Group lot of military insignia belonging to General James Gavin, commander of the 82nd Airborne Division during World War II, including: a sterling silver Master Paratrooper Badge/Jump Wings with stars indicating two combat jumps; an Army Lieutenant general Air Force three-star rank badge; a Basic Paratrooper patch; and a blue military citation pin. Also includes: a glossy 8 x 10 full-length photo of Gavin walking in full uniform during wartime, signed in blue ballpoint, “James Gavin”; and a TNS on an off-white 5 x 3 card, signed “James Gavin,” in full: “Enclosed please find a pair of my jump wings, overseas hat & misc insignia. I hope that they add to your very fine and I must say complete collection.” In overall fine condition. Accompanied by three unsigned items: a glossy 8 x 10 photo of Lt. Gen. Gavin posing with various models, with a US Army caption label affixed to reverse and dated January 22, 1958; a copy of Life magazine from August 4, 1958, showing a large image of Gavin on the front cover with text reading: “’We Are In Mortal Danger,’ General Gavin Cites Tragic Errors In Plans For Limited Or Major War”; and a first edition copy of Paratrooper: The Life of Gen. James M. Gavin, hardcover with dust jacket, published by Simon and Schuster in 1994.
