Description:

OPERATION MARKET GARDEN RECOVERED 82ND AIRBORNE JUMP KNIFE
A superb relic from the desperate battle for "A Bridge Too Far", an American-issue 11" long "jump knife" with ridged leather grip and intact scabbard, recovered from the drop zone of the 505th P.I.R. of the 82nd Airborne, near Groesbeek, Holland, not far from the German border. The blade remains quite clean, bright and sharp, the metal trim on the scabbard bears some rust, otherwise this important relic, undoubtedly lost in the early hours of the invasion, is in very good condition. On September 17, 1944, the 505th hit the silk over Groesbeek and on landing took a trainload of supplies and troops. Nijmegen and its strategically vital rail and highway bridges over the Waal River were still to the north. After its arrival, the 504th eventually took the road bridge at Nijmegen, but only after it had suffered heavy losses in a brutal daylight river crossing. As the 504th attacked the bridge, the 505th provided crucial support against counter-attacking Germans inside the town. From the personal collection of World War II and Civil War historian Michael Miner. Miner's thirty-year collection was built through an extensive system of contacts he developed with artifact hunters and diggers in Europe and the Far East, and he maintained careful records of the items he amassed.

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May 14, 2009 10:00 AM EDT
Stamford, CT, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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