Bidspirit auction | WWII 82nd Airborne Gene Kopp

WWII 82nd Airborne Gene Kopp Grouping - Obtained directly from the veteran's family, this complete, estate-fresh WWII US Army Airborne grouping belonged to Sergeant Gene Kopp (Serial No. 36347466) of Company B, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division. Before entering the service, Kopp worked as a bellman at the Hotel Sherman in Chicago, Illinois. He enlisted on June 10, 1942, and served through his separation on October 18, 1945, participating in major combat campaigns including Sicily, Naples-Foggia, and Rome-Arno. The archive features an unpatched M-1943 jump jacket with no visible internal markings, matching jump trousers ink-stamped ”W34” and ”IN34” inside the waistband, and a khaki uniform shirt complete with 82nd Airborne shoulder sleeve insignia, a ”Ruptured Duck” patch, and an Okeechobee, Florida dry cleaner's tag. Highlights include a personalized veteran's ceramic beer stein, an ”All Americans” unit history yearbook, a three-ring binder containing 73 items of photographs, personal documents, and a Parachute School training staff booklet bearing his name and serial number, alongside his Fort Benning jump certificate, State of Illinois service recognition certificate, and separation papers documenting his pre-war hotel employment, service as a Parachute Rigger Instructor, and award of the Purple Heart with an Oak Leaf Cluster. Also included are a boxed Tavannes wristwatch (running, missing second hand, casing tests positive for 10K gold via chemical test), a boxed Good Conduct Medal, a brass pocket compass, a souvenir wooden box inscribed to Bud Pardi, 15 loose patches and tabs, passes, Algerian currency, humorous personal notes, and a Cuban cigar box filled with personal souvenirs including an 1851 Vatican Papal States coin, a 1915 Cuban coin, a 1910 Russian coin, five Italian coins, Italian uniform buttons, an Italian GIL youth badge, a 5th Army entrance into Naples medal, a WWII German Wound Badge, a Combat Infantryman Badge, US collar discs, rank/ribbon bars, a training whistle, and a collection of uniform stars. The grouping displays expected light surface wear, minor paper toning, surface tarnish to metal components, and gentle handling marks, remaining in overall good, highly displayable condition. H 12”, W 36”, D 24”. Disclaimer: Due to the high quality of WWII German fakes, this item is sold as-is without warranty of authenticity. Please see photos for condition.