SUBJECT:
This is a great WWII 49th Bomb Squadron, 2nd Bomb Group, 12th Air Force POW and Caterpillar Club Grouping. On August 19th, 1943, 42 aircraft from the 2nd Bomb Group dropped 504 500 pound bombs on the Electric Sub Station and Marshalling Yards in Foggia, Italy. One of those aircraft, A/C # 42-29760, did not make it home; its crew of 10 bailing out before the B-17 crashed into the ocean. All of these crew members were captured and became POWs for the remainder of the war. This grouping of medals, award certificates, badges, paperwork and a rare book all belonged to a member of that crew, Technical Sergeant Michael R. Tegge, ASN # 35326779. Included in this grouping is a very rare LARGE SIZE Irving Chute Company Caterpillar Pin, four medals, including an engraved Air Medal and a Purple Heart, one US dog tag, one Stalag VII/A dog tag, one sterling Air Crew Wing, some miscellaneous insignia and patches, one prisoner-of-war camp location map, Award and issuance documents for the Purple Heart and Air Medal, some other miscellaneous papers, and an EXTREMELY RARE POW book entitled Kriegie Memories by Ben H, Phelper. The book is autographed by the author to T/Sgt Tegge and comes in the original cardboard wrapper.
VINTAGE:
Circa 1945-47.
SIZE:
Caterpillar insignia attached to Air Medal is of the rare, larger size, measuring 1/4" in height by 1-3/16" in length. Wing is 13/16" in height by 2-15/16" in length. The POW Book brochure is six pages long and measures 8" x 9-1/8", and the Kriegie Memories book has 35 pages and measures 7-1/4" by 9-3/4". The map of prisoner camps measures 18" by 26". All medals and collar insignia, as well as dog tags and patches, are the same size as regular full-size examples. All other documents are of a standard size.
CONSTRUCTION/MATERIALS:
Various.
ATTACHMENT:
Various attachments.
MARKINGS:
Air medal: T. SGT. MICHAEL R. TEGGE A.C.; wing: STERLING and etched initials (MT); Air Corps insignia: SAAD in Arrowhead for San Antonio (Texas) Air Depot.
ITEM NOTES:
This is from a United States Air Force groupings collection which we will be listing more of over the next few months. VAJJJX10 LBBEJX6/10 SAHJJX11/11
CONDITION:
(8+): Items are in various conditions but overall are Excellent-.
GUARANTEE:
As with all my items, these pieces are guaranteed original.
