Original U.S. WWI Rare Artillery Observer Bullion Wings & Pilot’s ID Card Grouping of Lieutenant Adolf Blunk with British-Made Glengarry Style Cap & Dog Tag
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Original Items. One-of-a-Kind Group. This is the outstanding grouping of 1st Lieutenant Adolf Blunk, an artillery observer during the First World War. Using a wireless radio, aerial observers could sometimes adjust the fire of artillery batteries based on their observations in the air. Anything to these brave observers is extremely difficult to come by, but we were lucky enough to receive this fascinating group directly from the family!
This tremendous group includes:
- Fantastic uniform-removed French-made bullion Observer wing, and absolutely the wing seen in his French-made ID Card on his uniform.
- Fantastic uncut French-made bullion Observer wing, these are incredibly difficult to find uncut!
- Silhouettes D’Avions, a VERY RARE book of aircraft identification made by the French. This book has some fantastic imagery and is a piece of art in itself!
- Blunk’s dog tag on string with a great Lutheran religious pendant. Dog tag reads A. BLUNK 1 LT. C.A.C. U.S.A..
- Blunk’s Victory Medal with bars for Meuse-Argonne, Ypres-Lys, and Defensive Sector.
- Blunk’s French-made Officer’s Identity Card, showing him upon arriving overseas as he has a U.S.-Made Observer wing.
- Blunk’s French-made Officer’s Identity Card, showing him near the end of his service as he wears the French-made observer wing found in this group. This one has great SOS stamps and looks tremendous. These cards are always incredibly difficult to find on their own, making this a scarce offering to find two.
- Blunk’s British/French-made Overseas cap in the Glengary style with two U.S. buttons to the front and red piping for Artillery. There is a sterling 1st Lieutenant bar attached. No sweatband or markings, evident of foreign construction.
- Blunk’s flight helmet by Spaulding, showing extremely heavy service wear with fraying of the material.
- Blunk’s Canadian-made Sam Browne Belt, which he can be seen wearing in his second ID Card.
- Blunk’s Pilot’s Book where he recorded his practice flights and progress as an observer. There isn’t much filled out but there’s a packet in the back with his “record” and on one page it states that he is trained as an aerial observer.
- Blunk’s Gillette shaving kit.
- Two US M1910 Officer’s cap badges.
- Four collar insignia including Three U.S. and one U.N., we are unsure what the U.N. is for.
- Six scarce Coastal Artillery collar insignia, two of which are Bronze and B.B. & B. marked, a very rare maker.
- German belt buckle trench lighter souvenir.
- Small belt buckle with A.B. Initials engraved on.
- British trench lighter housing, empty inside.
- Blue overseas chevron (less than 6 months overseas)
- Small booklet commemorating his service training with the CAC.
Adolf Blunk was born on May 3rd, 1894 in Grand Island, Nebraska. He first enlisted in the Army on November 16th, 1917, joining the coastal artillery corps. He shortly thereafter began training as an artillery observer. He finished training and traveled overseas on September 6th, 1918. He conducted aerial observation missions during the Meuse-Argonne and Ypres-Lys Offensives, as well as several defensive sectors. He returned stateside on February 10th, 1919 and was discharged on March 11th. He worked for many years as an electrical engineer, and later came to own an inter-city transportation company in Toledo, Ohio. He passed away there on December 9th, 1966 at the age of 72.
This is an outstanding grouping with two extremely scarce observer wings and some fantastic ephemera. Comes ready for further research and display.
- This product is available for international shipping.
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