Identified personal item
Liner identified to Lt. Col. George W. Irvine
Very rare 83rd Infantry Division liner identified to George W. Irvine. The 83rd never marked their helmets but only the liners. The liner is an original early-WWII Firestone manufactured M1 helmet liner. The non-painted steel A-washers date the liner's production from late-1942 to mid-1943. The khaki suspension is strong and intact. Painted on the front is the unit patch of the 83rd Infantry Division, a Lt. Col. rank insignia and named to 'IRVINE'. At one point the liner was pointed red covering up the insignia. A previous owner cleared away some of the paint revealing the 83rd patch again. The liner has to be completed with an original headband and neckband.
This Liner once belong to Lieutenant Colonel George W. Irvine (#O-310440) who was the Commanding Officer of the 324th Field Artillery.
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Lt. Col. George W. Irvine
Lt. Colonel
George W. Irvine
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Lieutenant Colonel George W. Irvine
George William Irvine was born into a Navy family on June 17, 1912, in Wahington DC as the oldest son to Janet Anderson Klink and Robert L. Irvine. His father Robert Leo (1882-1974) was a Captain in the US Navy and served his country during The Spanish-American War, World War One and World War Two. George Irvine received his early education in San Francisco en later Bremerton, Washington. In 1933 he graduated from Stanford University with an A. B. degree. He had civil jobs but followed his ROTC training and became reserve officer's commision in the Field Artillery.
George Irvine served as a first lieutenant with the New York National Guard in 1940 and in 1941 entered active duty with the 186th Field Artillery. He served as firing battery commander and battalion S-2 before being transferred to the 83rd Division as a cadre member. He was with the 83rd Division since its activation at Camp Atterbury, Indiana. He married Eunice Ramona Walker on October 9, 1942 at Camp Atterbury. Prior to being appointed commander of the 324th Field Artillery, Colonel Irvine was Divisional Artillery S-3. In 1941, he completed a Battery Officer's Course at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. He became the commanding officer of the 324th FA Battalion as successor to Lt. Col. William J. Daniel at Camp Breckinridge, Kentucky. For his service he was awarded, among other decorations, the Bronze Star Medal and the European African Middle-Eastern Campaign Medal.
Lt. Colonel (Ret.) George William Irvine died on July 10, 2003, in Puyallup, Washington, when he was 91 years old. He was survived by his wife Eunice R. Irvine who died on April 17, 2014, in Federal Way, Washington, when she was 105 years old.