The uniform insignia & breast pin are in very good, antique condition.
Read below for short bio regarding Colonel Francis W. Devlin Sr. & how the Knights Cross (along with other memorabilia was obtained) from consignor. A print up will also be included with the lot.
My father Colonel Francis W. Devlin, Sr., was a career military officer. During World War II, he was an officer with the 189 the Hospital Unit in the Army. After crossing the Atlantic to England, a ship named the Cheshire transported the unit to France, where the ship lay just off of Omaha Beach. Members of the 189th then disembarked onto LCTs and were taken to Omaha Beach late in the day of October 15th. The immediate problem faced by the 189th was constant, heavy rain for several days. Finally, the unit arrived at their first site: Lison, France, on the Cotentin Peninsula. A 1000- bed hospital unit was constructed
there--mainly tents pitched on concrete. This hospital was adjacent to the 2nd Hospital unit, which had been situated there for awhile and from whom the personnel of the 189th learned a great deal. During construction, 2 men stepped on a landmine and 1 was seriously injured. In October of 1944, the unit consisted of the following: 41 officers, 1 warrant officer, 82 nurses, 2 physical therapists, 2 dietitians, 5 American Red Cross workers, and 454 enlisted men. The patients at Lison consisted of American, Allied, and German POWs. They usually arrived 100 at a time via a hospital train about a mile away and were transported by ambulance to the facility. Between November 17th and December 31st the unit admitted 1,698 American and Allied patients, 947 POWs, and 71 civilians. 675 of these patients had battle injuries. 124 had neuro-psychic issues; 82 had venereal disease, and 138 had respiratory diseases. By January 1, 1945, most of the patients (88%) were German POWs. By 8 January 1945 the 189th was ordered to become a hospital exclusively for German POWs ranging in age from 15-58. During this time period, my father had many occasions to interact with German POWs who were being treated at the hospital. Some of them spoke French, which my father was fluent in. One of them, a decorated Luftwaffe officer, who was very grateful to the Americans for saving his life, gave his Iron Cross medal and other insignia and “souvenirs” to my father. The 189 th spent 103 days in Normandy before being transferred to Mourmelon about 320 miles east of Normandy and closer to Germany. He left Europe and returned home on October 31, 1945. After the war, he joined the 103 rd Fighter Group at Bradley Field in Windsor Locks, CT, where he served for 26 more years before retiring. He was promoted to the rank of full colonel before his retirement. Colonel Devlin died of lung cancer from smoking at age 60 in 1974. (Note: A lengthier bio can be found at fold3.com.)
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Waterbury Auction Gallery | (203) 437-8040 | Waterburyliquidators@gmail.comWinning bidders have 30 DAYS to schedule an appointment and pickup their items. Please call the office at 203-437-8040 Tues. - Fri. 11am - 4 pm & Sat. 11 am - 3pm to schedule an appointment for a Wed. Thurs. Fri.
