Back in the 913

Well, the three men in a truck made it back from the Louisville Show of Shows (SOS) in one piece. We brought back a lot of consignment as well - We're pleased that a good portion of it was from new consignors!

Of course our faithful friends laid a bunch on us as well. Thank you so much for sticking with us through everything, it is sincerely appreciated. You know who you are...

My first attempt at live blogging didn't go too bad either. I had a bit of technical difficulties, and we were busy as hell, so I didn't get to post past day two. Sorry about that - the bugs should be worked out by the next show.

I'm in the process of converting a bunch of photos, and some video, and hope to get them up here soon. Here's a few show pics for now. Check back soon for more, as well as more links to collecting and history related news.

Over and out.

Show of shows (SOS) day two...

We're having a great show - we've been able to touch base with our old buddies, and made some new one's as well. Thanks to everyone who has stopped by to say hello. There are some amazing things to see here. Words can't really do it justice. I'll post some more video - hopefully here in a few minutes!

We've brought in quite a bit of consignment, looks like the truck is going to be full. Look for some great new items to be posted on the auction soon.

We're fortunate to have Mr. Doran Cart, curator of the The Liberty Memorial, here in our booth. There has been quite a bit of interest in the National WWI Museum as well. I think he's picked up some items for the museum too.

It was great to meet Bill Orr and his wife Carolyn - he's a hell of a guy and we couldn't be happier he was the winner of Manion's free trip to SOS. I hope he's having a good time (somehow I'm pretty sure he is...).

There has been a lot of talk about the Stolen Valor Act and the repercussions to the collecting community. Like we've said before, we have done our homework and don't think it will have any bearing on medal collecting. But, it's always safe to let your elected officials know how you feel.

A great day

A nice event today, for sure.

I went down to the bar at the hotel after and saw Earl "One Lung" McClung down there. He came in and just sat there by himself, and enjoyed a beer. Of course I wanted to go over, but you know, it was just kind of nice to see the guy sit there alone and not be bothered by anyone. We sent him over a beer, he drank it down and headed out.

Anyway, I've got a bit of video to post- a pan from our booth. I'm still working on getting it to post with a little better quality. For now, just try reducing the size of the player screen.

Tomorrow's another day!

Whoa - what a show!

We're here and all set up. I'm having a little technical difficulty in getting my pictures out of the camera, but it should be fixed soon - sorry about that.

We've had quite a few folks stop by and check out the NSDAP silver and comment on the Saddam banner...

Also, several folks stopped by who have never heard of Manion's - nice to meet you guys, be sure to contact us if you have any questions. Also, many hadn't heard of the new ownership either, and are looking forward to doing business with us again!

Just met Earl McClung of 506th PIR "Band of Brothers" fame - got my picture taken with him too. Shook R. Lee Emerey's hand as well and told him I love Mail Call. He said: "It's another beautiful day, ain't it."

It's a great show - more stuff here than you could possibly imagine.

I'll post some pics and video asap.

Looks like this battery is about to go, so I'll have to add more later...

We've arrived

Well, here we are. John's bringing our passes back and Guy and I are in a holding position as of now. The show looks great - OD as far as the eye can see! Here's a picture of the set up process as it is now - I'll try to put one up from the same spot after the show starts. Gotta go, more later...

Louisville or bust!

Well folks, John, Guy and myself just rolled into Louisville for the Show of Shows. The antique malls were calling out to us on I-70, so we arrived a bit behind schedule. We have some things to take care of, so I'm going to sign off for now - check back soon for more updates. I plan to post a few times throughout the event...

SOS Countdown!

Hello again everyone - we're counting down the days until The Show of Shows (SOS). John Conway, Guy Manion, and myself will be hitting the road bright and early Wednesday morning and driving on down to Louisville. It will be my first trip, so I can't wait. Guy and John are old hats at this, but are ready to disembark as well.

Speaking of the SOS - congratulations to William Orr, our free trip to the SOS winner. congratulations sir, I look forward to meeting you at the rendezvous!

Looks like there were some fantastic items posted on the auction today, some things that caught my eye were:

• Series of AAF Display made jacket patches
• Several 1st and 2nd class Iron Crosses
• Vintage Hawaiian shirts (becoming very collectible)
• Walther G. 43 Rifle with ZF4 Scope and several other fire arms

Also, what about that Indian Wars Major General's uniform (#5802778) - it's up to nearly $6000 AND ENDS TOMORROW AT 8:30! One to watch for sure.
I was bidding on this 8th Air Force officer's dress uniform jacket, but somehow I think it's going to go beyond my means (#5869998) - it's at $70 right now, maybe I can bid once more...the old lady's gonna kill me.

Anyway, the auction is really starting to bounce back. We've still got some uphill climbing to do, but things are looking up. Thank you all so much for your support and understanding, and we appreciate those who have given us advice on making Manion's International Auction House better than it ever was. Hope to see you at the show.

Here are some links to news stories we hope you find of interest:
Just click the headline to read the entire story!

WWII Shell Causes Scare in Hawaii
Drivers in Manoa ran into a mess this morning. Swarms of police and even the military came out, all because of what someone found in the trash.

Australian citty commemorates WWII bombing
Hundreds of people are expected to gather at the Darwin Cenotaph this morning to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the bombing of Darwin

Admiral Nimitz museum to reopen
The Admiral Nimitz Museum in the Old Nimitz Hotel in downtown Fredericksburg is to reopen Feb. 25.

The museum, which has undergone a $3 million renovation that began in 2004, is part of the National Museum of the Pacific War complex. The museum is named for Fleet Adm. Chester W. Nimitz, who was born in Fredericksburg in 1885.

WWII vet helped launch 1st civilian satellite
Dick Esneault part of team behind OSCAR in 1961

Richard "Dick" Esneault never had a day of basic training, never fired a shot in a war and never finished college.

Frenchman who aided Nazis dies
Maurice Papon, a former Cabinet minister who was convicted of complicity in crimes against humanity for his role in deporting Jews during World War II and became a symbol of France's collaboration with the Nazis, died Saturday. He was 96.

'Black Jack' Pershing urged medal's creation
The Distinguished Service Cross was first awarded in World War I, although the medal was later given to soldiers of earlier conflicts.

It is the Army equivalent of the Navy Cross (for members of the Navy and Marine Corps) and the Air Force Cross.

Decision coming on saving Davids Island buildings
Workers already are removing some of the crumbling buildings on Davids Island where soldiers once lived, prayed and played, and the time has come to choose which buildings, if any, should stay.

Holocaust jokes printed on sugar packets
An investigation has been launched after small packets of sugar were found in cafes in Croatia, bearing the likeness of Adolf Hitler and carrying Holocaust jokes.

Bletchley Park Unveils Unique Faberge Enigma Egg
Bletchley Park in Buckinghamshire, the historic site of secret British code breaking activities during World War Two and the birthplace of the modern computer, has unveiled a specially-commissioned limited edition of 50 blue and gold Fabergé Enigma Eggs to help raise much needed funds to maintain this historically important site

City of Norfolk, Va. to take over U.S.S. Wisconsin
The city of Norfolk, Virginia is taking over the U.S.-S- Wisconsin.

The 57,000 boat named after this state is officially settling down into the harbor in Virginia.

The boat was launched in 1943 and is a veteran of World War Two, Korea and Operation Desert Storm

eBay Hacked!
An exclusive report by Mirror.co.uk, proclaims that hundreds of eBay user accounts were hacked and then utilized for the systematic defrauding of possibly hundreds of eBay Inc. (NASDAQ:EBAY) users. Details are sketchy but sources have provided alleged solid proof that eBay security has been compromised in unprecedented scale. The Mirror quotes: "Site user Stephen Reilly, 57, said: "They targeted cars, jewelery, artwork and sound systems."

Test finds many college students show little knowledge of U.S. history
On this Presidents Day, is it too much to ask that after 16 years of formal schooling, a person know roughly when Abraham Lincoln served as the nation's top executive?

Apparently.

Thirty-six percent of college seniors couldn't answer a basic multiple-choice question on the issue, according to a newly released study of students at 50 institutions of higher learning.

Black History should not be limited
One of the most heart wrenching displays at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is a large container of shoes. Shoes slipped from the feet of victims, mostly Jews, as they entered the gas chambers and crematoriums of the numerous Nazi death camps established throughout Europe during Hitler's reign. Those crematoriums and gas chambers brought death to over nine million people. Though I am not a Jew, I lost control of my emotions when I first viewed this exhibit two years ago. And though I am not a German, my freedom and livelihood, which I so often take for granted, cloaked me in a feeling of guilt at this horrendous sight.

Well, that's it for now folks. Again, please feel free to submit a comment!

Here's another couple of videos - this one of a bit of MAC-V Perfume River / Hue combat footage and information - looks like it is courtesy of the Military Channel, sorry if they're a bit out of order...

Book reviews and news

CLICK THE HEADLINE TO READ THE FULL STORY!

Vietnam veteran took fast track to sergeant
For 30 years, Jerry Horton fought to keep the memories at bay. The trenches of Vietnam were decades behind him, yet the dreams recurred: explosions in the jungle, bloodied comrades clinging to breath.


Shinseki's hat trick
Years ago, a man named Eric K. Shinseki did something really unpopular in the ranks of the U.S. Army, and around water coolers and coffee machines he may as well have been the Antichrist. As the chief of staff of the U.S. Army, he mandated U.S. soldiers wear black berets.


Man wants to retrieve medals on auction
Medals awarded to a member of Nova Scotia’s famous Black Battalion and a Halifax soldier killed in the Second World War are up for auction on EBay, and an Ontario man wants to make sure they end up in an appropriate place.


Book Review: The Fire - The Bombing of Germany 1940-1945 by Jorg Friedrich
"The bombardier, whether or not he aimed for a target, caused damage. He fired a shot basically like a cannon’s, but vertically. It was all the same whether he fired blindly or aimed. The site where the cannonball hit was a target of some kind. Sometimes it was hit intentionally, sometimes unintentionally. The rules changed, however, when the pathfinders and bombers began to divide up the work. The grammar of shot and target became insignificant. The pathfinder no longer indicated a point but rather outlined and area. It then was not a matter of “hitting” discreet objects within an area—instead, the demarcated area comprised all that was simply was not supposed to be and was to be removed from the world. Annihilation is the special extension of death. The victim does not die his death, because he does not have one. He finds himself in a sphere in which life has ceased."


Black soldiers recall bias of D-Day and beyond
Y ou rarely see them in newsreel and documentary footage, and more rarely in Hollywood war films. "You don't see us in 'The Longest Day' or 'Private Ryan,' " one of them observes.

But some 132,000 African American soldiers joined the buildup to D-Day in England and then nearly 2,000 crossed the English Channel on the massive invasion on June 6, 1944.


It's time to end Black History Month.
For that matter, it's time to say goodbye to Hispanic Heritage Month, Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and American Indian Heritage Month as well.


Window’ from which JFK was shot is sold for $3mn
window said to be the one through which Lee Harvey Oswald shot US president John F Kennedy in 1963 was sold for $3mn on eBay, the Internet auction house said on Friday.
The piece was being auctioned by Caruth Byrd, whose family owned the Texas School Book Depository in Dallas, where, from the sixth floor, Oswald fired the shots that killed JFK on November 22, 1963.


Service held for 2 WWI deserters who were pardoned
A service was held on Sunday for two British soldiers who were pardoned many years after being executed for military misconduct during the First World War.

Pvts. Harry Farr and James Swaine were among more than 300 soldiers to be pardoned after Defense Secretary John Reid amended the Armed Forces bill last year. It pardoned anyone executed for military offenses such as cowardice and desertion during World War I.

WWII veteran grateful for poor marksmanship
William Brumit - or “Old Man,” as he calls himself - lives a cozy life. He sits on a brown leather sofa, near a fireplace. Sipping a mug of hot cider, in his own home.

He may owe all this and more to his poor marksmanship


4 Arraigned on eBay Fraud Charges
Alphonzo Brinkley has four shiny new rims on his new car. They didn't come cheaply.

“It was about $2,100 for the rims and tires, and then I bought the security system for them for $500, so around $2,700 total,” he said.


Tasty price for Hitler's red wine
A rare bottle of Nazi wine dating back to World War II has sold for nearly £4,000 at an auction in Devon.

The bottle of red Fuhrerwein, thought to be from a collection given to Adolf Hitler's senior officers, has a picture of the dictator on the label.

Vietnam veteran hopes to heal with his photos
A local Vietnam veteran traded in his machine gun for a pinhole camera. The ex-combat marine went back to Vietnam and now he's sharing his healing experience. News 10NBC took a closer look at the George Eastman House exhibit, "Ghosts in the Landscape: Vietnam Revisited."



Book Review - HITLER’S BENEFICIARIES
Plunder, Racial War, and the Nazi Welfare State.
What was life like for a typical non-Jewish German under Nazism? Answers vary. A discredited though still popular view has it that the Third Reich was a nightmarish inferno where informants, scoundrels and sadists ruled through fear and intimidation. A state where constant terror ensured that citizens would cooperate, accommodate and capitulate.

'Hitler's room is just a heap of ruins'
As a secretary in Churchill's entourage, Olive Christopher had a relatively glamorous war. But her heart was with her soldier fiancé, she tells Elizabeth Grice

Olive Christopher was a young secretary in the Cabinet War Rooms when she was called for the kind of interview that seems to belong in a David Niven film.

Radio enthusiast turns hobby to business
Mike Urban can repair the stuff nobody makes anymore. His Walnut Beach shop is a museum of technology and the early years of mass media and entertainment:

The cone-shaped speakers that carried Enrico Caruso's voice to opera lovers.


Online auction site launched to dispose of surplus Government equipment
n online auction website, which allows the public to bid for surplus
Government equipment, including Green Goddess fire-trucks, is launched today.

The Disposal Sales Agency has expanded its existing website to include an
on-line auction. Potential buyers can bid and pay for ex-Government items
online. They can also bid through the website for items put up for sale by
Government contractors.

Plenty of nostalgia and emotion can be found on USS Hornet
It would be easy to dismiss Leon "Woodie" Spears' "Dare to Dream" speech as just pithy motivational banter from a sweet octogenarian. But then, Spears has been underestimated before.

The 83-year-old Hayward resident lived through a youth in which in his dreams he literally soared above pervasive racism. Spears made his dream come true in 1944, when he became a pilot with the now-famous Tuskegee Airmen, the country's first black pilots and crews. He flew 51 World War II missions before being shot down over Berlin; he flew another 17 missions in Korea.

WWII German NSDAP Silver Service Set Featured on Manion’s International Auction
When US Army Captain Sterling Hill returned from Europe after WWII, he was surprised to find a crate of “liberated” political silver service items waiting for him in a barn on his family farm – nearly a year after it had been shipped home from occupied Germany.

Closed eBay outlet draws probe
NuMarkets, a company formed in April 2004 that helped customers sell their wares on the popular Internet sales site eBay, has closed, and local police are looking to question CEO Russ Grove.

WWII Commemorative Statue Unveiled In San Diego
“Unconditional Surrender,” a 25-foot, 6,000 pound statue by world-renowned artist J. Seward Johnson commemorating a famous World War II photo was unveiled Feb. 10 at Mole Park in San Diego.

We've posted some great new items on the auction today, and rejected quite a few phonies as well.

In the American section there are some nicely priced WWII summer twill uniform items and a pair of Civil War era binoculars, so far...

There are also some German badges, belts, and books - looks like there's an infantry assault badge that has already received three bids!

I also noticed some pretty cool WWII Japanese items.

Well, we're really looking forward to the SOS show. We'll have a gigantic Saddam Hussein banner in our booth, brought back from Gulf War I, as well as some really nice pieces of NSDAP silver service items brought back by an Army Captain from WWII. There will also be some British Army visor caps for sale for $10 each as well as a large assortment of Coast Guard patches for $2 - with a quantity discount. Of course we'll be taking consignment to bring back and put on the auction - so pack it up and drop it off.

I'll probably wait to post more news stories until the weekend, but thought I'd post some WWII movies. One has a bunch of footage taken from Luftwaffe gun cameras, mainly shooting at US Bombers - pretty hairy stuff! There is information at the beginning of each clip in German.

There's also a couple interesting US and German WWII newsreels - enjoy!

Historic news and events from Manion's

Norway to encase sunken German WWII sub
A German submarine that was sunk off Norway at the end of World War II will be buried in special sand to protect the coastline from its cargo of toxic mercury, the government announced Tuesday.

Letters and true love healed Vietnam veteran's war wounds
A day before shipping out for Vietnam in 1969, Roger Ferland met Sandy Green at his parents' home in Phoenix. The meeting, though innocent, had been arranged by Linda Hooper, Sandy's college roommate and Roger's cousin, and by his brother, Michael.

Vietnam veteran on hunt for comrades he rescued
It was just another mission when Marine Col. Walt Ledbetter and his crew rescued troops trapped in a minefield in Vietnam. Now, 37 years later, he's still searching for the survivors.

WWII MOTION PICTURE WEBSITE LAUNCHES FILMS FROM THE HOME FRONT
An innovative website featuring films from World War Two Britain has been launched.

Films from the Home Front gives web users a chance to take an educational and nostalgic look at Britain during the Second World War.

The collection of amateur films, home movies and official newsreels was researched and digitised over the past year from regional archive collections and is now integrated into an historical online resource.

Study condemns Belgian aid to Nazis during WWII
A government-backed report Tuesday blamed Belgian authorities and the ruling elite for collaborating with the Nazi persecution of Jews during World War II.

Kansas historical society seeks WWII contributors
The Rice County Historical Society is seeking a few good men and women, veterans of World War II, to include in an oral history.

The project is sponsored by a grant from the Kansas State Historical Society and covers 160 interviews.

Christie's delays auction of 'Hitler's racer'
The auction of a pre World War Two German racing car expected to become the most expensive car ever sold has been postponed pending an investigation into its track record, auctioneers Christie's said on Wednesday.

The extremely rare 1939 Auto Union D type, a legendary racer built under a development programme backed by Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, had been expected to fetch up to 12 million euros ($15.66 million) at auction.

Me-262 -- The Dark Side Of A Legendary Aircraft
When a lovingly crafted Messerschmitt Me 262 replica built in the U.S. was shipped to Germany to fly in an air show last summer, the event stirred up memories -- and they weren't all positive ones. The airplane itself might be an engineering marvel and a joy to fly, but an Austrian journalist, writing for the Jerusalem Post, recalls its dark human history.


Growing Number of Museums Preserving Black History, Culture
Museums that focus on the critical role of African Americans in U.S. history and culture are more popular than ever, and several cities are planning new or expanded facilities to attract tourists and scholars.

Germans Assess Legacy of Nazism
Many adults in Germany hold unfavourable views about the Third Reich, according to a poll by TNS Emnid released by Bertelsmann Stiftung. 55 per cent of respondents think Nazism was completely or mostly negative, while 40 per cent think it had some positive aspects.

More information on the Stolen Valor Act

Hello again!

We've recieved some more information on the Stolen Valor Act, and want to provide it to you in an attempt to clear up confusion on the issue.

Our friend Steve Johnson from World Wide Military Exchange has been researching the issue as well, and has given us permission to post his findings here. He's really taken the ball and ran with this thing - nice work, Steve.

You will find his research pasted below.

Also, we'd like to let everyone know we will be picking up consignment at the upcoming Show of Shows in Louisville, KentuckyFeb. 22-25.

The Stolen Valor Act and what it means to you

In December 2006, Congress passed the Stolen Valor Act and the President has signed it. The act changed the wording in Title 18, Part 1, Chapter33; Section 704 its intent is to stop individuals from making false claims of awards and decorations to which they are not entitled. This has tightened up the law to allow law enforcement agencies more ability to prosecute these imposters (which I think we would all agree with).

The law specifically includes the Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross, Air Force Cross, Silver Star and Purple Heart and these penalties would be the same as the Medal of Honor. The confusion with this law by collectors and dealers in military medals and memorabilia has been the lack of knowledge of the Code of Federal Regulations (32 CFR). This is the regulation that implements and administers the act (as shown on the below).

The regulation allows for the sale of all US medals (except the Medal of Honor) and insignia providing an official government manufacturer has made them and that the Institute of Heraldry (IOH) approved those pieces.

This law was NOT brought into effect to stop collectors or dealers selling or collecting officially made medals and insignia whether they were made yesterday or fifty years ago. There have been numerous rumors about the FBI arresting people at collectors’ shows or coming to people’s homes and confiscating their collections. NONE of these rumors are true.

Several auction houses have suspended their sales of these items; they did this, as I understand, after seeking legal advice, again I believe without detailed knowledge of the CFR. I will say that in my opinion, the law could have been better written but as stated above it does not pose any threat to the collector of official medals. eBay has also banned the sale of the above-mentioned medals on their auction site. Again, I think this is an overreaction on their part but as a private company they can choose their own policies.

I have spent the last several weeks researching and talking to DOD, congressional staffers and federal law enforcement agencies about this act and while I am not an attorney and this is not a legal opinion, I do feel this is the correct interpretation of the act.

The following are copies of the relevant parts of Title 18 (the law which was amended) and 32 CFR the regulation that allows the sale of US medals (except the Medal of Honor) and insignia.

TITLE 18 > PART I > CHAPTER 33 > § 704

§ 704. Military medals or decorations

Sec. 704. Military medals or decorations

(a) In General. - Whoever knowingly wears, NEW LANGUAGE ADDED: ”purchases, attempts to purchase, solicits for purchase, mails, ships, imports, exports, produces blank certificates of receipt for, manufacturers, sells, attempts to sell, advertises for sale, trades, barters, or exchanges for anything of value” any decoration or medal authorized by Congress for the armed forces of the United States, or any of the service medals or badges awarded to the members of such forces, or the ribbon, button, or rosette of any such badge, decoration or medal, or any colorable imitation thereof, except when authorized under regulations made pursuant to law, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than six months, or both. What are these regulations? They are the - Code of Federal Regulations, 32 CFR, Part 507.

32 CFR, Part 507

§507.5 Statutory authority.

(a) The wear, manufacture, and sale of military decorations, medals, badges, their components and appurtenances, or colorable imitations of them, are governed by section 704, title 18, United States Code (18 U.S.C. 704).

(b) The manufacture, sale, possession, and reproduction of badges, identification cards, insignia, or other designs, prescribed by the head of a U.S. department or agency, or colorable imitations of them, are governed by Title 18, United States Code, Section 701 (18 U.S.C. 701).

(c) This part incorporates the statutory provisions.

Subpart B—Manufacture and Sale of Decorations, Medals, Badges, and Insignia.

§507.6 Authority to manufacture.

(a) A certificate of authority to manufacture heraldic articles may be granted by the Institute of Heraldry.

(1) Certificates of authority will be issued only to companies who have manufacturing capability and agree to manufacture heraldic items according to applicable specifications or purchase descriptions.

(2) The certificate of authority is valid only for the individual or corporation indicated.

(3) A hallmark will be assigned to each certified manufacturer. All insignia manufactured will bear the manufacturer's hallmark.

(b) A certificate of authority may be revoked or suspended under the procedures prescribed in subpart D of this part.

(c) Manufacturers will submit a preproduction sample to TIOH of each item they manufacture for certification under the Heraldic Quality Control Program. A letter of certification authorizing manufacture of each specific item will be issued provided the sample meets quality assurance standards.

(d) A copy of the certified manufactures list will be furnished to the Army and Air Force Exchange Service and, upon request, to Army and Air Force commanders.

§507.7 Authority to sell.

No certificate of authority to manufacture is required to sell articles listed in §507.8 of this part; however, sellers are responsible for insuring that any article they sell is manufactured in accordance with Government specifications using government furnished tools, bears a hallmark assigned by TIOH, and that the manufacturer has received a certification to manufacture that specific item prior to sale.

§507.8 Articles authorized for manufacture and sale.

(a) The articles listed in paragraphs (a) (1) through (10) of this section are authorized for manufacture and sale when made in accordance with approved specifications, purchase descriptions or drawings.

(1) All authorized insignia (AR 670–1 and AFI 36–2903).

(2) Appurtenances and devices for decorations, medals, and ribbons such as oak leaf clusters, service stars, arrowheads, V-devices, and clasps.

(3) Combat, special skill, occupational and qualification badges and bars.

(4) Identification badges.

(5) Fourrageres and lanyards.

(6) Lapel buttons.

(7) Decorations, service medals, and ribbons, except for the Medal of Honor.

(8) Replicas of decorations and service medals for grave markers. Replicas are to be at least twice the size prescribed for decorations and service medals.

(9) Service ribbons for decorations, service medals, and unit awards.

(10) Rosettes.

(11) Army emblem and branch of service plaques.

(b) Variations from the prescribed specifications for the items listed in paragraph (a) of this section are not permitted without prior approval, in writing, by IOH.


THIS IS THE END OF THE RELEVANT ACT AND REGULATION

I hope this has been helpful for you in interpreting the current situation.

Steve Johnson
WWME Inc.
P.O. Box 745
Batavia, IL 60510

New post - more news!

Hello again - thanks for reading!

We're really looking forward to the SOS show in Louisville next week - it's going to be great! Manion's won't have as many tables as we did in the past - but we'll still have enough space to touch base with all of our ol' buddies and hope to make some new friends as well.

Guy Manion will be there, and John Conway too. I'll be making my first trip down and can't wait to check it out. We encourage everyone who has a table to drop off consignment with us after the show. Sure, it's like not like money in the pocket from selling items there, but it sure is nice to see those checks show up a few months down the road!

Check out our ads and articles in the upcoming Military Trader and WWII History Magazine, we're really trying to branch out and reinvent the auction. Sometimes it seems like an uphill climb, but the new ownership really inherited a challenge and the New Manion's International Auction is committed to making it work.

We appreciate the enthusiasm of our longtime supporters, and encourage everyone to stick with us - we won't let you down!

Here are some more news stories you may find of interest. We'll see you at the SOS!

Click the headline to read the entire story

WWI Vet dies at age 110
Born and raised in Forenza in the province of Potenza in Italy he moved to the United States in 1914. He lived in Marblehead and Swampscott most of his life. Educated in schools in Italy, he was a United States Army veteran of World War I, where he served in France with the 82nd Division A.E.F., 320 Field Artillery .

Book remembers sub searchers of WWI
Imagine dozens of small wooden boats frantically scouring the seas for German U-boats bent on starving England into submission.

The U.S. Navy did as it entered World War I, and ordered the construction of what became a fleet of about 300 sub chasers. The 110-foot craft were equipped with depth charges, deck guns and rudimentary underwater listening devices.

Dallas area Pearl Harbor survivors shared their stories until the end
Pearl Harbor survivor Paul Ferguson didn't talk about the war until several years ago, when he realized he was one of a vanishing breed.

The retired Dallas entomologist ended nearly 60 years of silence by becoming active with veterans groups and speaking to seemingly any audience interested in hearing his message.

U.S. lawmaker urges Japan to apologize for WWII sex crimes
There is no deadline for an official apology for past wrongdoings, says U.S. Democratic Rep. Michael Honda, who on February 8 submitted a resolution to Congress demanding that Japan apologize regarding the Japanese army’s taking of women from other Asian countries as sex slaves during World War II.

Vietnam vet visits grave of fallen comrade
fcs. Dan Linn and Oscar Gonzalez were in boot camp together in El Paso, completed infantry training together in California and even landed at LZ Betty on the coast of the South China Sea in Vietnam on the same day — Veterans Day of 1969.

Hitler's youth - more on Mailer's new book
ONE OF the teachers at the Realschule in Linz was left with a bizarre memory ofanexpelledformerstudent called Adolf Hitler. "I remember," said Professor Theodore Gissinger, "that he used to hold conversations with the windblown trees."

WWII Pilot's valor earns flag of gratitude
More than 60 years after receiving the Medal of Honor for his actions during a World War II air battle with Japanese fighter pilots, Jay Zeamer Jr. had another chance Friday to experience the sense of pride he felt that day.

Surrounded by family and friends, the 89-year-old Zeamer grinned broadly from his wheelchair at St. Andrews Village when Brig. Gen. Brent M. Boyles, Maine's assistant adjutant general, presented him with the Medal of Honor Flag.

Navy Destroyer USS Gridley Christened in Miami
There's a new ship in America's naval arsenal. With a blast of a foghorn and a belch of exhaust, naval destroyer USS Gridley joined the American fleet in a ceremony at the Port of Miami yesterday.

AK-47 ownership loopholes in Canada
Although the AK is prohibited in Canada, inexpensive lookalikes manufactured in the Czech Republic and elsewhere are pouring into the market, and the federal government appears to have little inclination to stop them.

'Gun-Totin Chaplain' Releases New Book
Col. Jerry Autry said the publication of his "new" book of memoirs has actually been a 30-year project.

"To be honest, it really started in 1976," he said. "I would start it, put it down and pick it up again. I think the impetus of getting with it was the Iraq war."

U.S. warns citizens about Italy base protest
The U.S. embassy in Rome has advised its citizens to steer clear of Italy's northeastern city of Vicenza during a planned February 17 demonstration against the expansion of a U.S. military base in the area.

Land girls were in WWI too
We have published numerous stories about Land Army girls in the Second World War. They also existed in the First World War - and these are eight of them...

Vietnam veteran awarded Silver Rose medal
Duane Tefft volunteered for the Army and served 21/2 years in Vietnam beginning in March 1967 at the age of 20.

Nearly 40 years later, Tefft was diagnosed with dioxin-induced cancer of the brain, lungs, bone and spleen. His doctors told him that he had between nine and 12 months to live.

On Sunday, Tefft, 59, was awarded with the Silver Rose medal and inducted into an exclusive order of only 3,000.

VFW leader: Wrong time for Iraq debate
As the House of Representatives prepares to launch three days of debate on the Bush administration’s Iraq policy, the head of the nation’s largest combat veterans’ organization wishes lawmakers would just stop talking.

WWII cargo ship is being lovingly restored, right down to its steam engine
Charles Stephens points a noisy power tool called a needle gun at a 3-foot-square slab of steel and, inch by inch, hour by hour, blasts away the rust.

"You hate to see a beautiful piece of metal go to waste," said Stephens, 71, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

WWII saga "Counterfeiters" creates real suspense
Based on a true story, "The Counterfeiters" has a fantastic element that makes you realize there are still stories about concentration camps that are new and fresh.

Worcester man chronicled WWII with his camera
Don Wiedenmayer has captured history in a cardboard box.

The silver-haired 89-year-old, a technician 3rd Class for the 196th Signal Photo Company, went to World War II with a camera. He keeps a stack of images he shot during four and half years of service in a nondescript box in his Worcester home. The black and white photographs offer a candid glimpse at some of history's giants.

Thanks for reading!

Army Aviator Gets Medal of Honor
he White House announced today, Feb. 9, that President George W. Bush will present the Medal of Honor to Army veteran Bruce P. Crandall in recognition of his valor at Landing Zone X-Ray during the Battle of Ia Drang in Vietnam

Medal of Honor could be back in family soon
Through the combined effort of strangers who reached across the country to help, a misplaced Civil War Medal of Honor may soon be returned to its rightful heir.

The nationwide search that began at Brownsburg Public Library indicates that Dorothy Ann Carter Hajek, Baltimore, is the great-great-granddaughter of Medal of Honor recipient Joseph F. Carter.

Stolen journal unites soldiers
Separated by more than 7,000 miles, two different generations and two very different wars, a California Army National Guardsman in Baghdad, Iraq, wants to help bring Ben Waldron's World War II journal back home.

Long-lost letters linked to WWII nurse
Stillwater woman has tracked down a retired Navy nurse whose 150 World War II-era letters -- including about 100 from a Marine she dated -- somehow landed in a Bartlesville antiques mall, where they were sold for less than $15.

82nd Airborne Sets Up in Adhamiyah
The 82nd Airborne Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team established a combat outpost in the heart of Baghdad this week in an effort to reduce sectarian violence in the Iraqi capital and assist the Iraqi security forces to take control of the city.

Europe at War 1939-1945: No Simple Victory
NORMAN DAVIES IS highly regarded for his popular histories of Britain and Europe, and his account of the Warsaw uprising, Rising 44. European history is his broad subject and eastern Europe, most notably Poland, about which he has written four books, is his specialty.


Vimy ice sculpture sparks memories of Canadians’ heroism
In the bright sunshine on a chilly morning at Confederation Park on Thursday, Second World War veteran John Newell gazed up at an ice sculpture of the Vimy Ridge Memorial and his thoughts raced back to the 1936 dedication ceremony of the memorial held in France.


Jacksonville Museum of Military History
The Jacksonville Museum of Military History, the city’s only paid attraction, opened in 2005, dedicated to preserving and recording the region’s wealth of military-related history, which includes a Civil War battlefield at Reed’s Bridge on highway 161.

In less than two years, the museum - which touts the region’s largest collection of World War II era posters - has drawn more than 4,000 visitors, with more than 2,300 coming from out of town.

Introductions are in order

Hello readers of Manion's Collecting News.

I thought I should take a second and introduce myself, as I have been making quite a few posts to this news blog.

My name is Andrew Turner, and I have recently returned to employment with Manion's International Auction House. I worked here as a describer - mainly of US Army items - a few years ago, but left in 2004. I have been collecting US military items for many years, and am active in WWII US Army reenacting.

As a customer, consignor, and past and present employee, let me tell you - things are different today. New Manion’s owner Jody Tucker has brought a feeling of renewed optimism to the auction, and the future of the company is definitely looking up.

Mr. Manion was an innovator when it comes to how we all now buy and sell militaria and other collectibles; he established this auction as a leader in the field. As many of you are aware, the auction has experienced some hardships in recent years – including near total destruction by a devastating tornado.

When Jody acquired the company, he also acquired a challenge in getting this company back on its feet. Many collectors have noted this on various forums and message boards.

When I started working here again, I missed many of the old faces I used to see around here on a daily basis. Jody was faced with the task of lowering overhead, and this meant he had to make some difficult decisions. I suppose this is the cost of doing business in today’s world, I know he hopes to see some of these old faces return as Manion’s works to once again become a profitable endeavor.

Anyway, I just wanted to take a second and introduce myself and try to describe the climate a bit here at Manion’s. The consignment keeps rolling in, the describers are posting hundreds of items a day – and rejecting all of the fakes they can identify. Unfortunately, collecting militaria today is more challenging than it has ever been. As most of you know, counterfeit WWII German items are rampant.

Manion’s will NEVER knowingly present an unoriginal item as authentic on the auction. In fact, we reject HUNDREDS of WWII German items every month. Regrettably, the counterfeiters are talented and the fakes keep getting better and better. We appreciated the efforts of our customers in identifying questionable items, and look forward to continuing to fulfill our role in the collecting COMMUNITY.

I suppose you’ve noticed by now I have been monitoring collecting and military related news stories and posting links here on the Manion’s Collecting News site. I hope you are finding them interesting, and I encourage readers to let me know if there is a particular topic in which they are interested and I will attempt to filter the news and provide relevant links.

Also, feel free to submit a comment. Due to the efforts of spammers, we must approve all submissions. Remember to include your name with comments, and please make them relevant to the collecting news site. Comments must not all be positive, but combative material will not be posted. All other comments and concerns should be directed to collecting@manions.com or 866-626-4661.

And now the news...
click the headline to read the entire story

Navy sets decommissioning date for USS John F. Kennedy
The 1,050-foot-long aircraft carrier named for President John F. Kennedy will be decommissioned on March 23 after nearly 40 years of patrols and battles, from scrapes with Libyan fighter jets in the Mediterranean Sea to the current war in Iraq.


A look inside Nazi rabbit project
Many of the artifacts in the Wisconsin Historical Society's collections could be considered bizarre. But few are as chilling as the beautifully bound volume covered in woven gray wool, titled "Angora."

It belonged to one of history's most ruthless men, Heinrich Himmler, the chief of the SS in Nazi Germany and head of its concentration camps. Himmler's "Angora" album, which he hid in a farmhouse with his other papers near the end of World War II, tells the story of the angora rabbit project that operated in all the Nazi concentration camps, including Auschwitz, Buchenwald and Dachau.


Vet says he'd rather give Japanese letters to relatives of soldier
A World War Two veteran who found a bundle of Japanese letters on Iwo Jima says he would rather give the correspondence to relatives of the man who owned them than hand them over to the Japanese government.

Vic Voegelin (VOHG'-lihn) says he has spoken with officials from the Japanese consulate in New York City about the 108 postcards and letters he found in a destroyed pillbox on the Pacific island in 1945.


Jack Hicks: Tale of a Frenchman's flight to Ky.
What happens when the scion of several generations of sailors discovers he's prone to seasickness?

In the case of Francois LeRoy, he shuns boats, becomes an expert on aviation, immigrates to America and teaches history at Northern Kentucky University.


Kansas City International Airport Celebrates Tuskegee Airmen
The Kansas City Aviation Department unveiled a series of displays Tuesday at Kansas City International Airport honoring the Tuskegee Airmen. The displays highlight national and local aviators who were the first black pilots in U.S. military history.


WWII artillery tower to be restored
he township has secured a $400,000 state grant that will be the final piece in the funding puzzle to begin restoration of a World War II artillery tower on Sunset Boulevard.

The township will pass the state Department of Community Affairs grant to the Cape May-based Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts. MAC plans to restore the tower and open it as a tourist attraction sometime in 2008.

Room uncovered full of British WWII Militaria
A WWII hero’s room has been opened for the first time in 60 years — revealing a hoard of antiques.

The parents of the RAF man — believed to be a corporal — shut off his room when he died in 1947


WWII era explosives found
A Reidsville auctioneer will not be auctioning off the military explosives he stumbled across Wednesday while taking stock of a home.

History in the news

Click on the headline to read more!

California's New Wall of Honor

San Francisco's shining light, the Marines' Memorial Association Club and Hotel now hosts a sacred Wall of Honor. On it are the names of those Californians who made the ultimate sacrifice in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Recently over 100 family members of these fallen heroes came together to touch their loved ones' engraved names and to share their journeys of grief with one another. This gathering was the second California Gold Star Parents Remembrance and Honor event hosted by the Marines' Memorial Association and Blue Star Moms Bay Chapter 101


African-American Military History Museum

Imagine taking a stroll through time to see the American wars through the eyes of black soldiers and following that excursion with a trip through Southeast Mississippi's bitter struggle for racial equality.

Suddenly, you find yourself squarely in the heart of the historic Mobile Street community - the place that was so tightly intertwined with both of these experiences they became almost inseparable.


Little-known `Monuments Men' hunted art treasures stolen by Nazis

The looting of Europe's public and private collections by the Nazis beginning in the 1930s propelled a small army of art experts under the auspices of U.S. forces to launch a search and rescue of works of art that had been stored in salt mines, caves and castles to protect them from the ravages of war.

The "Monuments Men," as they were known, tracked down, identified and catalogued millions of works of art and cultural artifacts by such masters as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Rembrandt and Vermeer, for the purpose of returning them to their owners. They also identified historical and cultural sites to prevent Allied forces from bombing them.


Disabled Vietnam Vet Celebrates Successors

Butch Davis sat at a round table near the corner where the Singing Sergeants entertained in the big gym on Little Rock Air Force Base, which was honoring its top personnel at the annual awards banquet Saturday night. Davis is a Sherwood alderman and disabled Vietnam veteran who almost died in the summer of 1969 in a huge explosion that nearly wiped out his company. He was put on a rescue helicopter along with several dead soldiers heading for the morgue. He’d come to momentarily, hoping the chopper crew didn’t think he was dead.


WWII camp is named historic site

The House on Tuesday approved a long-delayed plan to designate Bainbridge Island, Wash. - where hundreds of Japanese-Americans were once forced from their homes on the way to prison camps during World War II - as a national historic site.

Effort underway to send WWII veterans on a trip of a lifetime

The Fargo Jaycees in cooperation with WDAY radio and television have teamed up to send as many World War II veterans to the National World War II Memorial in Washington D.C., as possible.

The WDAY "World War II Honor Flight" is scheduled for May 3-5 and to help make this trip possible, the Fargo Jaycees have initiated an "Adopt a Vet" project to help send our area veterans to see the memorial.

History in the news

California's New Wall of Honor

San Francisco's shining light, the Marines' Memorial Association Club and Hotel now hosts a sacred Wall of Honor. On it are the names of those Californians who made the ultimate sacrifice in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Recently over 100 family members of these fallen heroes came together to touch their loved ones' engraved names and to share their journeys of grief with one another. This gathering was the second California Gold Star Parents Remembrance and Honor event hosted by the Marines' Memorial Association and Blue Star Moms Bay Chapter 101


African-American Military History Museum

Imagine taking a stroll through time to see the American wars through the eyes of black soldiers and following that excursion with a trip through Southeast Mississippi's bitter struggle for racial equality.

Suddenly, you find yourself squarely in the heart of the historic Mobile Street community - the place that was so tightly intertwined with both of these experiences they became almost inseparable.


Little-known `Monuments Men' hunted art treasures stolen by Nazis

The looting of Europe's public and private collections by the Nazis beginning in the 1930s propelled a small army of art experts under the auspices of U.S. forces to launch a search and rescue of works of art that had been stored in salt mines, caves and castles to protect them from the ravages of war.

The "Monuments Men," as they were known, tracked down, identified and catalogued millions of works of art and cultural artifacts by such masters as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Rembrandt and Vermeer, for the purpose of returning them to their owners. They also identified historical and cultural sites to prevent Allied forces from bombing them.


Disabled Vietnam Vet Celebrates Successors

Butch Davis sat at a round table near the corner where the Singing Sergeants entertained in the big gym on Little Rock Air Force Base, which was honoring its top personnel at the annual awards banquet Saturday night. Davis is a Sherwood alderman and disabled Vietnam veteran who almost died in the summer of 1969 in a huge explosion that nearly wiped out his company. He was put on a rescue helicopter along with several dead soldiers heading for the morgue. He’d come to momentarily, hoping the chopper crew didn’t think he was dead.


WWII camp is named historic site

The House on Tuesday approved a long-delayed plan to designate Bainbridge Island, Wash. - where hundreds of Japanese-Americans were once forced from their homes on the way to prison camps during World War II - as a national historic site.

Effort underway to send WWII veterans on a trip of a lifetime

The Fargo Jaycees in cooperation with WDAY radio and television have teamed up to send as many World War II veterans to the National World War II Memorial in Washington D.C., as possible.

The WDAY "World War II Honor Flight" is scheduled for May 3-5 and to help make this trip possible, the Fargo Jaycees have initiated an "Adopt a Vet" project to help send our area veterans to see the memorial.

More News

Hello again.

The Stolen Valor Act remains confusing to those in the collecting community. By no means does Manion's intend for readers of this news blog to take the information we have provided as the end all statement on the issue.

We felt someone needed to do a bit of research and provide some information on the matter. We encourage interested parties to initiate additional research and we offer this space to serve as a forum for discussion.

We advise collectors to establish dialog with elected officials in their community, and are waiting on more information to come in from those in our area.

And now the news...

Click the headline to read each story in full


Hitler becomes news again

The 20th century has tied up Russian and German history into a double knot. For almost a quarter century, these states were deadly enemies. There were times when they were locked in mortal combat.

Although the Russians won in World War II, Germany has survived, whereas the Soviet Union has disappeared from the face of the earth, like the Third Reich before it. This common historical fiasco makes our relations special. This is why we will always follow any change in the German national mentality, especially if it deals with the sensitive subject of Nazism and Hitler's role in the history of humanity.


‘Sophie Scholl’ is heart-stopping journey

Sophie Scholl and her brother Hans were arrested on February 18, 1943 for distributing anti-Hitler leaflets at a Munich university. Their stay in Gestapo custody lasted just four days.

The Scholls belonged to the White Rose, a student resistance group committed to raising public awareness of—and igniting opposition to—the Fuhrer’s catastrophic military strategy and systemized killing of innocent civilians. Several members, Hans included, had witnessed the mass murder of women and children when they were stationed on the Eastern Front.


New film depicts the meeting of Hitler and Christ

Michael Moriarty, the Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning star of Law & Order, is set to premiere his much anticipated film Hitler Meets Christ at the 17th Annual Cinequest Film Festival in San Jose, California.

A dark comedy exploring the polar philosophies of two of the most controversial figures in human history, Hitler Meets Christ stars Moriarty as Hitler and Canadian actor Wyatt Page as Christ. Moriarty adapted the screenplay from a controversial play he wrote in New York in the early '90s (then called Hitler and Christ Meet Death at the Port Authority Bus Terminal).


Iraq photos from combat photographer Richard Rose

Not a lot of text here, but the photos are amazing...


WWII Vet Seeks to Translate, Return Wartime Letters He Found in Japan

More than 60 years after finding them in the black sand of Iwo Jima, a World War Two veteran from the Hudson Valley is seeking to have some Japanese letters translated and returned to Japan.

Vic Voegelin was an 18-year-old sailor aboard a Navy transport ship when he found a satchel that had survived the bombing and fighting after U.S. marines stormed the Pacific island in February 1945.


O'Connor to mediate WWII land dispute

Former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor has agreed to mediate a long-running dispute over government reimbursement for land that was taken during World War II.

The case involves 36,000 acres of farmland, and the valuable natural resources beneath them, in western Kentucky that was taken by condemnation to build the Army's Camp Breckenridge as a training facility. The government paid the owners $3.1 million for the property in the early 1940s.


Iran 'Holocaust foundation' demands documents on Jewish massacre

The so-called Holocaust Foundation of Iran has demanded from Austria, Germany and Poland that they submit documents related to the massacre of Jews during the Second World War, state news agency IRNA reported Tuesday.

The head of the Foundation, Mohammad-Ali Ramin, told IRNA that the documents were needed for the "fact-finding commission" to clarify the real extent of the Holocaust and the number of Jewish victims.


WWII bride finally gets her high school graduation

For Virginia Korf's 80th birthday, her family went to great lengths to give her what World War II had denied her: an honorary diploma marking her place in Ingalls High School's Class of 1945.

There was even a graduation ceremony at the school's gym Saturday, complete with a cap and gown.

A good student, Korf was expelled in March 1945, just a few months from graduation, because she was pregnant.


`One Book' recalls port's WWII glory

This year's choice for Long Beach Reads One Book carries special significance to the port complex and those who toiled there during the dark days of World War II.

The "Greatest Generation" by Tom Brokaw details the American experience before, during and after the war, a conflict which transformed local ports into arteries for the machines, supplies and people needed for victory in the Pacific.

From 1941 to 1945, dockworkers, shipbuilders, merchant marines and Navy personnel worked around the clock, building, repairing and supplying the awesome U.S. naval fleet that helped end Imperial Japan's reign of terror over Asia.


South Florida WWII vets enjoy arrival of vintage planes

The two big bombers rumbled through cloudy skies and gracefully landed at Pompano Beach Air Park on Monday. For many veterans of World War II observing on the ground, it might as well have been 1944.

"The sound of the engines, the exhaust, the smell, it's something you can't forget," said Cal Burtner, 81, of Pompano Beach, who was a radar-bombardier in the Army Air Force.


Veteran To Reunite With Fallen Soldier’s Family

Vietnam veteran Dan Linn said that has a special story to tell about the life of Pfc. Oscar Cruz Gonzalez, of Elsa.

"In my mind, Oscar's a hero," Linn said. "He was a hero 13 days before he was killed in action in Vietnam."

Linn said that he had known Oscar for about 40 days before he was wounded on that frightful night more than 37 years ago.

"I was wounded on January 11, 1970, at about 4:30 p.m. in the afternoon in triple-canopy jungle," Linn said.


Forgotten Women

Like the heroines in the sensational dime novels she devours, Frieda Mintz—the main character of Michael Lowenthal's third novel, Charity Girl—is a young, working-class girl trying to make her living. Set in 1918 Boston, the novel follows Frieda as she runs away from home and falls in love with Felix Morse, a soldier and the son of a wealthy businessman. Charismatic, romantic, and crazy about the Red Sox, Felix spends one day with Frieda before his departure for the Western Front. When he returns to his army camp and doctors discover he has a venereal disease, Frieda gets caught in a shocking turn of events based on a little-known episode in American history.


UC Riverside To Honor Tuskegee Airmen Saturday

UC Riverside's red carpet will be rolled out this weekend for a gathering of American heroes who were awarded one of Congress's highest honors.

Members of the World War II flying cadre known as the "Tuskegee Airmen" will be on hand Saturday for an event celebrating Congress's unanimous decision in March to award the group the Congressional Gold Medal, university spokeswoman Kris Lovekin said. The event will be part of the university's celebration of Black History Month.

Stolen Valor Act

Updated links to Stolen Valor Act news articles

Hello again collectors of militaria,

There have been many stories in the news about those fraudulent individuals who represent themselves as military veterans and have been prosecuted under the Stolen Valor Act, be it local or nationally.

I will begin to post links to these stories as I come across them. You will see our standing concerning Stolen Valor legislation is reiterated in these links - not one collector has been affected by the new law.

Again, Manion's International Auction House fully endorses the prosecution of those who seek to cheapen the sacrifices made by military veterans. However, we feel those who wish to honor those who served through collecting of military related items should be free to do so.
We encourage concerned parties to be vigilant in monitoring proposed legislation in their communities to ensure the wording of the bill safeguards collectors.

Stolen Valor Act News Article Reference Center

In the beginning, many of these Stolen Valor Act news stories were actually, more or less, duplicates as other news outlets picked up on the stories and ran them in different cities across the nation - so many of them had to do with the same offender. More recent posts have been more carefully filtered for duplicate Stolen Valor Act content pertaining to the same incident. Also, if the location of the media outlet is not evident from the name of the "publication", I am attempting to identify the area from which it came so state by state Stolen Valor Act information may be monitored more efficiently.

This monitoring of Stolen Valor Act news stories has proven to be somewhat 0f a challenge to consistently update, and is by no means 100% complete, but as far as I know it is one of the most comprehensive on the web (with the possible exception of Mr. Sterner's Home of Heroes but I have not been through the entire site). If you have a Stolen Valor Act news story that I am unaware of, and does not repeat material already provided - please pass it on!

Denver Post - 9.11.07

Cape Cod today - 9.13.07

Counter Punch - 9.17.07

Air Force Times - 9.17.07

Marine Corps Times - 9.18.07

Seattle Post-Intelligencer - 9.21.07

Pueblo Chieftain - 9.24.07

Army Times - 10.01.07

Baltimore Sun - 10.04.07

Stars and Stripes - 10.04.07

Chicago Tribune - 10.08.08

Military Trader - 10.26.07

Belleview News Democrat - 10.30.07

Lubbock Online - 11.3.07

Southeast Texas Record - 11.07.07

Amarillo.com - 11.23.07

The Queens Gazette - 12.26.07

The Eagle Tribune - 12.27.07

Weatherford Democrat - 12.28.07

Goldsboro News-Argus - 12.30.07

Eagle Tribune - 1.03.08

San Bernardino Sun - 1.03.08

The Virginian-Pilot - 1.06.08

Eagle Tribune - 1.08.08

San Bernadino Courier - 1.12.08

San Diego Union Tribune - 1.13.08

Augusta Chronicle - 1.22.08

WEVC.com - 1.23.08

Havelock News - 1.22.08

Eagle Tribune - 1.30.08

Human Events.com - 2.12.08

Oroville Mercury-Register - 2.27.09

New York Times - 3.18.08

Government Executive.com 3.18.08

Wall Street Journal 3.18.08

Glenwood Springs Post Independent 3.26.08

Biloxi Sun Herald - 4.2.08

New York Daily News - 4.3.08

The Raw Story - 4.3.08

Newsday - 4.6.08

The Mercury News - Silicon Valley - 5.8.08

KCRA Sacremento - 5.08.08

Army Times - 5.12.08

Eagle Tribune - 5.22.08

Austin American Statesman - 5.25.08

Real Clear Politics.com - 5.26.08

Chicago Tribune - 5.27.08

Dallas Observer - 6.5.08

The State Journal (KY) - 7.04.08

Inalnd Valley Daily Bulletin (CA) - 7.19.08

KNBC (LA CA) - 7.21.08

Pittsburgh Post Gazette - 7.28.08

Posted Thursday, March 8th, 2007 - Manion's Collecting News

We have received some more information regarding the Stolen Valor Act. As you may have noticed, Manion's has taken on the responsibility of researching and relaying pertinent information on to the readers of Manion's Collecting News, and the collecting community.

The office of one of our local Congressmen has passed this along, and we thought you may find it of interest. It is a copy of the speech given by Senator Kurt Conrad on the Senate floor February 27th, 2007. Since Senator Conrad's bill was the version signed into law, we feel these remarks may be taken as the legislative intent of the bill. It basically addresses the protection given collectors under the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).

We hope this helps provide more insight into the effect, or lack of, the Stolen Valor Act has on legitimate military collectors.

Statement of Senator Kent Conrad

February 27, 2007

MR. CONRAD: Mr. President, I would like to comment today on the Stolen Valor Act of 2005 that was signed into law by President Bush on December 20, 2006. I am extremely proud of authoring the Senate version of this legislation that ultimately became law. The new law that has resulted from the Stolen Valor Act strengthens and expands the protections for our Armed Forces’ military service awards and decorations.

Since the Stolen Valor Act was signed into law, there have been reports of concerns raised by medals collectors, historians, museums, family members that inherit medals, and persons legitimately possessing, shipping, or selling military service awards and decorations. I would like to make it clear for the Record that the intent and effect of my legislation and the resulting law is only to provide the tools law enforcement need to prosecute those fraudulently using military service awards they did not earn through service to our Armed Forces. It does not in any way restrict legitimate possession, use, shipment, or display of these awards and decorations.

Before the law was enacted, my legislation was reviewed by the Senate Judiciary Committee, the House Judiciary Committee, the Department of Justice, and the Congressional Research Service’s American Law Division. All concluded that the Stolen Valor legislation does not negatively impact those legitimately in possession of military service awards and decorations.

Although the new law modifies Title 18 USC, Section 704, it does not impact the legitimate purchase, sale, or possession of medals. The key part of this passage is the phrase: "except when authorized under regulations made pursuant to law." That exception refers to 32 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Section 507. I believe the concerns raised by collectors and dealers of military medals and memorabilia may stem from lack of familiarity with the CFR and its relationship to statutory law. The CFR is the regulation that implements and administers statutory provisions, in this case, the provisions of 18 USC Section 704 as amended by the Stolen Valor Act.

The CFR specifically states in Section 507.12 (b) “Mere possession by a person of any of the articles prescribed in Sec. 507.8 of this part is authorized provided that such possession is not used to defraud or misrepresent the identification or status of the individuals concerned.” According to numerous legal experts consulted on the drafting of the Stolen Valor legislation, “mere possession” would include: family members that inherit medals, museums, collectors, approved medals dealers, historians, and other persons in possession or selling medals that do not use them for fraudulent purposes. In addition, CFR Sec. 507.8(a) indicates, “the articles listed in paragraphs (a) (1) through (10) of this section are authorized for manufacture and sale when made in accordance with approved specifications, purchase descriptions or drawings.”

The articles listed as authorized for manufacture and sale in Sec. 507.8(a) include: decorations, service medals, ribbons, lapel buttons, and badges with the exception of the Medal of Honor. The CFR allows for the sale of all US medals (except the Medal of Honor) and insignia, provided that an official government manufacturer has made them and that the Institute of Heraldry (IOH) approved those pieces. Thus, the Stolen Valor Act does not in any way stop collectors or dealers from selling or collecting officially made medals and insignia, whether they were made yesterday or fifty years ago.

I ask Unanimous Consent that a memo from the American Law Division at Congressional Research Service supporting this analysis be included in the Record at the conclusion of my remarks.

In closing, I again want to assure those legitimately in possession of, selling, displaying, or shipping military service awards that the Stolen Valor Act is only directed at those who fraudulently use military service awards and decorations. I have been to Walter Reed Hospital, Bethesda Naval Hospital, and have awarded numerous awards and decorations to soldiers and veterans. These brave men and women have given so much to ensure our freedoms. I strongly believe protecting the meaning and valor of military service awards is a very important way we can continue to honor their service and sacrifice.

------------------------------------------------------
Posted Saturday, Feb. 3rd, 2007 - Manion's Collecting News

We have recently received some information from Doug Sterner, the man behind www.homeofheroes.com - a website for information about patriotism, the Medal of Honor, and military history. Doug is very much a supporter of the Stolen Valor Act, and was instrumental in its implementation.

In September Mr. Sterner requested an independent legal opinion regarding the Stolen Valor Act from the American Law Division. This legal opinion affirmed that collectors of medals are protected by the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), and will not be affected by the Stolen Valor Act.

In fact, FBI Special Agent Tom Cottone notes that ANYTHING you, as a dealer or collector, could legally do BEFORE passage of the Stolen Valor Act, you can do NOW with the exception of printing blank citations or claiming to be a recipient of any of the awards you are not (for an in depth article on the history of the Stolen Valor Act, click here).

Note the section in the legislation stating - except when authorized under regulations made pursuant to law - this refers to the above mentioned CFR, the specific sections are listed in the correspondence from Mr. Sterner, which is pasted below.

We hope this helps to shed some light on this issue currently confusing to the collecting community.

Thanks again for reading, and please continue to count on Manion's International Auction House to provide you with more information related to the Stolen Valor Act as it becomes available. We would like to extend sincere appreciation to Mr. Doug Sterner for his assistance in understanding this issue, and for his continued service to his country and for his tireless efforts to honor our nation's military heroes.

----------------------

From Doug Sterner 2/3/07

I am concerned about the misinformation on the Stolen Valor Act.

Below is the way the code read BEFORE the Stolen Valor Act (The blue lettering is the wording that the act ADDED—note that the “manufactures, or sells” language was IN the code BEFORE the Stolen Valor Act (but the exchange, purchase, sale, etc. was legal then). The newly worded act simply MOVED the words “manufactures, or sells” in the paragraph, it did NOT ADD THEM (they were already there)..

(a) In General.--Whoever knowingly wears, purchases, attempts to purchase, solicits for purchase, mails, ships, imports, exports, produces blank certificates of receipt for, manufactures, or sells, attempts to sell, advertises for sale, trades, barters, or exchanges for anything of value any decoration or medal authorized by Congress for the armed forces of the United States, or any of the service medals or badges awarded to the members of such forces, or the ribbon, button, or rosette of any such badge, decoration or medal, or any colorable imitation thereof, except when authorized under regulations made pursuant to law, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than six months, or both.

(b) False Claims About Receipt of Military Decorations or Medals- Whoever falsely represents himself or herself, verbally or in writing, to have been awarded any decoration or medal authorized by Congress for the Armed Forces of the United States, any of the service medals or badges awarded to the members of such forces, the ribbon, button, or rosette of any such badge, decoration, or medal, or any colorable imitation of such item shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than six months, or both.

The language “except when authorized under regulations” in subsection (a) refers to the authorization spelled out in the CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS, which is below. You will see what medals (which includes ALL medals and badges) a person can buy, sell, trade, collect.)

Last September in order to clarify all of this, we requested an Independent Legal Opinion from the American Law Division. It was our belief that the CFR protected collectors and dealers, and this was affirmed by the Legal Opinion. SA Tom Cottone notes that ANYTHING you, as a dealer or collector, could legally do BEFORE passage of the Stolen Valor Act, you can do NOW with the exception of printing blank citations or claiming to be a recipient of any of the awards if you are not.

[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 32, Volume 3]

[Revised as of July 1, 2003]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 32CFR507.8]

TITLE 32--NATIONAL DEFENSE

CHAPTER V--DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY

Subpart B--Manufacture and Sale of Decorations, Medals, Badges, and Insignia.

Sec. 507.8 Articles authorized for manufacture and sale.

(a) The articles listed in paragraphs (a) (1) through (10) of this section are authorized for manufacture and sale when made in accordance with approved specifications, purchase descriptions or drawings.

(1) All authorized insignia (AR 670-1 and AFI 36-2903).

(2) Appurtenances and devices for decorations, medals, and ribbons such as oak leaf clusters, service stars, arrowheads, V-devices, and clasps.

(3) Combat, special skill, occupational and qualification badges and bars.

(4) Identification badges.

(5) Fourrageres and lanyards.

(6) Lapel buttons.

(7) Decorations, service medals, and ribbons, except for the Medal of Honor.

(8) Replicas of decorations and service medals for grave markers. Replicas are to be at least twice the size prescribed for decorations and service medals.

(9) Service ribbons for decorations, service medals, and unit awards.

(10) Rosettes.

(11) Army emblem and branch of service plaques.

(b) Variations from the prescribed specifications for the items listed in paragraph (a) of this section are not permitted without prior approval, in writing, by TIOH.

TITLE 32--NATIONAL DEFENSE

CHAPTER V--DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY

Subpart B--Manufacture and Sale of Decorations, Medals, Badges, and Insignia.

Sec. 507.9 Articles not authorized for manufacture or sale.

The following articles are not authorized for manufacture and sale, except under contract with DSCP:

(a) The Medal of Honor.

(b) Service ribbon for the Medal of Honor.

(c) Rosette for the Medal of Honor.

(d) Service flags (prescribed in AR 840-10 or AFR 900-3).

(e) Army seal.

(f) Commercial articles for public sale that incorporate designs or likenesses of decorations, service medals, and service ribbons.

(g) Commercial articles for public sale that incorporate designs or likenesses of designs of insignia listed in Sec. 507.8 of this part, except when authorized by the Service concerned.

___________________________

Manion's In Newsweek

Greetings collectors!

It’s been a great week here at Manion’s International Auction House. The consignment just keeps rolling in and we’re trying to get it all listed just as fast as we possibly can.

There are several interesting new items listed today including pieces of Eva Braun’s silver service items. Where else in the world could you find something like this other than Manion’s?

Speaking of - Manion’s was mentioned in the most recent issue of Newsweek regarding the Stolen Valor Act. The writer stated Manion’s has pulled all American medals from the Auction, which is not true. Like we mentioned before, we are awaiting confirmation from our governmental representatives and are in contact with other officials involved in the enactment and enforcement of this act. We are under advisement that collectors of American medals should not be concerned about the legislation at this time. We will continue to provide information about this issue as we receive more information.

Also, Manion’s will be on the road picking up consignment Feb. 9^th and 10^th. We will be heading back to Kansas City from Philadelphia taking the Pennsylvania Turnpike to I-70 West. If you are in the area, and would like us to pick up some items, give us a call TODAY!

There have been several items in the news recently we feel you may be interested in. You can view the entire story by simply clicking on the headline.

DOD monitoring slodiers’ blogs

The Electronic Frontier Foundation has filed a lawsuit against the US Department of Defense, demanding information on how it monitors soldiers' blogs.

The EFF, a coalition of lawyers to defend digital rights, says that there is evidence that the Army Web Risk Assessment Cell (AWRAC) reviews hundreds of thousands of websites every month, notifying webmasters and bloggers when it sees information it deems inappropriate.

'Hanoi Jane' becomes 'Jihad Jane'

When I was a young teenager, the boys loved the sexy Jane Fonda in Barbarella. After I became an American soldier and a Vietnam veteran, she was "Hanoi Jane" to all of us. We were disgusted when she became a revolutionary and a communist sympathizer who sat on North Vietnamese anti-aircraft guns and gave aid and comfort to our enemy.

Now Hanoi Jane has become "Jihad Jane," and she has decided that the terrorists of the world who cut off people's heads and blow themselves up to kill innocent men, women and children are not as bad as the Americans who have liberated tens of millions of people since Sept. 11, 2001. In fact, I don't think I have ever heard her criticize the terrorists of the world.

Vietnam Helicopter Restored in Napa Valley

When Al Weiss attended a Vietnam veterans’ reunion in 1998 in Pensacola, Fla., he and his group enjoyed a rare and beautiful sight.

“A refurbished UH-34 was flying up and down the beach,” he said.

Seeing the old helicopter travel across the sky inspired Weiss and his fellow veterans to take action.

“I thought, ‘Why can’t we do that?’”

New Legislation to Study WWII Japanese Latin American Incarceration

U.S. Senator Daniel K. Inouye (D-Hawai‘i) on Jan. 24 introduced a bill to establish a commission that would determine the facts and circumstances involving the forced relocation, internment, and deportation of Latin Americans of Japanese descent during World War II and the late 1940s.

Joining Inouye in introducing the legislation were six original co-sponsors of the legislation — Democratic Senators Daniel K. Akaka of Hawai‘i, Patrick J. Leahy of Vermont, and Carl Levin of Michigan, and Republican Senators Robert F. Bennett of Utah, and Lisa Murkowski and Ted Stevens, both of Alaska.

Ken Burns New WWII Series to Air Soon

The famous documentary filmmaker was in San Diego yesterday afternoon, showing clips from his new epic, “The War,” a 14-hour series about World War II, to about 150 people.

Family gets late serviceman's WWII Navy medals

The service medals arrived too late for Amos Easter of Anderson Township, a World War II Navy veteran.

His daughter, Sandy Jacobs, and other family members received the medals and awards Saturday at 25 Escalon St., Carthage. They were presented by Congressman Steve Chabot.

"This was absolutely great," said Jacobs.

Flights to Honor WWII Veterans

State Rep. John Robinson of Jackson County is seeking to help provide Honor Flights for World War II veterans to be taken to Washington D.C. to see the monument constructed in their honor.

Robinson said, “These veterans have already paid for the freedom we enjoy today. They paid far, far more than the price of a plane ticket.”

Russia May Rebury WWII Heroes if Estonia Destroys Memorials

Russia could rebury Soviet World War II soldiers on its own territory if Estonia chooses to demolish Soviet memorials, President Vladimir Putin said Thursday.

The parliament of EU-member Estonia approved January 10 a law allowing the reburial of Soviet soldiers who died fighting Nazi invaders during World War II, but who are seen by many Estonians as former occupiers.

WWII Vet Honored with French Legion Medal of Honor

World War II veteran and Purple Heart recipient Eli Linden was presented with the French Legion Medal of Honor during a ceremony held at the French Consulate

African American Airmen Proved Mettle in WWII

African Americans were grounded in the U.S. military until the establishment in Alabama of a unique combat flight training program that began on the eve of America's entry into World War II.

America was drawing nearer to fighting a global war with Axis powers Germany, Italy and Japan, and the U.S. Army Air Corps needed more pilots, bombardiers and navigators, as well as maintenance and other support personnel. In 1940, President Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered the Air Corps to create an all-African American military flying unit.

South African Military Museum Raided

In January 2005 Keene and two curators, Susanne Blendulf and Richard Henry, were arrested after military intelligence and police officers raided the museum in Saxonwold, Johannesburg. This came after it was found that that "war-capable weapons and vehicles" were being stored on the premises.

Secrets of the “Ghost Army”

The story began in 1942, when the U.S. Army recruited artists, designers, scriptwriters and sound engineers to form a military unit that didn’t exist – the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops. They were given the mission of creating a "traveling road show" that was destined to deceive the Germans in battle after battle across Europe.
Between D-Day and the end of the war, The Ghost Army – as they called themselves – staged more than 20 battlefield deceptions from Normandy to the Rhine. They employed high-tech sound trucks and inflatable tanks, trucks, jeeps and planes; altered their uniforms and vehicle markings; and impersonated everyone from tight-lipped generals to garrulous drunks.

Richards-Gebauer USMC Facility Up for Sale

When the 147-acre Marine Corps Support Activity base at the former Richards-Gebaur Airport closes in 2011, 27 acres could be set aside for the homeless.

Under a 1994 federal law, homeless agencies have first crack at claiming much surplus federal property, and a legal notice this week in The Kansas City Star announced that the application process for the Marine base was now open.

Man Pleads Guilty To Wearing Phony Medals

In court Thursday, Michael Weilbacher admitted that he was never in the Marines and never was awarded the Navy Cross.

Bob Hunt shook his head in disgust as he gazed across a federal courtroom in St. Louis. "He's a phony," Hunt said, not quite loudly enough for Michael Weilbacher to hear.

Winston Churchill’s Bodyguard

Winston Churchill has come to be seen as one of the greatest prime ministers ever. And one man knew him better than any other - Walter Thompson - Churchill's bodyguard.

Thanks again for reading - please feel free to submit a comment!