Original U.S. WWII 66th Infantry Division Bronze Star Combat Medic Uniform Grouping with Medals & 66th Division History - Black Panthers
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Original Group: One-of-a-kind. Combat medic material from WW2 is some of the hardest most collectible items on the market, due to the small number of medics in comparison to infantry soldiers. This is the wonderful grouping of Technical Sergeant John James Kelly, 263rd Infantry Regiment, 66th Infantry Division of the 12th Army Group. Kelly was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for his service as a combat medic in Northern France.
This grouping includes:
- Kelly’s Ike Jack in very good condition marked Size US 38L with the name Johnny. The jacket has patches for the 66th ID with a scroll reading 263 INF 66 DIVISION on his right sleeve, and for the 42nd Division on his left sleeve. There are Technical Sergeant chevrons on both sleeves. His left cuff bears four overseas stripes and one service stripe, and his right cuff has a Meritorious Service Citation patch. He has US and Medical collar insignia, as well as two 66th I.D. enamel pins on the collar. Above his left breast pocket is a 6-place ribbon bar with the Bronze Star, Good Conduct Medal with device, European Middle Eastern African Campaign ribbon with 3 campaign stars, American Campaign ribbon with one star, US Victory Medal with one star, and the Army of Occupation Medal. Above this is a purple oval patch with a medic’s pin over it. Above the right breast pocket is a Ruptured duck discharge patch.
- Kelly’s Army shirt bearing Technical Sergeant (T/Sgt.) Chevrons, a Black Panther 66th Inf Div shoulder cloth patch on the right shoulder, a 42nd Infantry Division Rainbow Division patch on left shoulder, the same purple oval patch, four overseas stripes and one service stripe, and a Meritorious Service Citation patch. The shirt has US and Medical collar insignia.
- Kelly’s overseas cap with Medic’s piping (white and purple) with a 66th I.D. enamel pin. Named Johnny on the inside.
- Kelly’s Trousers, some markings inside.
- Kelly’s Good Conduct Medal & US Victory Medal with a spare American Campaign ribbon.
- Copy of the 66th Division WWII History.
- Photocopies of research on Kelly.
John James Kelly was born on April 20th, 1918 in Williamstown, Massachusetts. He enlisted in the Army on February 13th, 1942, and was assigned to the 263rd Infantry Regiment, 66th Infantry Division. He saw action with both the 263rd and later the 7024th Tank Destroyer Battalion, seeing action in Algeria, French Morocco, Sicily, Normandy, Rhineland, and Ardennes. He returned stateside and worked for Taconic Lumber Co until 1975 when he suffered a stroke. He retired and passed away July 3rd, 1987, at the age of 69.
This is a fantastic uniform grouping, ready for further research and display!
Approximate Measurements:-
Jacket: 38L
Shirt:
Collar to shoulder: 10"
Shoulder to sleeve: 24”
Shoulder to shoulder: 16"
Chest width: 21”
Waist: 20"
Hip width: 18"
Front length: 31.5"
Pants:
Waist: 15"
Inseam: 27"
66th Infantry Division WWII Combat Chronicle:
The three regiments of the 66th Infantry Division arrived in England on 26 November 1944 and the remainder of the division on 12 December 1944, training until 24 December 1944 when the Division crossed the English Channel to Cherbourg on two Belgian steamships, the Chesire and the Leopoldville. A German torpedo ripped into the transport Leopoldville just five miles from its destination of Cherbourg, and 14 officers and 748 enlisted men were lost.
Attached to the 12th Army Group and designated the 12th Army Group Coastal Sector, with operational control of all French forces in the area, the 66th relieved the 94th Infantry Division in the Brittany-Loire area on 29 December 1944. Its mission of containing the enemy in the St. Nazaire and Lorient pockets was carried out by daily reconnaissance patrols, limited objective attacks, and the maintenance of harassing and interdictory fires on enemy installations. A heavy German attack near La Croix was repulsed on 16 April 1945 and several strongly emplaced enemy positions were taken from 19 to 29 April 1945. Enemy troops in the Lorient and St. Nazaire pockets surrendered to the division upon the end of hostilities in Europe on 8 May 1945. The 66th moved to Germany on occupation duty in the Koblenz subarea on 20 May 1945 and left for Marseille on 26 May 1945 in preparation for redeployment to the Pacific It sailed for home 27 October 1945.
- This product is available for international shipping.
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