World War II treasure to join museum collection

From Statesman Journal: World War II treasure to join museum collection
World War II memorabilia is highly collectible, Band of Brothers memorabilia even more so.

Knowing that, Bill Wingett wasn't about to announce that he had found his guidon from Easy Company of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne.

A guidon is a small flag carried as a standard by a military unit, and his guidon represents not just any unit, but the one made famous by Stephen Ambrose's book "Band of Brothers" and the subsequent HBO miniseries.

It might even be fair to call it the Holy Grail of guidons.

"When I did find this thing, I didn't intend to let it get out that I had it," Wingett told me this past week. "I knew there would be offers to buy it."

Word eventually did get out about the guidon, which he discovered in a box of keepsakes, and one gentleman, a collector, offered him $7,000.

Wingett figures it's worth more, but it's not for sale. And hopefully never will be.

The longtime Salem resident is donating the guidon to the Don F. Pratt Memorial Museum at Fort Campbell, Ky., home of the 101st Airborne. Wingett will present it to the museum during an event Wednesday leading up to Veterans Day.

He believes it's too valuable a treasure to just hang on the wall of his home, among all his medals (including the Bronze Star) and other military memorabilia. There was a time years ago when he had it on display in his office at home, hanging on a dowel, before he "lost it."

It is a swallow-tail style guidon — a triangular portion is cut away from the fly section — 28 inches wide, 181/2 inches tall. Inside the channel along the hoist, where a pole can be inserted, is stitched a tag that reads "Phila. Quartermaster Depot."

The guidon is dark blue, made of wool bunting, with white appliquéd insignia. In the center are crossed rifles 11 inches long, with the number 506 above and the letter E below.

The location of the 31/2-inch high regimental number and company letter is important, because museum officials originally were concerned this might not have been an authentic World War II guidon.