Question about US 13th Airborne Vet?

Discussion in 'US Units' started by devincu, Jan 9, 2013.

  1. devincu

    devincu Junior Member

    Hello guys, I am a WWII uniform collector but I stick with AAF uniforms for the most part but I recently purchased a very nice 13th Airborne Uniform grouping and I have a couple of questions. My knowledge of the 13th AB is very limited but if I have understand correctly the 13th never saw combat. This uniform was picked up at an estate sale from the family so I am certain that it has not be altered in any way but I am questioning why the battle stars on the ETO ribbon? I thought the 13th did mostly occupation duty but no occupation ribbon? Again my knowledge of airborne units is almost nil but I thought that to earn a jump oval the vet would have had to jump into a combat zone? I have not been able to do much research on the vet yet so I assume maybe he could have transferred from another division? His name is Leonard Joseph Fellman and he just recently passed away but lived most of his life after the war in Big Lake MN and was a well known artist. From what I understand he has art work on several US postage stamps commermorating the Civil War. Anyway...any help I could get on understanding his uniform a little better would be much appreciated. I will post a picture of his Ike jacket!
     

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  2. Wills

    Wills Very Senior Member

  3. Doc

    Doc Senior Member

    I would suspect his campaign stars were earned with another unit (e.g. 517th PIR), and not as an actual member of the 13th AB. Nothing suspect about this jacket.
     
  4. Earthican

    Earthican Senior Member

    The ribbons seem odd. Hard to get an APTO, ETO and American Theater(one year service in the States) ribbons. The order is wrong but that is not unusual.

    There is one enlistment record for Joseph Fellman from Philly, shows he enlisted in January 1943. Hard to see how he might have earned the APTO medal unless he left the 13th Airborne and went straight the Pacific in the summer of 1945.

    NARA - AAD - Display Full Records - Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, ca. 1938 - 1946 (Enlistment Records)

    The 13th Airborne and 515th PIR are credited with the Central Europe campaign. But I see a hole for a second star. The 13th arrived in Europe in February 1945. Maybe there was some confusion about whether to credit them with the Rhineland campaign. I assume the Central Europe campaign comes from being at least in SHAEF reserve.

    No patches on the right shoulder?

    According to this, the oval is for the 11th Airborne divisional units. But the red, white, blue was common for the airborne so things may not have been standardized.

    U. S. ARMY AIRBORNE BACKGROUND OVALS: Part 4 | Blood on the Talon
     
  5. devincu

    devincu Junior Member

    The ribbons seem odd. Hard to get an APTO, ETO and American Theater(one year service in the States) ribbons. The order is wrong but that is not unusual.

    There is one enlistment record for Joseph Fellman from Philly, shows he enlisted in January 1943. Hard to see how he might have earned the APTO medal unless he left the 13th Airborne and went straight the Pacific in the summer of 1945.

    NARA - AAD - Display Full Records - Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, ca. 1938 - 1946 (Enlistment Records)

    The 13th Airborne and 515th PIR are credited with the Central Europe campaign. But I see a hole for a second star. The 13th arrived in Europe in February 1945. Maybe there was some confusion about whether to credit them with the Rhineland campaign. I assume the Central Europe campaign comes from being at least in SHAEF reserve.

    No patches on the right shoulder?

    According to this, the oval is for the 11th Airborne divisional units. But the red, white, blue was common for the airborne so things may not have been standardized.

    U. S. ARMY AIRBORNE BACKGROUND OVALS: Part 4 | Blood on the Talon

    Thank you for the reply... The yellow ribbon on his rack is not a PTO ribbon... It is a American Defense ribbon. Thank you for the links they are helpful... No there is no sign of a patch ever being on the right shoulder. I was told by a friend that some of the 113th guys were transfers from the 82nd Airborne but who knows. I have not been able to find much about his military history on-line so I may see if I can contact the family. The second hole in the ETO ribbon looks like there was a second star that may have snagged on something and ripped it out.
     
  6. Earthican

    Earthican Senior Member

    Ouch, I only learn when I make mistakes!

    American Defense ribbon would make him a pre-Pearl Harbor soldier. That is a long time to kick around the States and then miss the war! But now it adds up. The 13th Airborne Division returned to the US in the summer of 1945, destined for the Pacific, when the war ended. So he did not have to leave the 13th Airborne and got the quick boat home.

    Still the ribbon order is very wrong.* Hard to understand that given his long service. The order should be (top to bottom, left to right):
    Good Conduct
    American Defense
    American Theater
    EAME Theater
    WWII Victory

    *Edit: and the EAME is upside down.

    Given the remaining star is off-center on EAME it seems there were two stars. So still some mystery there. He could been a replacement to another parachute outfit, earned two stars, then volunteered for the Pacific, transferred to the 13th, got the quick boat home when the war ended. But then he should have a right shoulder patch, so who knows...

    Good Luck finding more.
     

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