Original Item: One-of-a-kind. Purchased directly from the WW2 veteran's estate LEO MAX EVANS was born October 16th, 1914 and was killed in action near Leipzig. He was shot by a sniper when sitting in camp on April 13th, 1945. The names were handwritten by Leo himself and records dozens of members of the 3rd Armored Field Artillery Battalion, 9th Armored Division. He sent it home just before his death in April 1945.

The 9th Armored Division landed in Normandy late in September 1944, and first went into line, 23 October 1944, on patrol duty in a quiet sector along the Luxembourg-German frontier. When the Germans launched their winter offensive on 16 December 1944, the 9th, with no real combat experience, suddenly found itself engaged in heavy fighting. The Division saw its severest action at St. Vith, Echternach, and Bastogne, its units fighting in widely separated areas. Its stand at Bastogne held off the Germans long enough to enable the 101st Airborne Division to dig in for a defense of the city. After a rest period in January 1945, the Division prepared to drive across the Roer River. The offensive was launched on 28 February 1945 and the 9th crossed the Roer to Rheinbach, sending patrols into Remagen. On 7 March 1945, elements of the 9th Armored found that the Ludendorff Bridge was still standing. When German demolition charges failed to bring the bridge down, they crossed it, disarming and removing the remaining charges, which could have exploded at any time. The Division exploited the bridgehead, moving south and east across the Lahn River toward Limburg, where thousands of Allied prisoners were liberated from Stalag XIIA. The Division drove on to Frankfurt and then turned to assist in the closing of the Ruhr Pocket. In April it continued east, encircling Leipzig and securing a line along the Mulde River. The Division was shifting south to Czechoslovakia when the war in Europe ended on 9 May 1945

This is a WWII German National Banner that measures 47 inches wide by 92 inches long. It is cotton construction double sided with a single piece cotton white circles with black swass on both sides. The flag features hand written names of more that 50 of members on the 3rd Armored Field Artillery Battalion, 9th Armored Division. They are listed as follows:

“OFFICERS”
Capt. Robert G. Rupp, Aurora, Neb
Lt. Gelasius J. Henrick, Mt. Sterling, Ill
Lt. William L. Koppen, Gibbon, Minn.
Lt. Elmer E. Gerhardt, 130 So. 12th St., Salina, Kans.

Kitchen-Crew
S/Sgt. Clarence Fischer, Iowa
T/4 George Thornton, Chicago, Ill.  s/s
T/4 Elroy Spracklin KHNS, Pvt. JT Witt, Texas
T/5 Stanley Hloucha, So.DK
Pvt. Raymond Pehan, Mont.
Pvt. Charley Satterfield, GA
S. Sgt Lawrence Clennon, St. Louis, MO.

BN. SUP. SUP. SECTION
T/Sgt. Joseph Sylvestere, Houghton, Mich.
S/Sgt. Leo Evans, Salina Kans.
T/4 Alva , Hardin, Okla.
T/4 John Klepinger, Lafayette, IND.
T/5 Thomas Carew, Warner, NH
T/5 Drew Dalton, Winterhaven, Fla.
T/5 Irving Spence, Exmore, VA.
PFC. Millard Holt, Graham, N.C.
PFC. Will McKeivaine, Miss.
PFC. Joe Comerford

BN. Maint. Section
M.Sgt. Walter Timm, Soldier, Iowa
T/Sgt. Tommy Thompson
Sgt. Jimmie Pich, So. Dk.
T/4 Roy Lennox, Curtis, Neb,
T/4 Virgil Shannon
T/4 Boyd Amos, St. Louis, MO
T/4 Barney Gogel, Ind.
T/4 Andy Gazzale, Bronx, NY
T/4 Clifton Huggins, Miami, Fla.
T/5 Harold Roden, Ghirberry, Nbr.
T/5 Lloyd Jessup, Ft. Wain, Ind.
T/5 Garrie, Lake Charles, LA.

Fuel, Lub.-Section
Sgt. Harold Lambert, Ind.
T/5 James Swafford, GA.
PFC. Iverson, Kans.
PFC. Charles Turner, Ariz.
PVT. Bernice Creson, MO.
PFC. Colman, Penn.
PFC. Marcontio
PFC. Leroy La Frantz, Altuna, Penn.
 
AMMO – SECTION
S/Sgt. Roy Nurnburg, Kans.
S/Lt. Edgar Hamilton, W. VA.
Sgt. Enough Viglianti, Westfield, NJ
T/5 Earl Groves, Neb.
T/5 Marchel Edwards, N. Carolina
T/5 Doyle Cook, Mich.
Sgt. Delbert Hlouchen, Demoines,  Iowa
Daniel Seiders
Buzzy Colla, Ironwood, Mich.
Tomas Funk, K.C. Kans.
Rustin New Mexico
Swede Boldenow, Iowa
Rubin Meyers, Chicago, Ill.
Otis Meyers,  N.C.
Bennie Kirkwoski, Chicago, Ill.

Btry. Maint. Section
S/Sgt. Andy Lewis, MO
S/Sgt. Lewis Danz, St. Louis, MO.
T/4 Alvin Harley, Mich.
T/5 Archie Day, N.J.
T/5 Ralph Lindnmeyer

Personel – Section
1st Sgt Joe Kelly Milldetown, Ohio
T/5 Jessie Wilds, Newton Square, Penn.
T/5 Raymond Cross, Minn. Minn.
PFC. Elwood Reider, Penn.
T/5 Linville Farmer, Joplin, MO.
T/4 Carl Johnson, St. Louis, MO.

We have verified the service records of dozens of names on this list and it all checks out. Again this was purchased directly from Leo Evans family, it doesn't get any more genuine than this. A true hero, KIA by a German sniper and a member of one of the most respected and storied Army Divisions of WWII. Wow!