{"product_id":"original-u-s-wwii-aaf-31st-fighter-group-german-souvenir-bring-back-grouping-german-pith-helmet-tropical-afrikakorps-dak-web-belt-artillery-shell-field-gear-lt-nils-reinhold-hammarskjold","title":"Original U.S. WWII AAF 31st Fighter Group German Souvenir Bring-Back Grouping - German Pith Helmet, Tropical Afrikakorps DAK Web Belt, Artillery Shell \u0026 Field Gear - Lt. Nils Reinhold Hammarskjold","description":"\u003cp\u003eOriginal Items. One-of-a-Kind Group. This is an exceptionally interesting WWII U.S. Army Air Forces send home souvenir grouping assembled and mailed home by Lieutenant Nils Reinhold Hammarskjold of Headquarters, 31st Fighter Group. Rather than being a collection of unrelated German equipment assembled later, the grouping remains together inside the American T17 wooden ammunition crate in which Hammarskjold sent the souvenirs home. The crate retains his named and signed return label as well as the recipient address stenciled directly on its exterior, giving the group an important period association to a known USAAF officer and one of the most successful American fighter groups of the war.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 31st Fighter Group had a distinguished wartime history. It initially deployed to England in 1942 and became the first complete American combat group in the European Theater of Operations to enter combat. Later that year it transferred to Twelfth Air Force and moved to North Africa, subsequently fighting through the Mediterranean campaigns. The group operated Spitfires before converting to P-51 Mustangs in March 1944, when it transferred to Fifteenth Air Force. It supported operations across North Africa, Sicily, Italy and southern France and flew long range escort missions into central and southeastern Europe. By the end of the war, the 31st Fighter Group was the highest scoring Allied fighter group in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations and the fifth highest scoring fighter group in the USAAF, with 570 1\/2 confirmed aerial victories.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe group contains:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e- Heavily worn and bent 2nd Model German DAK Pith helmet by “F. ST. L.” in size 55. Visor is bent from being in the crate and the leather edge trim is entirely broken open with the wire stiffener now loose and visible. Both badges are in fair shape and the sweatband is intact. The chinstrap is intact but heavily crazing at the bends.\u003cbr\u003e- German WWII Rare Heer Army Tropical Afrikakorps DAK Web Belt with Painted Steel Buckle. Buckle is painted Feldgrau with some heavy loss and wear. Belt is stamped with RBNr number 0\/0564\/0005. End of belt stamped 96 for size. Leather tab of buckle is heavily worn and crazed. Great example.\u003cbr\u003e- 15cm sFH 18 Feldhaubitze artillery shell casing with hard cardboard circular insert. Shell dated 1936 and marked with early Waffenamt. Under insert is circular pad and bubble wrap. Good display piece, measuring 10 ¼” tall with 7” base diameter. Rare shell.\u003cbr\u003e- 3rd Model SA buckle (adopted 1936) in brass on brown leather belt. Buckle and belt unmarked but great examples.\u003cbr\u003e- Triple K98 pouch dated 1938 by Fr. \u0026amp; K. Voegeis(?) of Koln Deutz. Pebbled and in good shape.\u003cbr\u003e- K98 cleaning kit with contents marked cnx. Named on the size with Gndir. WSO \/ F.P.S. 576798(?). Good research project.\u003cbr\u003e- Enameled steel M31 canteen rig with leather straps and canvas cover. Cap works well.\u003cbr\u003e- German WWII 6x30 Dienstglas Binoculars by Swarovski With Bakelite Case. Binoculars painted in ordnance tan marked cag with serial number 90049. Leather neck strap and eye cover intact. Case is missing straps but is red bakelite with worn but functional latch. Missing one belt loop. Very worn.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe crate itself has had its original markings worn away with a send-home label reading:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eFROM:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLt. Nil s R. Hammarskjold\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eO-869231, Hq, 31st Fighter Group,\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAPO 520, U.S. Army\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e℅ PM, New York City\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe signed below. The crate below this label is stenciled in white:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eTO - \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eMRS. N. HAMMARSKJOLD,\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e18313 FENTON AVE.,\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eDETROIT, 19, MICH.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe crate has some material loss along the bottom corners as shown. The crate retains all six wingnuts to secure it closed, and measures 18 x 14 ½ x 9 ¼”.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNils Reinhold Hammarskjold Jr. was born in Detroit, Michigan on March 26th, 1918. His father, Nils Sr., was born in Sweden, immigrating to the U.S. before his son’s birth. Nils Jr. enlisted on February 28th, 1944 and was commissioned as an officer. He served with the HQ, 31st Fighter Group in the European Theater of Operations. Due to his complex name, there are not many surviving records relating to his service, making for an exciting research project. Nils returned home and was discharged on January 7th, 1946. He worked for the IRS and as a tax appraiser in Ford Motor Company’s general counsel office. He passed away on August 7th, 1978 at the age of 61.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a complete grouping, the strongest feature is the relationship between the assortment of German equipment and the original named shipping crate that has kept it together. The pith helmet, tropical web belt, artillery casing, SA belt and buckle, K98 equipment, canteen and Swarovski Dienstglas all show varying degrees of genuine age and use, while Hammarskjold's signed return label and officer serial number provide a tangible wartime connection to his unit, the famous 31st Fighter Group. The worn condition of several pieces should be considered part of the group's history rather than overlooked, particularly where compression and storage inside the crate have affected the pith helmet. For a collection centered on the U.S. Army Air Forces, the Mediterranean air war, the 31st Fighter Group, German tropical equipment or documented WWII GI souvenir material, this is an unusually broad and historically coherent group with substantial potential for continued research.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Original Items","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45556658864197,"sku":"ONSV26CC243","price":1295.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1524\/1342\/files\/33E27F26-7712-46E6-A79A-220C54610C71.jpg?v=1786735532","url":"https:\/\/www.ima-usa.com\/products\/original-u-s-wwii-aaf-31st-fighter-group-german-souvenir-bring-back-grouping-german-pith-helmet-tropical-afrikakorps-dak-web-belt-artillery-shell-field-gear-lt-nils-reinhold-hammarskjold","provider":"International Military Antiques","version":"1.0","type":"link"}