Yard Sales, Flea Markets and Antique Shops 2023

[Aragorn243]

This is very hard work sometimes. Today I went to two flea markets and probably over 100 yard sales. All in the same town, spent five and a half hours and all I found was a nice Swedish overcoat. The insignia is still on the collars. They are sewn on. I did see some other things but either they were way overpriced, something I had no interest in or a combination of the two. All of it was fairly modern and US stuff which is pretty common. I did get a toy tank also, only thing I got at the flea markets.

Made in 1941, so wartime production. And, it actually fits me which most of these uniforms do not being too small. At $5.00. a pretty good deal also.

[Aragorn243]

Picked up the shell yesterday at an antique shop. 1943 105mm, it's been reloaded several times, the last in 1953 which is the date on the primer. Two different painted stamping, one black, one white, the white is pretty clear, the black is hard to see.

The whistle I found this morning at a yard sale flea market in a nearby town. First I've seen US Army issue. They started the plastic in 1943 and kept them at least through Vietnam. This one is dated 1945.

[browningautorifle]

I carried one of the smaller whistles in my combat uniform for years. It was far easier to get the attention of troops across a field firing range in the wind with a whistle than yelling. Often enough radios weren't present or everyone wasn't on one.

[Aragorn243]

Today's only find was a US WWI M-1910 mess tin. Covered with soot, got it cheap and cleaned it off. What's interesting about it is that it is an LF & C 1917 and these weren't supposed to start until 1918. Obviously, someone's data is incorrect.

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

I have several of the military whistles WWI to current. Got the MP bug a while back. I only know one person who has an eye as good as yours. Retired Navy Command Master Chief. Seems he can smell the neat old stuff.
He did share a yard sale trick with me. Always ask if they have anything military related. It has worked for me several times and I do not yard sale much (no self-control and very little room). Last instance I recall my question yielded a very nice haul of USAF insignia and patches. For some reason folks do not always put militaria out but are more than willing to part with it.

[Aragorn243]

Nothing but what I consider to be modern stuff today with the exception of a Vietnam vet unloading some of his things. I'm finding a lot of digital camo these days, today a camelbak, shirt and hat for $12. Dirt cheap set of the day is a US Air force camo shirt and pants set of a pattern I don't recognize but it was only $2.50, I think it's the pattern just before the current one according to the seller. A GS code blanket for $3 and the Vietnam lot for $30. That consists of a M65 1966 dated field jacket, and a coat/pants set of 1967 tropical uniform. Also what I thought to be the find of the day an M6 bayonet but pulling it out of the scabbard, it's been sharpened very badly. The blade is ruined. A little mildew on the Uniform, currently laundering, it came out, it's in the dryer now. Shirt looks in good shape, slanted pockets, has the name written on the back along the shoulders, was this normal? Pants have one small hole, 1/4 inch in size and the crotch seam needs sewn, not torn but the threads have pulled out. The field jacket looks good except the large tag with the instructions is missing. The small tag with the DSA number is present. No holes, name tag present but service tag missing, didn't think to ask if he was army or marines. It isn't camo so probably army.

[browningautorifle]

has the name written on the back along the shoulders,

I've seen Marines marked like that in days gone by.

[Aragorn243]

I don't know, there are weird things about it. The shirt has no pocket tags, the coat has a name tag with initials in addition to the last name. I'm Army, we always had US Army on one side and our last name on the other. The name written with "sharpie" on the back of the shirt is the same as the name on the pocket of the coat. I just realized today that in all the years I've been looking for this at yard sales, this is the first set of jungle fatigues I've ever come across. I see WWII-Korea and post Vietnam all the time but rarely Vietnam stuff.













---------- Post added at 08:55 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:52 PM ----------

Here's the butchered bayonet, ground off almost an eigth inch off the blade.













---------- Post added at 08:57 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:55 PM ----------

And the modern shirts.

[browningautorifle]

I had one of those shirts that I used as a shop coat and wore it for years until it fell apart. The M65, I bought one in '74 from another soldier on base that had done a couple tours in RVN in about '70 as a cook. I wore that one for 30 years until it had been repaired so many times and the material was rotten. I HAD to get rid of it.

I bet you can sell that M6 to someone and do well. Just mention it's a vet bring back.

[Aragorn243]

I can't lose on the M6, he sold it to me for $5. We had already agreed on $25 for the uniforms. I didn't bother to pull it out of the scabbard as it was all wrapped up. I was disappointed when I did to show it to my wife. It looks great in the scabbard.