Original U.S. WWII 82nd Airborne Division 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment Inscribed M1910 Mess Kit - Sicily 1943

Original Item. One-of-a-Kind. The 505th Infantry Regiment (505th IR), formerly and colloquially the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment (505th PIR) and the 505th Airborne Infantry Regiment (505th AIR), is an airborne infantry regiment of the United States Army, one of four infantry regiments of the 82nd Airborne Division of the United States Army, with a long and distinguished history.

This is a great M1910 Mess kit which was manufactured by Landers, Frary, & Clark in 1918, and issued during World War II to a member of the 505th PIR. The bottom of the mess kit is inscribed with AIRBORNE in a rocker shape, without the border, over SICILY / 1943, over 505 PIR. The 505th made its first combat jump behind enemy lines into Gela in the early hours of 10 July 1943, which was the first regimental sized combat jump in the history of the United States Army.

High winds on the 505th's drop zone caused a large number of the regiment to be scattered all over the island, with up to 100 men landing in the British Eighth Army's sector. The 505th suffered heavy losses during the relatively brief campaign, including Lieutenant Colonel Arthur F. Gorham, the 1st Battalion commander, who was killed. The regiment then returned to North Africa in August for refit to absorb replacements before taking part in the assault on Salerno, on the night of 14 September, where they made their second combat jump. The regiment continued to fight in the Italian campaign, where the 505th, aided by tanks of the British 23rd Armoured Brigade, captured the city of Naples in early October, later helping the Allies breach the Volturno Line before returning to Naples for occupation duty.

This is an outstanding mess kit, ready for further research and display!