WWII Item... Christmas in July... (Or my latest pickups)

Hello all. I thought that I would post my latest pickups....

I hope everybody is well in this heat... Anyways if you have really read what I post, you would know that I have stated a few times that in my collecting I enjoy sub Categories. They are Food, Music, Christmas and Oklahoma. Along with a few other surrounding states etc...

But I am going to start here.. This was given to me by a friend... a Wooden Bible Box. He just picked it up in a bunch of junk.







Now it get interesting... it was given to one Bennie Hanna by His Mother on Christmas Day. 1942... At the very start of WWII Bennie was given a bible by his mother.





There are a couple names and dates in the back as you can see... I can only assume that these are his sisters and those were the years of their birth... But I am unsure.




While it may not seem like that much of a piece to some. I think it is just cool as all get out. And it doesn't get any better than that... I have not yet researched this family, but I intend to.


Next. I picked up a CBI patch. If you remember my Pilots Log thread.. and my Roy Edward Ridgeway Thread you will understand why getting more CBI items seems to maybe start being a sub catagory... I don;t know... These patches were for the CBI Theater. (China Burma India Theater) (CBI) was the name used by the United States Army for its forces operating in conjunction with British and Chinese Allied air and land forces in China, Burma, and India during World War II.

Whats interesting about this one is that it had already been sewn on a uniform once already... I got it for cheap.





Next up.. a German Mine Flag. These were on metal poles and used by the Germans to mark landmines to be cleared... They usually have a small metal pole to stick in the ground with it.. But oh well.





Next.. A german Naval Sleeve Insignia. Indicating his duties aboard ship. YOu Navy guys can help me out here please.. But what we have is the
Anchor -Seaman
Lightening bolts with points - Signals
Wings - Aircraft.
The bottom strip means higher rank and accordingly what I have researched mean Chief Mate or as the US calles Chief Petty Officer.
I have not gotten a clear confirmation on this insignia. One web sight calle it AIr Traffic Control while another calls it Aircraft spotter... But with a Chief Ranking and Signals (Lightening bolts) I do believe it is safe to deduce that this person was responsible for communicating with aircraft while at sea and respnsible for working ship and aircraft in whatever manner needed.





another box of Wartime issue 9mm ammunition.





Next - 1943 hardshell holster for my p-38.





Next - A Book... over 400 pages of book...




One of my Dealer Collector buddies the sold it to me said it was given to all three branches of the German Armed forces. Army, Navy and Airforce. - Translated as best that I can it says:
"Manual for Drivers. Edited according to the latest state of motor vehicle and engine construction." It goes into so much detail from electrical to transmission, brakes to boogies.
















Next up. A german Magazine about art... Dated April/May 1943... It is huge... I sort of picked it up with my mother in mind. But what I find most interesting is that in May of 1943. The germans had just been defeated at Stalingrad and North Afrika... But yet they were still printing magazines like this...












Next up.. I was at one of my WWII gun shows and I came across this and was talking to the guy about it.. But long story short he had a great price for it.. It is a Japanese Army Visor. (More on that in a minute)





Now I don;t know if this story is true. I dont have a clue how to translate Japanese... But he said the story is that for some reason one man had it.. and then another man had it and he scratched the first guys name out... I have not got a clue, Does anyone have have any suggestions for as to why maybe?







So while at the show, another of my buddies gave me this at a good price. A Japanese Summer Tunic. He just needs a belt.







Check out the Stiching... and material...





But there is only one problem... Do you know what it is???




The answer is this... It is a mis match. The Visor is an Officers Visor and the Tunic is a enliste man's. a Buck Private... I guess I am searching for an officer Tunic and an Enlisted mans cap now.. Oh well....



Next... From another dealer friend.. I got this.. an original but Blank...

This is a Dinner invitation to Hitler's Party... I am having extreme difficulty in translating but it basically says:

"The Leader and Chancellor of the German Reich invites Mr. _______________ and to have dinner with the Leader at his ????? (place, palace, office, studio,)... I just don;t know.

Dress is Tails or Uniform.

The address is W8 Wilhelmster 77...

please respond to the Adjutant: Number: A2 Flora 6841...

Believe it or Not... YOu now have Hitler's Address and Phone number.. lol... If you google map it it takes you right by the Hitler Bunker...






And lastly this is probably my favorite Piece... Such a simple piece but it means so much.. I got this from a guy who went out of his way to say that this is an "Original" copy... He claimed he had it for 25 years.. I bought it because it is what I have been searching for for a long time... and even if this is a copy... I got it for some reasonable for what it is that I couldn;t turn it away.... Evential I fill find an Original... and for what I paid and what he claimed, it could actually turn out to be original... Only time will tell...

It's a Christmas card from Adolf Hitler. It's like getting an Easter BAsket from the Devil... I am doing every thing that I can to translate, but I cannot figure what that letter is that looks like an X. the Closest that I can get is: "Congratulations around Christmas and around the turn of the year." Any help with translations is appciated...




Thanks all... That's all I have for now...All replies welcome...

and just FYI.. There is a Militaria Gun Show in Nacogdoches Texas July 26.. I may try to make it...

Later gators... Peace Love and Fried Chicken.