March 2024 Militaria & Collectibles Auction
Lot 190:
Description
RUSSELL T. FINN (b. 1903) American Brigadier General who saw service in the Fifth and Eighth Army, stationed at Adolf Hitlers house in Berchtesgarden as the post Commanding Officer from 1945 to 1949. He later served several tours in Korea and finished his military career as the Chief of Staff of the Fifth U.S. Army. His excellent war-date officers style tunic, 1944 pattern, closed at the front with five brown composite buttons with a flap pocket to each breast. The right sleeve bears a Fifth Army patch near the shoulder, while the left sleeve bears an Eight Army patch near the shoulder and nine overseas service near the cuff, signifying 4.5 years of active overseas service. The left breast bears an impressive fourteen service bars, and the shoulder straps each bear a pinned-on general’s star insignia. Each upper collar lapel has matching, non-hallmarked ‘US’ pins. The jackets interior is fully lined with brown rayon and two horizontal slash pockets. The right-hand slash pocket bears an ownership tag reading R.T. FINN 016237-FA (Field Artillery), while the left-hand pocket bears an identical designation inscribed onto the pocket itself, likely in Finn’s own hand. One butterfly catch absent from the ribbon bar, easily remedied. Fine condition. Sold with: Finn’s functional, brown leather brief case of a rather complicated construction, stenciled on its face R.T.F. O-16230; 71 original photographs taken from Berchtesgaden, mostly of various sporting events; and various pieces of ephemera related to multi-national sports activities in 1947/48; and numerous pages of biographical research. Small reserve on this lot.
Condition: See description for notes on condition. Please note that all items are sold as is without returns, so please ask questions in advance of bidding.
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