The Story of How These U.S. Army
World War II Issue Paratrooper
Armbands Were First Discovered

AT SOME POINT during the mid-1980s, military collectors from around the world were surprised and baffled to see what appeared to be U.S. Army World War II Issue 48-star American flag armbands such as the ones in these photographs appearing for the first time throughout the United States.

This military item had never been seen before by anyone, let alone documented, so their appearance was startling!

Eventually, Mr. Kaufman learned the entire story regarding how these ‘Invasion Armbands’ happened to be discovered…

The story told of an American farmer who uncovered an old wooden crate in his barn that he had purchased sometime after World War II. Inside were 500 American flag armbands on oilcloth believed to have been designed to be worn by American paratroopers during the Allied invasion of Europe that began on D-Day, June 6, 1944.

The armbands on the outermost layer inside the wooden crate were virtually destroyed by the elements over the years, whereas the ones closer to the middle were in excellent condition. The two safety pins enabled a soldier to attach the armband to his uniform.

This amazing story sounded too good to be true, so Mr. Kaufman began making inquiries of his own to determine its validity. His investigation extended across the country and back again. It finally ended when he tracked down the actual wooden crate and the original armbands that appear in these photographs!

Featured are a few of the original armbands. Whereas some of the armbands are gently weathered, others appear to have been packed ‘closer to the middle’.

The black stencil on one side of the wooden crate reads:

1946 PACK
PACKED 1948
BRASSARDS (armbands) ARM
AMERICAN FLAG
PRINTED