WWII US Eisenhower Jacket Identified to Warrant Officer William P. Cianci 17th Airborne Division
Item #: WR1059
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This is a Model 1943 enlisted mans Eisenhower jacket from World War II. This style of jacket became popularly known as the Eisenhower, or "Ike" jacket during World War II. The 1943 version of the jacket the sleeves have adjustable cuffs, a throat closure tab, adjustable buckle waist straps, two inner pockets and the front pockets have a single button each. A quartermaster tag is sewn into the right inner pocket. It reads "Jackets, Field, WOOL,/ O.D. Officers/Stock No. 55-J-386-70/38L/Mfrs. Code No. 1909/P.O. No. 9382/Dated Dec. 23, 1944/Pattern Dated 11/1/44/Spec. P. Q. D. No. 472/Phila. Q. M. Depot" with a space for the inspector's stamp below. A hand written size 38L can also be found on the lining in the neck area. There are no chevrons sewn on either sleeve of the jacket as this soldier was a warrant officer. The unit patch on the left sleeve is of the 17d Airborne Division. Four overseas stripes are sewn above the left sleeve cuff, indicating 24 months overseas. The right sleeve has nothing sewn on it. The 17th Airborne Division saw service from 15 April, 1943 to 16 September, 1945 during World War II and then again from 1948 to 1949 as a training division. During World War II the 17th Airborne Division fought in the Battle of the Bulge, Operation Varsity and the Invasion of Germany. The 17th Airborne Division had 4 Medal of Honor recipients during World War II, and suffered 1191 killed, 4904 wounded, 224 soldiers missing in action and 426 prisoners of war. Those are some pretty impressive numbers considering the unit only had 45 days of actual combat time. Warrant Officer Junior Grade Cianci of the 17th Airborne Division wears the U.S. brass of an American officer on each of his lapels. A WOJG insignia is pinned to each epaulet to show his rank. His ribbons include the Bronze Star Medal, The American Defense Service Medal and the European, African, Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with one bronze arrowhead and three campaign stars. Pinned above the ribbons is a set of Sterling jump wings. Pinned on the left pocket flap below the ribbons is a Combat Infantry Badge. The last four of a laundry number, 2190, is ink stamped on the lining of the jacket, but no initial. Fortunately, a photo copy of a Bronze Star citation for a Warrant Office Junior Grade William P. Cianci was found in the right inner breast pocket! William Paul Cianci was born 25 April, 1919 in Dunmore, Pennsylvania. He enlisted in the Army on 14 November, 1940. I have not been able to find many military records for Cianci, but he was shown as a 1st Sergeant of a recruiting station at Ft. Meade, Maryland in 1942. Warrant Officer Cianci does show up on the rosters of Headquarters Company, 193rd Glider Infantry Regiment, 17th Airborne Division. His Bronze Star citation shows he was awarded the BSM "for meritorious achievement in connection with military operations against the enemy during the period 1 January, 1945 to 8 February, 1945". Cianci assumed the duties of the regimental adjutant when the actual adjutant was wounded. He was discharged from the Army on 14 November, 1945 at Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania. He passed away on 23 November, 1991 at 82 years of age and is buried in the Cathedral Cemetery in Scranton, Pennsylvania. This "Ike" jacket is in very good condition and will be a welcomed addition to any WWII collection.
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