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This uniform grouping was worn by PFC James J. Kriha, Service Company 401st GIF, 101st Airborne. Kriha was a post D-Day replacement and fought in Holland (Operation Market Garden), where he was seriously wounded and spent the next year and a half in hospitals recovering.
His uniform has a three-place ribbon bar an with ETO ribbon w/ two campaign stars, Good Conduct ribbon, and Purple Heart ribbon. The ribbon bar pin is broken and the insignia was sewn to the uniform upside down, causing the ribbons to be in reverse order, but that is how the uniform was received from the vet, so it was left as is.
Included with the group are several V-Mail and regular letters he sent home, a 101st Airborne unit history book and booklet, and recent photos of the vet holding the uniform pieces. Kriha’s overseas cap has an interesting para/glider patch variant.
Chris Hughes is a WorthPoint Worthologist specializing in 20th century militaria and the owner of Rally Point Militaria and Vietnam Uniform – Military Collectibles sites.
Tags: 101st Airborne, army, militaria, Operation Market Garden, world war II
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on Thursday, July 26th, 2007 at 12:31 pm and is filed under Articles, Awards Badges and Insignias, Blog Entry, Militaria and Weapons, Uniforms and Footwear.
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Could you turn the ribbons around so they’re in the right order? Pvt Kriha I’m sure wouldn’t be caught dead with his ribbons backwards.
You are correct. The ribbon bar is reversed, but this is exactly how it was received from the veteran. Notice in the image the ribbon bar was secured (by Kriha) with black thread because of a damaged clasp.
I left his awards as received so as not to disturb the historical integrity of the group.
Thank you for reading!
—Chris