11th Armored Division Ike Jacket

**chbingle** · 02-12-2018, 12:18 AM

Just picked up this Ike Jacket from the 11th armored division. It's June 1944 dated and appears to have belonged to a captain. I honestly don't know much about these but like to pick them up when I find them as the prices are still more than reasonable in my opinion. Just wanted to show it off here and get any additional information on it

**reneblacky** · 02-12-2018, 12:39 AM

Very nice, OR jacket used by an officer, nice early contract date

**aurelius180** · 02-12-2018, 12:40 AM

Nice Ike. It's an enlisted Ike used by an officer. The overseas bars appear to be British made. The rank insignia looks more like Navy/USMC but I'm not an expert on those.

**chbingle** · 02-12-2018, 01:03 AM

by aurelius180

Nice Ike. It's an enlisted Ike used by an officer. The overseas bars appear to be British made. The rank insignia looks more like Navy/USMC but I'm not an expert on those.

Thank y'all both for the info! Any idea why an officer would use an enlisted jacket? And how do you tell the difference between enlisted and officer's jackets? I though it was all in the rank insignia or patches

**aurelius180** · 02-12-2018, 01:08 AM

The heavy weight wool in OD green are Enlisted and the Officers Ikes are a similar gabardine (I think that's what it's called) material to the standard 4 pocket officers coat.

Here is an Officers Ike for comparison:

**Rakkasan187** · 02-12-2018, 01:29 AM

A nice looking Ike jacket, the laundry number on the inside may also reveal more information about the individual. B-2187 is the first letter in the Soldier's last name and the last four numbers of the ASN Army serial number. With that said it would more than likely be an enlisted Soldier. Officer's SN started with an 0 (zero) for officer and then the digits of the ASN. It is possible that the rank and ribbons were added to the uniform post war, but again without further researching the ASN it would be difficult to determine.

The 11th Armored Division liberated Mauthausen Concentration Camp in May 1945. If this was a medical officer, they may have been there with the 11th during the camps liberation.

Further research would be needed.. But this is a nice jacket regardless..

Smitty

**sargetom** · 02-12-2018, 01:44 AM

Based on the Medical Insignia this Officer was also a Medical Doctor

**chbingle** · 02-12-2018, 01:53 AM

by Rakkasan187

A nice looking Ike jacket, the laundry number on the inside may also reveal more information about the individual. B-2187 is the first letter in the Soldier's last name and the last four numbers of the ASN Army serial number. With that said it would more than likely be an enlisted Soldier. Officer's SN started with an 0 (zero) for officer and then the digits of the ASN. It is possible that the rank and ribbons were added to the uniform post war, but again without further researching the ASN it would be difficult to determine.

The 11th Armored Division liberated Mauthausen Concentration Camp in May 1945. If this was a medical officer, they may have been there with the 11th during the camps liberation.

Further research would be needed.. But this is a nice jacket regardless..

Smitty

Thanks for the info! Any idea what I could do to research the laundry number more?

**reneblacky** · 02-12-2018, 02:12 AM

here's the place to look
Home | WWII US Army Enlistment Records

**Rakkasan187** · 02-12-2018, 02:14 AM

Researching the laundry numbers can sometimes be a challenge but there are possibilities.

My first research site I go to is the National Archives (NARA) https://www.archives.gov/

The first link is to the NARA main page where you can look through some of the research areas at your leisure.

For more detailed searches I use the second link to NARA which will take you to the archives. With this second link over on the right side of the page you will see the wars broken down by conflict. If you select WW2 and select it, it will bring you to another link where you can select various topics, the first being the most popular, the enlistment records. There are over 9 million records to search through. If you select this, you can search by ASN or last name if you have the name available. In your case we only have a partial ASN which may be enough to get you a list of possibilities.

https://aad.archives.gov/aad/

If this option at NARA does not work, I have used a private research company called Golden Arrow Research. Geoff is the founder/owner of the company and he has done some remarkable research work, so if all else fails, I would reach out to him.

Golden Arrow Research-Research a Veteran

When I have a chance I will try to do some research for you. Right now I have a few research projects that I am working on that I should be finished with in a few days then I will see what I can dig up for you

Smitty