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Lt. Col. W.J. Fellenz B15A Jacket Dachau Liberator

Currency:USD Category:Antiques Start Price:250.00 USD Estimated At:500.00 - 1,500.00 USD
Lt. Col. W.J. Fellenz B15A Jacket Dachau Liberator
All items sold as is where is. See photos for condition, email info@burleyauction.com or call 830-629-9280 (Prior to sale day) if you have specific condition questions.

Winning bidders will receive an invoice on or before the TUESDAY following the auction.
Gray Pile Lining and Brown Mutton Collar. Attributed to Lt. Col. Walter J. "Mike" Fellenz, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 42nd Division. 1945. Left shoulder: Winged Star with "Army Air Forces" stenciled on it. Right shoulder: U.S. embroidered 42nd Division Patch. Tag: 'JACKET, INTERMEDIATE FLYING, TYPE B-15A, SPECIFICATION NO. 3220-A, SIZE 40 REGULAR, STOCK NO. 8300-470734, ORDER NO. (33-036) 45-5107-AF, REED PRODUCTS, INC. Silver Lt. Col oak leaves on epaulettes. Card in left pocket reads: "Sunday, April 29th, 1945. Dachau was liberated by I Company, 222nd Infantry Regiment, 42nd Division, followed shortly by troops of the 45th Division. With the first liberating groups was Lt. Col. Mike Fellenz, who was later named American commander of the liberated camp. LT. COL. WALTER J. (MIKE) FELLENZ, 0-23055" The jacket was originally an AAF flying jacket that Mike had traded a pilot for. A story, told to Sam Nesmith, Jr by Mike Fellenz involved one of the prisoners at Dachau. Apparently on the first or second day after the liberation, one of the prisoners asked Mike what the patch was on his right shoulder. Mike told him that it was his unit's patch, which is a rainbow. The prisoner looked up at Mike and said "Yes, I know what a rainbow is. A rainbow is hope....and America was our hope." The jacket was purchased by Sam Nesmith Jr from Mike Fellenz in 1970.