Original U.S. WWII Named 82nd & 17th Airborne Division Uniform Ike Jacket - Corporal Donald W Dietel
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Original Item. One-of-a-Kind. This is a great named WWII “Ike” uniform jacket for a Corporal in the 17th Airborne Division and later the 82nd Airborne Division during World War II. The jacket is identified to Corporal Donald Walter Dietel, who we found as having served 26 months in the Army as a paratrooper. Interestingly, his obituary lists him as having been with the 101st Airborne Paratroop Division, but this is likely an error, as his Korean War draft card lists his previous service as with the “82nd Airborne Div”. It also mentions that he was a survivor of the Battle of the Bulge.
The placement of the airborne insignia is consistent with a soldier who had previously served with the 17th Airborne Division and later wore the 82nd Airborne Division insignia as his current assignment. The right shoulder was commonly used for the insignia of a former wartime unit, while the insignia of the soldier’s current organization was worn on the left. This interpretation is also consistent with the service information located during research, although no complete personnel file accompanies the jacket.
The uniform jacket has an 82nd Airborne Division patch on the left shoulder, 17th Airborne Division patch on the right shoulder, Corporal stripes on each sleeve, and US & Infantry collar discs. Above the right breast pocket is an Honorable Discharge Emblem, commonly called the “Ruptured Duck,” positioned above a Presidential Unit Citation. The discharge emblem was authorized for wear by honorably discharged personnel and allowed returning veterans to continue wearing their uniforms while traveling home after leaving military service.
The interior beneath the collar is inscribed with Dietel’s name and Army serial number, providing a direct identification of the jacket to its original wearer. The supplied serial number should be preserved exactly as it appears on the garment.
Donald Walter Dietel was born September 29th, 1925. Dietel first enlisted on November 2nd, 1943 and was originally with the 17th Airborne Division before being transferred to the 82nd Airborne Division. He served for 26 months as a paratrooper and was present at the Battle of the Bulge. He was discharged on April 23rd, 1946. He passed away on June 20th, 1986 at the age of 60.
The 17th Airborne Division entered combat during the Battle of the Bulge and later participated in Operation Varsity, the airborne crossing of the Rhine in March 1945. The 82nd Airborne Division had already served in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, Normandy, and the Netherlands before taking part in the Ardennes campaign. The combination of 17th and 82nd Airborne insignia therefore reflects two formations with substantial combat histories during the final phase of the war in Europe.
Although the precise sequence of Dietel’s airborne assignments requires further confirmation, the surviving insignia and reported service record support its interpretation as the uniform of a paratrooper associated with both the 17th and 82nd Airborne Divisions. It would be an important addition to a collection focused on U.S. airborne forces, identified WWII uniforms, or the Battle of the Bulge.
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