Antique of the Week: World War II-Era Army Jacket

As everyone in Kensington knows, Antique Row is one of the community’s points of pride. Howard Avenue and its side streets are lined with shops specializing in antique furniture, rugs, vintage toys, used books and more. This large presence in the community sparked our feature, Antique of the Week, where we will showcase a different item or curiosity each week to bring attention to pieces from the past.

This week, we’re featuring a World War II-era U.S. Army jacket and some captured Nazi equipment. 

At the end of World War II, when the Nazis were stripped of their medals and emblems, the 21st Chemical Company authorized a Jewish-American soldier to mail a number of possessions of a Nazi soldier, including a helmet and 17 medals.

The 21st Chemical Company was responsible for providing smoke and decontamination support for the 82nd Airborne Division.

This American soldier’s jacket and gas mask, and the Nazi equipment he sent back to the U.S., are being sold for $7,000 at History for Sale — even though Hareth Jasim, the owner of History for Sale, is reluctant to display the Nazi equipment.

Jasim's shop located at 3758 Howard Avenue. He can be reached at (240) 264-7274.