I'll help ID WW1/WW2 items

[jgawne]

Since I am asking all kinds of ACW questions, I'll offer up my WW1/WW2 background for anyone with post 1900 stuff. I've written quite extensivlet on this stuff (my books turn up on amazon, but not all the magazine articles). Will trade book for bullets!

Surely someone must have tried digging at a WW1 camp (Spartanburg S.C. where my grand-dad was?), or in a WW2 era obstacle course. Some very nice things turn up in the WW2 desert training grounds. A while back somone found a pile of WW2 era coke bottles. These ended up in Europe as 'found in Europe'!). Some one else also made a mint on finding discarded training mines and grenade fuses in the dry desert. A buddy of mine found some great WW2 items out in an old triaing area of Ft. Benning.

Anyway, I wouldn;t know where to go to sell ACW stuff, so maybe someone has WW1/2 items that I can help with.

[robert]

WAS IST DAS?AN OLD VET BY THE NAME OF VERNON LAND BROUGHT THIS BACK FROM WW2.
HE WAS SHOT DOWN DURING A BOMBING RAID AND TAKEN PRISONER AND PUT INTO STALAG #??.HE TOLD ME IT WAS TAKEN FROM A DEAD SS GUARD WHO HAD BEEN BLOWN UP BY HAND GRENADES AFTER RESISTING TO SURRENDER.HE WAS ALSO THE ONLY SS GUARD.I ALSO RECEIVED A BELT AND BAYONET THAT VERNON RECEIVED FROM A REGULAR GERMAN GUARD WHO WAS FROM CINCINATTI OHIO WHO HE HAD BECOME FRIENDS WITH,THE GERMANS NAME WAS HERMANN FISCHER,I BELIEVE THAT IS HOW VERNON SPELLED IT.HE SAID HE WOULD GIVE IT BACK TO HIM WHEN HE GOT BACK TO THE STATES.
ANYWAY,EVER SAW A PIN LIKE THIS?COULD IT MEAN WEREWOLVES OR WIKING DIVISION?IT HAS NO MARKINGS OR RZM#
THANKS,ROBERT WARE

[jgawne]

Its not a standard German military item. The style looks wrong for German. But slightly italian to my eyes. I sent the photo off to a friend who may have a better idea.

But my gut tells me it may be more of a civillian thing. Send a photo of the back- I may be able to ID the country by the back fastenings.

[warbonnet]

I think I have identified this medal as a Belgian Croix de Guerre.....but perhaps you can give me a better idea. Am attaching photo. Also, if indeed that is what it is.....maybe you can give me some idea of how it came to be in a riverbank in NW Arkansas?? Has me stumped.

Thanks.......WB