Jacket is in very nice condition. The exterior is clean and free of any blemishes. All cloth insignia is attached with attractive “V” shaped stitching.

The insignia on the jacket consists of Staff Sergeant chevrons on each sleeve, a 71^st Infantry Division patch on the right shoulder and a 9^th Infantry Division patch on the left. These show that the soldier first belonged to the 71^st Division and then at some point transferred to the 9^th. The left cuff has two overseas bars showing that he was overseas at least a year. The right and left collar each bear the appropriate brass discs, one bearing a “U.S.” and the other crossed rifles for service in the infantry. Both are anchored by two smooth faced clutches. Each lapel has a pinback German made distinctive unit insignia or DI for short. These depict a four leaf ivy plant on a white field with a blue square in the upper left corner bearing a golden dragon. These denote the 47^th Infantry Regiment of the 9^th Infantry Division. Above the jackets right pocket is the “Ruptured Duck” discharge insignia while above the left pocket is a sterling marked Combat Infantry Badge held by two smooth faced clutches as well has a three place ribbon bar holding a Good Conduct, American Theater and European Theater ribbons.

The interior lining is in excellent condition. The size, 36 regular, is on a label sewn into the collar and can be seen again with the 1944 manufacture date on a label in one of the two breast pockets. Stamped in the collar is the first initial of the owner’s last name and the last four digits of his serial number. This is known as a laundry stamp and it reads “S6984.” However this man stamped the number twice using his middle initial the second time. This reads “KS6984.” A search of the laundry number “S6984” revealed 86 possible soldiers. Only one soldier had a first name or middle initial using the letter K and that was Harry K. Smith of Strasburg, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

With the jacket are a pair of matching trousers with the khaki web belt and buckle in very nice condition. The trousers are marked as “REGULATION ARMY OFFICER’S TROUSERS” and are a size 30.

Harry Kenneth Smith was born in Strasburg on September 1, 1923. He was drafted and entered the Army on January 18, 1943 and left the United States for overseas duty, probably as a replacement, on June 30, 1943. He was most likely sent to England where he was finally assigned to the 9^th Division in late 1943.

Mr. Smith’s obituary says that he took part in the Normandy invasion and the Battle of the Bulge as a combat engineer. The 9^th Division entered France over Utah Beach on June 10, 1944 and took part in the European Theater operations through the end of the war. Mr. Smith returned to the United States in December of 1945.

After the war he returned to Strasburg, married and raised a family. He worked as a tanker truck terminal manager in Lancaster the last 20 years of his life. He died at Strasburg in March of 1980 and is buried there in Strasburg Cemetery.

A copy of Mr. Smith’s obituary and a few pages of other internet research come with the uniform.  [AD]

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