One of the most sought-after and hard to find pieces of USMC militaria. The classic P41 is well known, but what truly makes this stand out is the stamp on the reverse. This is a UNIS stamp - Unit Numerical Identification System. From my research, the UNIS system was adopted in 1944 following the conclusion of the Marshall Islands campaign. Each division had a different shaped stamp on their equipment, within the shaped stamp a number for the unit and above the stamp a number for rank. In this example, the 4 signifies a Lieutenant, the 228 4th Amphibian Truck Company and the semi-circle the 4th Marine Division. Add all this information to the name, and it's a good piece to research.
I've included an image of a Jan 45 USMC muster roll showing Donnelly as a 2nd Lt in this unit.
Pat Rangler Donnelly was born in Deschler, Ohio and was raised in Toledo, Ohio. He enlisted in the USMC in 1942 and as a part of Special Officer Candidate School (SOCS). He was commissioned at Camp Lejune, NC as a 2nd Lt and was sent to the 4th Marine Division based on Maui, HI. where he was assigned to the Amphibious Truck Co. (DUKWs). From there they were sent to Iwo Jima where he was in charge of landing DUKWs loaded with artillery and supplies, then sending them back to the ship with wounded men. He turned 21 years old on a ship returning from Iwo Jima. Pat was also recalled to active duty during the Korean War. He worked in the petrochemical service industry worldwide for over 40 years and retired as a Vice President in 1984. He passed away in October 2017. More info here.
Not only does this directly tie this shirt to Iwo Jima, the records show the 4th Truck Co. were amongst the first to land, bringing the 4th Marine Divison's artillery ashore. This is a truly historic collectable and piece of USMC history.
Condition
This is in amazing condition, there are a number of very carefully made repairs to the front and sleeves, but the HBT itself is great and very strong. There is some fading to the print but it's very visible.
Size
- No tag but fits medium
- Pit to pit 21"
- Shoulder to shoulder 18.5"
- Shoulder to cuff 21.5"
- Collar to hem 28"