Original Item: One-of-a-kind. PFC George A. Sheppard ASN 31284592 from Adams, Massachusetts entered the service on February 5th 1943 and left on December 15th, 1945. He was a member of the 321st Glider Field Artillery Battalion as a light artillery gun crewman and Machine Gunner spending 26 months overseas in England, France, Holland, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, and Holland. He fought in the following campaigns with the 101st Air Borne division; Normandy, Rhineland, Ardennes, and Central Europe and received the Bronze Star Medal the citation reads as follows:
CITATION FOR THE BRONZE STAR
Private First Class George A. Shepherd, 31284592, Glider Field Artillery, while serving with the Army of the United Sates; distinguished himself by meritorious service in connection with military operations against the enemy of the United States from 6 June 1944 to 24 January 1945. Throughout the Normandy Campaign, operation in Holland, and defense of Bastogne, Belgium, he rendered outstanding service as a Machine Gunner. His actions were in accordance with the highest standards of the military service. Entered military service from Massachusetts.
- Original Class A Uniform Jacket named to Sheppard in excellent condition features a 101st Airborne "Screaming Eagles" division patch on left shoulder with AIRBORNE tab above, medal ribbons that include: Bronze Star, Good Conduct, WWII Victory Medal ribbon with Medal, European-African Middle East Campaign with 1 battle star (the other 4 are missing) and the American Campaign Ribbon with Medal.
- Artillery overseas garrison cap with red piping ID'd to Sheppard with excellent glider patch.
- Fantastic Bronze Bastogne Airborne bronze plaque
- Original Bronze Star Medal in Case with original citation with 101st Airborne Division stamp.
- Original battlefield printed (not a copy) Brig. Gen. Anthony McAuliffe’s 1944 Christmas "NUTS" letter to the 101st Airborne. Originals like this sell for $500-$800 on their own. To read the letter scroll to bottom of the page.
- Lots of original paperwork including original Honorable Discharge, Separation Certificate, Vmail, Correspondence post cards and pages of other wartime documents most naming Sheppard.
- A set of August Wellner silver spoons in box that has pencil written on top which reads "SILVERWARE FROM HTLER'S HIDEOUT". Wellner was well know for supplying silverware to NSDAP high command.
- Original wartime photos of Sheppard in uniform.
- Compass in case.
- Pen knife
- Match books.
- WWII White Owl cigar box to hold all the keepsakes.
- Trench lighter.
- Mission Accomplished book.
- War time newspaper clippings.
- Yank Newspaper about Bastogne dated Jan 21st, 1945.
- And Much More!
A unique grouping from a high decorated machine gunner in of the the most famous Air Borne division in history!
Transcript of “NUTS!” — Brig. Gen. Anthony McAuliffe’s 1944 Christmas Letter
MERRY CHRISTMAS
HEADQUARTERS 101ST AIRBORNE DIVISION
Office of the Division Commander
24 December 1944
What’s Merry about all this, you ask? We’re fighting — it’s cold, we aren’t home. All true but what has the proud Eagle Division accomplished with its worthy comrades the 10th Armored Division, the 705th Tank Destroyer Battalion and all the rest? Just this: We have stopped cold everything that has been thrown at us from the North, East, South and West. We have identifications from four German Panzer Divisions, two German Infantry Divisions and one German Parachute Division. These units, spearheading the last desperate German lunge, were headed straight west for key points when the Eagle Division was hurriedly ordered to stem the advance. How effectively this was done will be written in history; not alone in our Division’s glorious history but in World history. The Germans actually did surround us, their radios blared our doom. Their Commander demanded our surrender in the following imprudent arrogance:
December 22nd 1944
“To the U. S. A. Commander of the encircled town of Bastogne.
The fortune of war is changing. This time the U. S. A. forces in and near Bastogne have been encircled by strong German armored units. More German armored units have crossed the river Ourthe near Ortheuville, have taken Marche and reached St. Hubert by passing through Hompres-Sibret-Tillet. Libramont is in German hands.
There is only one possibility to save the encircled U. S. A. Troops from total annihilation: that is the honorable surrender of the encircled town. In order to think it over a term of two hours will be granted beginning with the presentation of this note.
If this proposal should be rejected the German Artillery Corps and six heavy A. A. Battalions are ready to annihilate the U. S. A. Troops in and near Bastogne. The order for firing will be given immediately after this two hour’s term.
All the serious civilian losses caused by this Artillery fire would not correspond with the well known American humanity.
The German Commander”
The German Commander received the following reply:
22 December 1944
“To the German Commander:
N U T S !
The American Commander”
Allied Troops are counterattacking in force. We continue to hold Bastogne. By holding Bastogne we assure the success of the Allied Armies. We know that our Division Commander, General Taylor, will say: “Well Done!”
We are giving our country and our loved ones at home a worthy Christmas present and being privileged to take part in this gallant feat of arms are truly making for ourselves a Merry Christmas.
/s/ A. C. McAULIFFE
/t/ McAULIFFE
Commanding.
