WWII Signed Kriegsmarine Nazi Flag

 

Signed Kriegsmarine flag by US Soldiers


I bought this flag on an American auction a while ago. It is a navy Kriegsmarine flag 2 meters by 3,35 meters with the "Eagle over M" marked on the hoist. As soon as I got this flag I started investigate who actually signed the flag and it turns out to be a small platoon under the 90th division (Tough 'Ombres), 359th infantry, M company. Most of the soldiers in the platoon joined just after D-Day and fought their way through the Ardennes offensive/Battle of the Bulge before the war ended in April 1945.

I'm still investigating this flag so if you have any tell tells about it or some knew or know any of the soldiers who signed the flag please let me know! I really want to know everything there is to know :)

The platoon

I have nearly identified all of the soldier who signed the flag. There is no specific date of where and the flag was signed but one of the soldiers died august 1945 in none battle and based on the fact that most of the platoon landed in the Phill Morris cigarette camps on the coast of France just after D-Day, which means the flag was signed between June 1944 and August 1945.

Most of the soldiers were drafted/volunteered in spring and summer 1944 throughout the US. After training they boarded the Queen Mary along with 20.000 other troopers and shipped to Scotland. Most of this platoon got to know each other on the ship as they slept in the same part of the ship. After arriving in France they were assigned to the "heavy machine gun" platoon and send inland to Germany fighting fiercely on the Ardennes forests

Almost all of the soldiers received medal throughout and after the war.

All of it can be found at the 90th divisions association files:

http://www.90thdivisionassoc.org/afteractionreports/PDF/359thInf/

In below table are all the soldiers. Only a few of them I haven't identified (yet).

If you want more information about the person, use the Army Serial to search for them at the National Archives Database: https://aad.archives.gov/aad/

Name on FlagReal NameDate of BirthDate of DeathArmy SerialComment
James RowseyJames Elbert Rowsey17 okt 1919Saturday, 6 May 195034473643Drowned
Doward KirklandDoward Alex KirklandTuesday, 30 March 1926Sunday, 14 June 196434948083 
Donald NiemanDonald Robert NiemanWednesday, 17 February 1926Sunday, 27 December 201536474503 
George BeaversGeorge Melvin (Buck) BeaversJuly 5, 1925January 26, 200933736277 
Harry P KolasinskiHarry P KolasinskiSaturday, 19 June 1926Sunday, 27 December 199835845855 
Hubert Tyrrell - Platoun LeaderHubert Jerome Tyrrell24. nov. 192229. okt. 198933783036 
Charles A JonesCharles A Jones   Platoon medic
J.O. BirkleyJesse O Binkley24. mar. 192519. juli 200234912816 
George Russell?George Russell?    
Lowell W. KnutsonLowell W. Knutson1921 39459220 
Bonnie J WhitleyBonnie J Whitley1916 34979820 
Sanford M FullerSanford Myron Fuller17. nov. 191224. dec. 197942090579 
Elvin C  Laudeman?Elvin C  LaudemanThursday, 6 June 1918Tuesday, 12 April 197733949611 
James CappelJames F. CappelThursday, 24 July 1924Sunday, 24 March 201337644991 
Kimball T WilderKimball Thor WilderSaturday, 15 August 1914Wednesday, 25 July 200718005681 
Alvin M CohenAlvin Morton CohenOctober 1, 1925March 25 201442122956 
Robert O. BoundsRobert O. BoundsOctober 14, 1926  mar 29 200135782789 
John W. PhillipsJohn W. Phillips1925 38571283 
Bert MachiBert Machi 29 Oct 1917Monday, 20 August 194535203789Dead pretty early (not KIA)Diagnosis: Paroxymal disorders

Flag signings

As stated before the flag must be signed somewhere after D-Day and before 20th of August 1945 as this is the death date for Bert Machi. According the interview with Alvin Cohen there was only three veterans left after D-Day which, according to my investigation, was Hubert, Kimball and James Rowsey. James shot himself in the hip so was transferred, Kimball had frozen feet's so he was transferred as well to the 712th tank battalion and Hubert stayed and promoted to sergeant and later Lieutenant. The rest of the platoon/crew came to the regiment just before the Battle of the Bulge began. Not sure where the flag was taken. It could be right after D-Day (due to Eagle over M mark, navy mark) around the France coast and carried inland or maybe it was taken somewhere inland, where the old veteran signed it first and later the new corners. You can also see the pen color/format changes with the names.


James Rowsey, Doward Kirkland, Donald Nieman, George Beavers, Harry P. Kolansinski


Hubert Tyrrell ("platoun" mispelled), Charles A Jones, J.O. Birkley, George Russell


Lowell W. Knutson, Bonnie J. Whitley, Sanford M. Fuller, Elvin C. Laudeman, James Cappel


Kimball T. Wilder, Alvin M. Cohen, Robert O. Bounds, John W. Phillips, Bert Machi


All together


Alvin M Cohen




Alvin is the person I have found the most about. He is one of three persons in the book "Into The Dragon Teeths" (ISBN-10 0878755497) which also have a documentary included (below). He also gave an interview on Youtube to the New York State Military Museum. Sadly Alvin passed in 2014, but his legacy remains in those two interviews.

Youtube Interview


Battle Of the Bulge, Into The Dragon Teeth




Hubert J Tyrell

Was private when drafted but quickly promoted to Sergeant, then Lieutenant and later Captain. After the Second World War he stayed in the army and fought the Korea war as well. Hubert died in the late 80's. According to Alvin's interviews he was a good leader and always took the first step never holding and did a great support for the men.

There is also a passage in the book "Nazi Plunder" where Frau Emma Goering are taken to Veldenstein Castle along with with a Mercedes and all kind of luxury thing. Tyrrell confiscated the car along with staff members when she arrived at the castle.


George "Buck" Beavers

Only thing about George is a memorial created by his loved ones when he passed in 2009. The memorial has a lot of pictures and also personal documents from his time in the army.

http://buckbeavers.last-memories.com/index.php

Photo from the book "War From The ground up, the 90th division in WWII" page 393


Bert Machi

According to records Bert died on the 20th of August 1945 in none battle. He is the person that defines when the flag was signed at the latest. Ofc., it could be faked but why would anyone do that? This also tells the flag was not originally signed at a reunion party.


James Rowsey

Died in a young age as well. A family member wrote this memory about James. The story in the document is believed to be before Alvin and the other guys arrive. James was one of the veterans before Battle Of The Bulge

http://90thdivisionassoc.org/History/PS/Remembrances/James%20Rowsey%20359%20M%2090.pdf


Construction of the flag

So the flag seems to be a navy flag as it has the "Eagle over M". But the stitching Eagle over M flags normally have, this flag doesn't. Also it has multi reparations throughout the fabric. Along the side of the flag their are no stitches as well. Only like a sealed kind of thing.

Even though is has the navy stamp it seems more to be a flag for display or banner, or maybe it was just some of the first version. It has many repairs which I think is during the war as the fabric used for the repair is wool/same fabric as well, nevertheless you can see it has been in use and "flagging" in a pole somewhere. Used items are the best!

I have checked all the daily reports at the 90th association website and the 359th infantry division never came close to the sea. Of cause the flag could have been captured by a soldier earlier at a port before the platoon was assembled after D-Day. But this is where I hit a dead-end regarding the flag.

Overall look at the flag (in reverse as the soldier signed on the back)


The Markings


Small reparation. Post war?


Tearing on the hoist


At the end of the flag. Only two lines of stitches where you normally see five or more on navy flags?




What looks like a repair of the corner. This goes for both of them. Also post war? It definitely seems to have a different color then the rest of the flag which seems to be another flag that is used.


So that was it for my signed Kriegsmarine flag. It holds so much stories that is still untold so if you know anything about the flag, origin, construction or some of the soldiers, please let me know :)

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