Which is your most treasured piece of militaria?

2014-12-04T05:13:22-05:00

It can be a badge, a certificate, a coin, a gift from a foreign dignitary or the POTUS, even a NCO sword. Which piece do you treasure and wish you could shadow box in a forever-display?
I do like my NCO Sword, I have some cool remnants from Desert Storm, and I have some coins...I'll have to think about my most treasured. One comes to mind, which I haven't built yet. It would be a very long frame, with all the DD-214 from my grand - father, fsther, my two brothers, myself, my niece and my daughter....side by side. With a Triangle flag mounted over it. Another one is a tall shadow box with my Dress Blue top and trousers folded, but folded in a way to expose hmm the half with my medals and blood stripe.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 4 at 2014 5:31 AM

2014-12-04T05:31:54-05:00

Without a doubt, my Guidon from my battery command from my Soldiers, NCOs and Lieutenants. If I hang nothing else where I am working, I am ok, but the guidon goes up with pride. Because it was from my guys and it was the best privilege I had to serve with them.

Response by SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 7 at 2015 10:07 PM

2015-01-07T22:07:33-05:00

mil·i·tar·i·a, miləˈterēə/
noun
military articles of historical interest, such as weapons, uniforms, and equipment.

Response by SSG William Patton made Jan 8 at 2015 11:23 AM

2015-01-08T11:23:53-05:00

I have an uncle who was MIA for 56 years. His story was on NBC Nightly News and we have the segment, that aired for a week, on DVD. We also have a home movie of his burial and a flag that flew over the US Capitol in his honor. Finally, I have a book written about him. His military history dwarfs mine by miles and he sacrificed the ultimate for America. I still have my dog tags from my service and I wear them always. Other than the dog tags, I have nothing. I regret not saving more, but during that last few years of Vietnam, those of us who served, did not cherish our service then because it was used against us. Looking back, I can see I took the easy route and should have be in the faces of the protesters, but that is hindsight and gone.

Response by MSgt Michael Durkee made Jan 8 at 2015 12:13 PM

2015-01-08T12:13:49-05:00

Response by MSG Scott McBride made Jan 8 at 2015 12:53 PM

2015-01-08T12:53:28-05:00

When I retired from the Army I was presented an 1840 NCO sword. It was presented by my supervisor CSM(R) Jeremy T. French, who was also my Drill Sergeant 21 years earlier. The culmination of working beside him and receiving this coveted piece of military history is an unbelievable honor that I will always cherish.

Response by SSG Christopher Parrish made Jan 8 at 2015 4:07 PM

2015-01-08T16:07:20-05:00

I have my Grandfather's burial flag, New Testament Bible that was handed out during WWII from the US Army Printing Office, aaaannnndddd....

A photo of my Grandfather behind the bar he ran at the NCO club in Los Alamos, NM during WWII.

Response by MSG Scott Swank made Jan 8 at 2015 4:08 PM

2015-01-08T16:08:48-05:00

While training in Bosnia with the Norwegian Army I traded one of my old BDU's for a WWII German boot knife and a Norwegian Airborne Belt buckle. i have them on display in my living room trophy case.

Response by CW4 Jim Webb made Mar 23 at 2018 10:31 AM

2018-03-23T10:31:02-04:00

I have collected militaria since I was a teenager. My father was in the U.S. Air Force and we were stationed in (West) Germany in the early sixties. WWII was still in the recent past and it was amazing what you could convince some Germans to unearth from their attics or cellars for some American cigarettes or coffee.

My favorite item, however, is a book I purchased on ebay. It was an autographed copy of the published war diary of COL (later MG) George Emerson Leach (July 14, 1876 – July 17, 1955). He was the commander of the 151st Field Artillery in World War One, later two time mayor of Minneapolis, unsuccessful Republican candidate for governor and Chief, National Guard Bureau. He is buried in the Ft. Snelling National Cemetery as is my father. Despite the understandable prohibition of keeping a diary or journal, COL Leach did so and it makes interesting reading.

After release from the Regular Army, I enlisted in the Minnesota Army National Guard and one of my duty assignments was in the 151st Field Artillery. I have seen the bronze plaque in the Minneapolis Armory dedicated to those who perished in the "Great War" and the colonel's diary mentions the circumstances surrounding most of the casualties.