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 Author  Topic: JFK UNIFORM
nahma

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message   Posted on: Sep 6, 2013 - 11:49am
Is there any chance this is real???
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WWII-John-Fitzgerald-Kennedy-LT-Cmdr-J-G-Naval-Service-Jacket-and-Cap-/221170362677?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item337ec7e935#ht_39wt_932


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Drew Cook

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Drew Cook  Posted on: Sep 6, 2013 - 1:58pm
Very possible.

It seems to have a letter of provenance, from the man himself...

Who knows?


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Frank Andruss

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Frank Andruss   Send Email To Frank Andruss Posted on: Sep 6, 2013 - 2:54pm
I guess because I have been doing this for so long and retain some of the rarest PT Boat artifacts, I always remain skeptical. In my Kennedy collection I have several blank pieces of stationary from Kennedy's time of Senate, to his time as running for President, and Presidential stationary. My concern is the letter which appears to show to different typing marks. The letter looks to be one of the ribbon in the Typewriter running low on ribbon ink, yet the bottom shows it to be nice and black. The Kennedy Signature looks to be one of automatic pen, and not his original signature.

Most of the visor caps I own from WWII are no where near as pristine as the one in the photo, with the exception of wear on the top, which can be brought on by constant wear, or a hat that has been on a fake head too long. Most officers clothing that were really worn was the kaki uniforms, which was worn much more often than the dress jacket. Inside the hat is a tag with the name John F. Kennedy, but notice it is typed on the piece, and not hand written. Yes, officers did type their names in, but most of the ones I have were hand written and include the address. The tag in the hat is loose and can be removed, which means it could easily be typed in by anyone with a 1940's Royal Typewriter. In face I have one, and it is very simple to do.

All of what I am saying does not 100% mean that it can't be authentic but I would want to check every avenue before putting down one. Even WWII stamps can be obtained now and numbers and letters can be stamped on just about anything. If the signature is auto pen, I would be a but skeptical, only because something this personnel I would think Kennedy would have signed himself. Again, I am not 100% sure it is auto pen signature, but it would be the first thing I would check, along with any records from the Kennedy Library and Caroline Kennedy. With this kind of money on the line, you must be 100% positive.


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TED WALTHER

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of TED WALTHER   Send Email To TED WALTHER Posted on: Sep 6, 2013 - 3:07pm
Drew;
If it is real, it won't last on ebay long, the library will pick it up. I feel this might just be a "Closet" uniform if it is real, I have never seen a photo of JFK in uniform where he is wearing a "Cast" officers hat insignia, he like my father, always wore a silver and gold bullion embroidered officers insignia. Even the JFK Library has a "cast" emblem hat, I have only seen photos of his brother, Joseph P Kennedy wearing this type. However, even if he just bought it to hang in the closet, this would be the ultimate item for Frank!!!
Take care,
TED
P,S, To add to what Frank posted above, yes they could have typed name tags, but, I have never seen one, even today, most Officers I know write their names, with address, last 4 of social(WW 2 would have the Officers serial number as my fathers has) and or Unit.


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29navy

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of 29navy  Posted on: Sep 6, 2013 - 5:58pm
The hat is not a WWII hat, probably from the 1950's or later. Since Bancroft began about 1900, the label on the cap saying they have been making fine caps for over 50 years would put it beyond 1945. Plus the rise on the front of the cap is too big for a WWII era cap.

As for the jacket - who knows?

Charlie

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JBG327

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of JBG327  Posted on: Sep 6, 2013 - 6:03pm
JFK wore a 39 SHORT?


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Bob Butler

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Bob Butler  Posted on: Sep 6, 2013 - 6:22pm
JFK' s Air Force One Bomber Jacket is up for Auction and It's a size 44. Frank can get that for a cool 20 K to 40K.







http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/15299308_1962-jfk-air-force-one-bomber-jacket


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Frank Andruss

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Frank Andruss   Send Email To Frank Andruss Posted on: Sep 7, 2013 - 2:58am
They also don't show the inside of the hat around the rim, which you can't see the basket weave type filler, typical of some of the WWII Caps. I know that when I received the same uniform from Lt. Leighton Wood, XO and Skipper of PT-124, he had two of them. The one I have is from WWII, but he had one later after the war. He bought them for use in Parades or other venues he would attend. Like Charlie pointed out, the later Visor cap Mr. Wood had, was pure white, never really used, and the black visor was larger than the one I have from his WWII days. Funny, now that I think of it, his WWII cap has his name written inside with his address, yet the later one he bought his name is typed inside.

It is possible that this uniform was a later one purchased by Kennedy after the war, for what purpose I am not sure. To me it still seems odd, and already we know it is not from WWII.....................Maybe Will Day will buy it for me.


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Dick

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Dick   Send Email To Dick Posted on: Sep 7, 2013 - 7:21am

Well, I'm a born skeptic and my thoughts wonder why a large English auction house isn't handling something of this nature. A supposed World War II Naval uniform of a young officer who just happened to become President of the United states and was sadly assassinated! Hum, seem to me eBay is kind of a "street market" place to sell such an item. Of course an auction house would want a tiny bit more proof, other a typed page anyone could produce - but who knows, I guess stranger things have happened.




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Drew Cook

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Drew Cook  Posted on: Sep 7, 2013 - 2:13pm
Good points, guys, and all true, although it wouldn't be unusual for someone with JFK's means to have had multiple dress uniforms (think of the wealthy "Willie Keith" character in "The Caine Mutiny," who lets another officer with one hat use his because "I have two others"). I wouldn't think it that unusual for an extra uniform (or uniform parts) to have been obtained by someone from JFK when he was a senator in 1955.

I've got a friend who's written eight or so books (I've lost count!) on the 101st Airborne Division in World War II, plus one on the 2nd Armored, and several others on patches and insignia, and is also a long-time (fifty-plus years) collector of WWII militaria.

He's often bemoaned the glut of faked and misrepresented WWII uniforms, equipment, accesories, and awards -- some expertly rendered, some poorly -- that have come onto the scene in the last ten to fifteen years, many, many of them passed off as authentic and genuine on eBay.

Although I said "it's possible," I'd be very skeptical too, but...with the asking price on these uniform items now listed at more than a quarter of a million dollars, the seller is either one of two things: awfully sure of what he's got, or a world-class hustler.


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