Meet Ginger, the newest member of the SV Militaria Team. She is a golden doodle born in September of last year. Ginger is a very good assistant, and excels at eating SS fezzes, and prefers the green ones, claiming the tassel to be the tastiest part.   She is a good listener, and often helps me with pricing. I tried to teach her to make coffee, but she made decaf. Lately she prefers lounging in her pool and naps to working.....

Stolen Valor ......Shameful! I feel cheated!

A Tail of Treasure...

 I've been after this pile for over a year. The owner was a tough cookie, but we made a deal yesterday. The original veteran souvenir load (all from one person) was divided among family members. Below is what I bought from a different picker several years ago, but all part of the original bring home lot. What else is still out there??

What the heck is this??? Do you know??  I Do.  It's a WWII bring back recently found in W Va. The answer is posted at the bottom of this page.

A strange Army buckle

This is the 1^st one of these I have ever seen. It's a dress type buckle cast in one piece, of very light aluminum, but with an integral igloo type catch. None of the recent books on Third Reich belt buckles, which I feel are very good, have any mention of this rare buckle.  I welcome your comments. It's not for sale, but trade-able for other 3^rd Reich belt buckles. What do you have??

I recently visited the home of Shifty Powers of Easy Company 506th Rgt.,101 Airborne, a.k.a. Band of Brothers in Clinchco, VA. Shifty is gone now, but his wife and son, Wayne, who still live in the family home, were very nice and invited me in for a visit. Clinchco, Va is way off the beaten path in the mountains of Western VA, and was not a quick easy excursion, but well worth it!  I would like to thank Mrs. Powers and Wayne, for the wonderful visit!  Please see the photos below.

I recommend the book: Shifty's War by Marcus Brotherton!!!

Clinchco, VA              

  Shifty Lane      

Shifty's House

Shifty's den    

His son Wayne with his M1    

Big Swaz flag Shifty sent home   

 1st Mod Luftwaffe dagger he sent home  

    Shifty @ work    His garage workshop

The Elusive WWI Austrian Field Grey Uniform

My family and I are form Prague, Czech Republic, and have military ties to the Hapsburg Monarchy of Vienna. During WWI, Czechs were required to fight for his majesty Franz Josef I and later, his nephew Karl. My Great Grandfather died on the eastern Front in 1914. We do not even have a photo of him in uniform, but I am sure he went to war wearing the Hecht or pike grey service uniform. I had other more distant relatives serve in the Austrian Army during WWI.

I have always wanted an Austrian Field Tunic, of grey or field grey wool. During my many trips to Prague in the old days, I just never found one. I saw the colorful dress tunics, but never the one I wanted.  Recently @ the Show of Shows in Louisville, Kentucky I discovered a complete WWI Austrian uniform of field grey wool including: cap, tunic, britches and putties being offered by the legendary Jeff Schrader of Advanced Guard Militaria. After some friendly negotiations between Jeff & myself; we came to an agreement. It’s a great set in wonderful condition, and came with the perfect mannequin, just the way you see it displayed. I’m sure you would like to know the price. Well, it was a biggie, but reasonable. I hope you enjoy the photos of this great piece of military history.

Have you been to Prague, Czech Republic? You should plan a trip!

It is with much rejoicing that I announce the release of my long time friend's book.  Don't be a tight wad, and go buy your own copy.  Please check bender publishing for more info.

Garage saler extraordinaire E. Larry recently found a WWII US Army Cook's Manual.

It includes many legendary period recipes including (as the GIs called it) SOS or Sh-- on the shingle.

A copy of it is listed below. Try making it for the family; they will love it! You may want to cut the size a bit;

 as it is for 100 men.

We salute U.S.A.A.F. Gen. Curtis E. LaMay a.k.a. Bombs away LaMay

General LaMay was the commander of the 20Th Army Air Force flying in the Pacific during WWII.  He instituted the low level night fire bombing of Japanese cities including the firebombing of Tokyo March 9/10, 1945 in which 16 square miles of Tokyo were incinerated. His approach of firebombing Japan helped to end WWII, and resulted in more Jap fatalities than the 2 atomic bombs combined. This guy was not squeamish about doing what was required to get the job done, or burned sushi. We could use him in the war on terror.

Thank you!

I recently revisited a friend's website, and he has his deadbeats and knuckleheads section where he lists the people who have caused him problems.   I thought about the concept, but decided to turn it 180 degrees and make my list of great people that have been good to me; they deserve an "E" pat on the back. I am lucky to know them!  My many thanks to the below listed individuals. Please be aware that this list is a work in progress, and by no way complete, and is in no particular order.

David Bell,  James Miklik,   Glen Sowles,   Reefe Renforth,  Spencer Schirs,   Bill Combs,   E. Larry Jackson,  Ivan Dulskij,   Terry Burke,   Bill Deckert,  Ron Paschall,  Ron Haddad,  Brian Humston,   Bill Shea,  Antonin N. (Junior & Senior), Martin  Kampmann,   Susan Duford,  Micky Gorman,  Paul Cook,  Robert Cress,  Rollin Curtis,  Uncle Joe Pankowski,   Jan Smid,   David Smith,  Russ Ostrem,  Paul Seibold,  Mel Smith,  George(Der Mensch)Petersen,   Kramer,   Frank Perry,  Jeff Schrader,  John Gross,  Doug Hummer,   Lawrence (of Sylvania Twp.) Halter, Carry Comstock,  Tony Matsun, Tony Caliandro, Bob Hritz, Tony Jessen, Paul Almacher, Jay Strasz, John (Blingy) Freeland, Bill Rannow, Spencer (Camon Camon) Victory,   & All the good people @ Lake Shore High School  where I learned my craft...

My Wife Jane and Son Thomas without them what is the point of it all?

My Mom & Dad for bringing me out of the communist workers paradise of Czechoslovakia, and giving me all I needed!

The great people who I very much enjoy doing business with. You guys really help make my business be my dream job, and are fun to talk shop on the phone with.  (you know who you are)

Do you have a mess kit fund???

What, you don't know what a mess kit fund is??!!  A mess kit fund a.k.a. a slush fund is where you put away a little bit of money every time you get paid or sell something. When I worked my regular job as a high school teacher I put away $20 from every check. Now, I put some money in my fund after every militaria show and once a month when I deposit the checks from you.  You will be amazed how fast the amount will grow. But, it takes discipline not to dig in there when you need a few bucks. Try to let it grow for a year. Then, when you see something really cool, on you favorite web site (which of course is SV Mitaria) you can use your secret fund to buy it. It is more fun to use some type of WWII container. I use a WWII Italian mess kit, and so have called it my mess kit fund. Good luck!

German WWI/WWII Cutout Helmet Info.

It is quite easy to tell if a cutout helmet is original. Here are some things to look for when buying one:

They are always a size 64!!!

They are always made by ET.  The placement of the ET64 stamp on a standard M16/18 helmet is in the area of the cut or scallop, so if a standard helmet has been made into a cutout, the ET64 will be missing. The Et46 stamp is located farther to the front on a real cutout.

The edge will have an even roll or lip the points outward, not just an area where material has been removed.

Please see the photos of original examples.

Click on the photos for enlargements

Take the SS Collar tab challenge.

Which SS Calvary Division Maria Theresia tab is an original one and which is a made in the 1960s fake?  Why?    How do we tell? Neither glows under a black light, and both are the same in  thickness! Click on the images for an enlargement.

A.   

B.   

Answers are @ the bottom of this page.

SVM’S Little Known Historic Quotes

“Never give the Fuhrer a noogie!”  Field Marshal (retired) Von Blomberg

“The Red Army was not very nice.” The women of Breslau

“What the hell was that?” The Mayor of Nagasaki

“New briefcase, Stauffenberg?” Adolf Hitler

“Never start a boys only club.” Ernst Rohm

“Just exactly how many Russians is in a big honkin’ butt load, General Paulus?” Adolf Hitler

 "Der Fuhrer will be my brother-in-law; nothing can happen to me now." Hermann Fegelein

"Apparently jokes regarding hillbillies that need a breath mint are not always appropriate."  Douglas MacArthur

"I have been given a command in Southern Russia. That sounds like a nice warm place for some easy blitzkrieging."   Friedrich Paulus.

SS Collar Tab Challenge Answers

B is the original one. The background wool, on the original, should not have a checkerboard weave visible in the fake.  Also the post war example silver grey thread has some "fuzz" visible with a magnifying glass, but somewhat visible here. Original WWII era silver grey thread will have no fuzz under magnification. Use these two hints top help you with SS embroidered tabs. Caution, these replica tabs, available with most different divisional insignias, as well as skull and SS style, are offered for sale often. Many times they will have wonderful looking age to them!

Strange WWII helmet answer

  It's a WWII German pilot's steel helmet model SSK-90 shell missing the leather covering.