WW2 Ike Jacket

Private Ernest J. Antman - F Company, 330th Infantry Regiment

This is a nice 83rd Infantry and USSAF (US Strategic Air Forces) Ike Jacket identified to Ernest J. Antman. It includes just his Ike Jacket, the shirt and tie are added for display.

The Jacket still has the original insignia sewn to it, including on his left sleeve, the USSAF patch, the Private chevron, three Overseas Service Bars. On his right sleeve he has his former combat unit patch of the 83rd Infantry Division, the Private chevron and a Merritorious Unit Commendation. Above the right-hand pocket is his Ruptured Duck.

Private Ernest J. Antman

Ernest John Antman was born on December 19, 1915 in Passaic, New Jersey as the son of John Antman, born in Hungary of Jewish origin, and Mary 'Kaszmer' Antman. He married Helen Kasu, a Hungarian immigrant, on June 25, 1940. They had one son, Ernest John Jr., born on June 16, 1943. Before entering the Army he was employed as manager of the Food Fair in Rutherford.

Inducted in December 1943, Private Antman (#42101006) was trained at Fort McClellan, Alabama and Fort Meade, Maryland. Before going overseas in June 1944 he spent a fifteen-day furlough at home with his wife Helen and son Ernest Jr. who was just one years old. After going overseas he joined F Company, 330th Infantry Regiment from the 48th Replacement Battalion on July 30, 1944. Ernest Antman was listed in the Morning Reports on August 8, 1944 as Non Battle Casualty and transferred to 108th Evacuation Hospital. He rejoined his Company on August 21, 1944. Private Antman remained with his unit until December 12, 1944 when he was taken from the frontline with very badly frozen feet and transferred to a hospital as a trenchfoot victim. On New Year’s Eve, Mrs. Antman received a telegram from the War Department reporting her husband Missing In Action as of December 12, 1944 while his Company was fighting in the Hurtgen Forest. However, Mrs. Antman had received letters from her husband prior to the telegram telling her he had been evacuated and was in a hospital in France. In his later letters he reported that he had recovered and would be transferred to a convalescent camp shortly. As with many soldiers who suffered from trenchfoot he was unable to return to frontline duty and was instead assigned to the United States Strategic Air Forces (USSTAF), a formation of the United States Army Air Forces. It became the overall command and control authority of the United States Army Air Forces in Europe during World War II. For his service in WWII he was awarded, among other decorations, the Combat Infantry Badge, the European African Middle-Eastern Campaign Medal with three campaign stars and the Purple Heart Medal.

Ernest J. Antman died on July 2, 2000 in Ridgewood, New Jersey. He was preceded in death by his wife Helen who passed away on July 24, 1992.

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