Harold V. Warner Uniform(s)

    The other day I was contacted by a Marine couple who had two containers full of uniforms that were abandoned a few years back when the owner moved overseas.    One of the most interesting items in the pile of uniforms was his OCS graduation book which I.D. the Marine as Lt. Harold V. Warner hailing from the state of Indiana.    He joined the Marine Corps in the spring of 1941 before the U.S. entered World War 2.

   A puzzling question for both myself and the Marine giving me Warner’s wardrobe was why were there so many variations of USMC uniforms?   There were light summer whites and even the trousers that looked like German officer sets with the bulging sides.

   That question was answered by looking up LT. Warner,  upon graduation from OCS he soon held a billet at the recruit depot at Parris Island S.C. where he was part of Headquarters Battalion and sported these uniforms for all the ceremonial duties he must have participated in during his 3 year tour.

  Warner was promoted quickly during his time at the recruit depot and finally received orders to 2d Battalion 21^st Marine Regiment then on Iwo Jima during mopping up operations were he assumed the duties as an Operations Officer in the S3.  That explains his lack of awards in the photo.

    I will take care of this set and keep it together and spend some money and time hunting down the correct sets of insignia so these can be displayed at local USMC events.   Thanks again MaryAnn

                                                    Found Sword by:  Kasama Ikkansai Shigetsugu

Not your typical flea market find;  I set up at the Raleigh this past weekend selling all the estate sale/auction finds I could not sell locally doing my picking, plus garage debris, toys, and even beanie babies. 
  Fortunately,  at the last minute I decided to make up a couple of flyers “I buy war relics”.    Under the hot sun as I stand baking a nice young man with 2 young children who states he may  want to sell his Grandfathers WW2 trophy.  He says that his GrandPa had this sword surrendered to him.  Very interested, I tell him to bring it by as I’ll be here all weekend and sure enough he does return. 
” Wow, love the chain….., you say you’ve never had the handle off?”,  I tell him if there is no arsenal mark it’s a nice WW2 sword for any collector.   

  He also tells me that Grandpa is still alive and coming back from Florida next week,  I pose a question about this flea market deal,  to make sure that Grandpa won’t get upset, and if not do you think he’d do an interview for my website.  He assures me affirmative in both aspects, then we work on the stuck handle in the back of my van.  I get it off with a little persuading and see no arsenal mark and hand drilled hole.    I make a fair deal for the both of us as a blade with a living storyboard are relics I cannot pass on, and hopefully Grandpa has an interesting story to share here soon.  Came back with less than a half full van so that was a success too!

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