed Nazism incursion. They accepted their growing power and the benefits that came with it at the expense of reason, innocent defendants, and justice.<img align="right" alt="" src="/system/bowen/aa.jpg" /></p> <p> The exhibit can be viewed during regular library hours. The library is open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, and from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday.</p>

2009-12-31T19:00:48Z

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#<Slug:0x7fed6efe9bc0> Law in a Land Without Justice: Nazi Germany 1933-1945

2009-12-31T19:23:09Z

Article by Jordan Winter <div> From their first jump to the end of the war in 1945, soldiers in the United States Army 101st Airborne Division fought in some of the most well known battles of World War II (1939-1945), including D-Day, Operation Market Garden, and the Battle of the Bulge. Their WWII journey took them through fighting in France, Belgium, Holland, and eventually Germany. Although Normandy was their first combat action as a unit, soldiers of the 101st were well equipped and well prepared. Not only did the division take many of its officers from the experienced 82nd Airborne Division,<span>[1]</span> they developed and used a system of tactical helmet insignia to help assemble and organize the paratroopers once on the ground. This tactical insignia lasted through the end of the war and became an iconic and spirited part of a 101st paratrooper’s wardrobe.</div> <div>  </div> <div> Prior to the D-Day jump, the 101st Division created the series of tactical helmet markings for the purpose of identifying specific units. These patterns, which took the form of symbols found on playing cards along with other geometric shapes, helped in the assembly and control of those units. The club, diamond, heart, and spade signified each of the regiments attached to the 101st: the 327th GIR (Glider Infantry Regiment), 501st PIR (Parachute Infantry Regiment), 502nd PIR, and 506th PIR. Other tactical markings included a circle (Divisional Artillery), square (Divisional Headquarters), triangle (81st AA Battalion), and the letter “E” (Divisional Engineers). However, the tactical marking system did not end with the card and shape symbols. The 101st also integrated a system of small dashes, or “tics,” around the primary symbol that identified subordinate units.<span>[2]</span> Using the four main airborne regiments as examples, 101st paratroopers placed the tic marks around the primary symbol according to every third hour of a clock: 3 o’clock, 6 o’clock, 9 o’clock, and 12 o’clock. These marks signified the regiment’s 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and Headquarter battalions. The tic mark system followed the same premise for smaller units, where each position represented a company.<span>[3]</span></div> <div>  </div> <div> The application of the tactical insignia came in various forms of quality depending on the artistic abilities of the helmet’s owner. Paratroopers normally applied them in white paint toward the lower part of each side of the helmet. Not all soldiers conformed to the same specifications and there were a number of variations.<span>[4]</span> Furthermore, the tactical markings tended to become smaller as the war progressed and some paratroopers repainted their helmets after each mission in order to keep the symbol’s luster.<span>[5]</span></div> <div>  </div> <div> From the D-Day jump to Operation Market Garden, the Allied airborne landing in Holland in August 1944, the 101st Airborne Division continued to utilize the tactical helmet marking system. Whether the helmet displayed rank, unit emblem, camouflage, or personalized markings, many soldiers fighting in American units during World War II painted their helmets in one way or another.   However, no unit deployed a helmet markings system to the extent of the 101st Airborne Division. In fact, “the 101st was the only division in the U.S. Army to apply and adopt a comprehensive set of tactical and organizational markings for use on its helmets.”<span>[6]</span> The reasoning for this is unknown but analysis from period examples indicate that large white symbols on the side of one’s helmet made great targets for enemy sharpshooters.   The German military also figured out early in the war that a bright image on the side of a soldier’s helmet created camouflaging problems.<span>[7]</span></div> <div>  </div> <div> Nevertheless, the 101st Airborne soldiers must have found value in the system, as it continued through the end of the war and many soldiers tagged there helmet liners as well. Being able to recognize a fellow unit member would have provided a sense of comfort and direction among the soldiers who often found themselves deep behind enemy lines and detached from regular units. There is no doubt that the insignia created an <i>Esprit de Corps </i>that formed after D-Day and lasted through to victory in Europe, May 8, 1945.</div>

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fn1. Steven J. Zaloga, “D-Day 1944,” in _Airborne: World War II Paratroopers in Combat_, ed. Julie Guard (UK: Osprey Publishing, Ltd., 2007), 177. fn2. Chris Armold, _Painted Steel: Steel Posts, Volume II_ (San Jose, CA: R. James Bender Publishing, 2000), 169-170. fn3. Mark Bando, _101st Airborne: The Screaming Eagles at Normandy_ ((St. Paul, MN: Zenith Press, 2001), 28-29. fn4. Armold, 170. fn5. Mark Bando, “Insignia: Helmet Stencils, Application of the Stencils, and Markings for Specific Divisional Units,” http://www.101airborneww2.com/insignia3.html (accessed 18 December 2009). fn6. Armold, 169. fn7. Ludwig Baer, The History of the German Steel Helmet, 1916-1945 (San Jose, CA: R. James Bender Publishing, 1985), 133; Brian C. Bell, Wehrmacht Combat Helmets 1933-45(Osprey Publishing Ltd., 2004), 32.

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#<Slug:0x7fed6efe70f0> The Tactical Helmet Insignia of the 101st Airborne Division, WWII

2010-01-04T15:38:19Z

<p> The L-4 Piper Grasshopper was a marvel of American wartime ingenuity. Adapted from the civilian model Piper Cub, the Grasshopper could take off under any condition, from any terrain with very little runway. The L-4 has a wingspan of 35 feet (10.7 meters) and weighs in at a little over a ton (553 kg). It was so light that the fuselages of Pipers were used as trainers for glider pilots.[1] At maximum, the plane cruised at 85 mph (137 km/h), and broke 9,300 ft (2,835 m) while carrying a crew of two. The plane's simple manufacture and prevalence before the 1941 made it perfect for wartime needs. Piper owners enlisted in the Civil Air Patrol and the military brass relished the convenience; civilian planes would be field ready with a coat of olive drab paint. Army, Navy, and Marine pilots flew the Pipers in such diverse conditions as North Africa, the Pacific, and Western Europe. From 1937 to 1947, the Piper Aircraft Corp produced a model plane so omnipresent (5,500 were produced for the war effort) and versatile that it was known as the "Model-T of the sky."[2] First seeing action in North Africa in 1942, the L-4 Grasshopper later played the essential role of providing reconnaissance of German troop, artillery, and armor placements in Normandy, France. The L-4 was so ubiquitous that when veterans of D-Day visited the Musée Airborne (Airborne Museum) in Sainte-Mere-Eglise, France they were surprised to find no Piper Grasshoppers.</p> <p> Now as a pilot, growing up in a family of pilots in Arkansas, Piper Cubs were ever-present. I told them that we would be proud to find an L-4 and I promised we would return in August or September with the plane. Everyone nodded their heads in what I assumed was approval, but later found out was ironic disbelief. What Patrick and Jean Michelle had not told me was that an authentic Piper was the highest item on their list and the request was largely a pie in the sky dream. Pipers of the caliber necessary to be displayed at the Airborne Museum in Sainte-Mere-Eglise did not exist, or least could not be found. So with the blissful ignorance I made a few calls and located the Piper in Germany, fully restored, with a serial number placing the plane in service around Normandy in June 1944.</p> <p> <img align="right" height="234" src="/images/flight.jpg" width="372" /></p> <p> Upon my return to France in the fall of 2008, I was more than impressed with the level of enthusiasm which greeted our news. It delighted me to hear the stories about how rare and distinctive the L-4 was that we acquired. As we approach May 24th, 2009, ceremonies in Normandy, including the dedication of the Piper and the festivities surrounding the 65th D-Day reunion on June 6, which will be attended by President Barrack Obama and many other European heads of state, I feel the weight being a part of preserving history. To return this small piece of the past to veterans, their families, their friends, and admirers the world over is the very least that we at the Wilson Center can do to show our appreciation to both the living and dead. Their service and sacrifice guaranteed that we and our children live in a world where we are free from want, free from fear, and free from tyranny. Please join us in Normandy where we remember and commemorate the greatest of all days.</p> <h2> History of the Piper L-4 Grasshopper at the Musée Airborne (Airborne Museum) in Sainte-Mere-Eglise, France</h2> <p> The Piper currently on exhibit at the Airborne Museum in Sainte-Mere-Eglise has the serial number 43-30073. From this number we are able to determine the Piper, like hundreds of others, was manufactured during the winter of 1943/44 at the Piper Aircraft Corporation in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania. An average of 6 pipers a day were produced there and painted a nondescript olive-green and finally packaged for service overseas. The L-4 at the Airborne Museum entered service on January 15, 1944. On February 4, 1944 it was transferred to the Newark International Depot in New Jersey. It departed from the United States on February 21, 1944, destined for use in the 8th Army Air Force in Europe. What this specific plane did during WWII is unfortunately untraceable. However, as a part of the 8th Army Air Force it is very likely that the Piper saw action leading up to or immediately after June 6th, 1944 in Normandy. The 8th Army Air Force included two photo-reconnaissance groups which saw action in conjunction with large scale infantry movements, including both the D-Day invasion and the Battle of the Bulge.[3] Unfortunately the nature the specific role of the Piper in these to battles has been lost. No flight records exist from this period until the plane was sold by the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) in Europe on June 12th, 1946.</p> <p> The history of the next 3 years is unknown. There is speculation that this Piper flew in the French Army Air Force ALAT. However, on September 1st, 1949 an American named John Cullen wrote to the Office of Military Government for Germany (U.S.) requesting to transfer his private Piper, now numbered L-4 (NL73102), from Berlin to Stuttgart. A permit was given requiring that the flight plan follow the most direct route between Berlin and Stuttgart. A letter from Cullen to the U.S. Army Headquarter Frankfurt Military Post indicates the aircraft was kept at the Frankfurt-Rebstock Airport, the old Frankfurt Airport, in Hangar 2. On September 15, 1950 John Cullen sold the aircraft for 200.000 French francs to Josef Schäfer, the executive of Aero-Club Saar. Cullen included an incomplete spare engine and a second-hand aircraft-tire with two tire-tubes. A Continental-Engine A65 served as a functioning substitute for the original Lycoming O-170. In November 1950 the Karlsberg Brewery assumed the ownership of the plane in hopes of using it in advertising. At the time the right to fly in the Saarland was a significant privilege for German citizens - most West Germans did not receive the right until 1955.</p> <p> <img align="right" height="234" src="/images/karlsberg.jpg" width="372" /></p> <p> The first flight for the Karlsberg Brewery occurred on November 7th, 1950. The Piper was piloted by Theo Busch. Busch would fly the Piper consistently throughout its ownership by the brewery. The Piper was stationed at the St. Arnual Meadows, the first Airport in Saarbrücken (the regional capital of the Saarland). Flybys would open soccer games when the pilot dropped the ball onto the field. On occasion the pilot would dress as Santa Claus and drop brochures and confetti. A commercial for the brewery featured the plane along with Mr. Hans Jung, Head the Saarland Aviation Administration, his wife, and a friend named Gerd Gensheimer. The first official flight log on June 15th, 1953 indicates the brewery reverted to the wartime serial number of 43-30073, which is still in use today. However, the registration changed to Saarland: SL-AAK. In 1955 the people of the Saarland elected to join the Federal Republic of Germany (also known as West Germany) and in 1958 the plane was re-registered D-ECIV.</p> <p> Between March 24th and June 14th, 1960 the Piper aircraft received a major overhaul at the famous Hirth facility in Nabern/Teck. During this time the engine was removed. The A65 (s/n 148718, 65 hp, built in 1943) was switched with a Continental C85-12 (s/n 25.4-5-12, 85 hp). Towing banners with 65 horse power was quite a feat and could only be preformed with a one-man flight crew - the C85 engine made flights much safer. During that time the Piper transferred to the new Airport Saarbrücken-Ensheim (EDDR) and was flown by a number of guest pilots. The flight log no. 5 record indicates the plane was piloted by two famous German pilots: Elly Beinhorn and Adolf Galland. At the age of 24, Elly Beinhorn flew alone to Africa, where she was lost in the Sahara for 4 days until she reached Timbuktu after a 90-km-march. In 1933 she flew to Australia and in 1935 she established a new record one day flight of 3,470 kilometers in 13 hours in the famous Messerschmitt Me108 "TAIFUN". Adolf Galland was the youngest Major General of the German Armed Forces. He was an excellent fighter-pilot and tactician. He survived WWII and worked as private pilot in air-shows throughout the Saarland.</p> <p> On July 31st, 1976 Theo Busch piloted his last flight with in Piper, ending 26 years of service to the Karlsberg Brewery. More efficient advertising pushed the aircraft into the background and on October 6th, 1978 the new owners, Mr. Gerd Brumm and Mr. Hille stationed the Piper at the little Airport Saarlouis-Düren (EDRJ). In 1988 the Piper was again sold to Mr. Hartmut van Meegen. He flew and stored the Piper until 1993, when he sold it to Mr. Stefan Leuer, a pilot for of the German Lufthansa. In a very complex and time-consuming renovation, Leuer completely restored the structure and engine of the plane and did extensive research into the planes origin. The paint scheme was meticulously changed to reflect camouflage which adorned the plane during the D-Day invasion in 1944. Mr. Leuer flew the retrofitted Piper to vintage aircraft events until 2005.</p> <p> Mr. Joachim Rausch and Mr. Bernhard Gross discovered Mr. Leuer's intention to sell the Piper in 2005. Both men knew the aircraft from their youth, when it served as the "Karlsberg-Piper." The three pilots agreed to ferry the plane on October 23, 2005 from Braunschweig to Saarlouis-Düren. Mr. Rausch and Mr. Gross hoped to use the Piper for their company, LUFTBILDCENTRUM, and provide professional overhead photographs and films. They noticed after a few flights that the Piper was too extraordinary for constant and high stress sorties. They instead used the plane for relaxed flights over the region and for vintage aircraft meetings.</p> <p> <img align="right" height="234" src="/images/ground.jpg" width="372" /></p> <p> In 2008 both men decided it was time to part with the plane, which now largely collected dust in a hangar. They decided with a heavy heart to sell their "baby." And that is where the Wilson History and Research Center entered into the Piper's history. In June 2008, members of WHRC and myself attended the auction at "Poc du Royan Musée" in Royan, Bordeaux, France. The battle at Royan was the last serious battle fought west of the Rhine. A pocket of soldiers developed over an eight month period centered between Royan and La Rochelle. Although the main force consisted of Kriegsmarine and Coastal Artillery, records indicate that members of virtually every service branch, along with SS men of various specialties, fought in the battle. After the German surrender in April 1945 the grounds of Royan were littered with ephemerae, the likes of which appeared on no other battlefield throughout the war. The collection at the museum in Royan consisted of authentic pieces collected over a 50 km radius by the curator and a few special friends. Each piece was traced from the first days after the war through the auction. With such a unique and nearly unquestioned provenance the Royan/Hermann-Historica auction drew people from every part of the globe. The auction lasted two days and items of uncontestable authenticity went for record prices.</p> <p> While we at the Wilson Center were pleased with our acquisitions, we were not prepared for the aggressive bidding. Time after time big money bidders took us out of the running for piece after piece. Insuring that we stayed within our budget, we colluded with the Curator of the Musée Airborne (Airborne Museum) in Sainte-Mere-Eglise, France Patrick Brunel. He along with his advisor and close friend, Jean Michelle Selles, helped us back away from the emotions of the auction and keep our bidding reasonable. Auctions make interesting friends and during the course of the two days our group became very close. A few days later we visited Patrick and Jean Michelle at the Musée Airborne. After having a personally guided tour of the facility and a complete briefing on the plans for development of a new wing of the Museum, we were eager to learn what the WHRC could do to help. We were befuddled to learn that the most glaring absence at the museum was an L-4 Piper Grasshopper.</p>

2009-12-17T17:14:58Z

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2009-12-31T06:00:00Z

[1] Barret Tillman, Brassey's D-Day Encyclopedia, (Brassey: New York, 2004), 10. [2] Enzo Angelucci, Rand MacNally Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft: 1941 to Present, (Crescent Books, New York, 1980), 342. [3] Jonathan Gawne, Finding Your Fathers War, (Casemate: Philadelphia, 2006), 303.

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mhg_mp_promo_piper-dedication.jpg

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2009-12-31T18:37:31Z

2009-12-17T06:00:00Z

#<Slug:0x7fed6efe5048> WHRC Donates Piper Cub to Airborne Museum in Sainte-Mere-Eglise, France

2010-02-15T20:50:47Z