Original U.S. WWI North Russian Polar Bear Expedition 339th Infantry Overseas Cap & Postcard Grouping - John Soma Jr.

Original Items. One-of-a-Kind Group. This is the small polar bear grouping of Private John Soma Jr., Headquarters Company, 339th Infantry Regiment, North Russian Expedition, who was with the original contingent of the regiment. The grouping consists of a postcard sent home by Soma while in Archangel, his overseas cap, his VFW overseas cap with a rare polar bear patch, and his VFW patch.

The postcard is addressed to Miss Mabel Garbarino in Detroit, Michigan, and is signed John Soma, 339 Inf Hqrs Co., Archangel, Russia. He mentions that he’s written several times but hasn’t heard back and that he’s been in Archangel for 6 months.

Soma’s overseas cap is heavily moth-holed and has a depot tag for A.G. Spaulding & Bros with a contract date of August 27th, 1918. There is extensive moth damage. His VFW overseas cap is similarly heavily mothed. The cap bears a lovely Polar bear patch next to MICHIGAN. The other side has the VFW insignia next to V.F.W. 436 for his post. Also included is a spare VFW patch. 

This is an extremely worn grouping with heavy mothing across both caps, but the postcard certainly identifies the grouping to Soma. Anything to a member of the Polar Bear Expedition is heavily sought after, so don’t miss out on this.

A very interesting group, ready for further research and display.