US 1959 Dated USMC Colonel's Mess Dress Uniform, Identified WWII-Korea-Vietnam
This item is listed for historical interest only. It was listed on our site previously but has been sold and is no longer available for purchase.
Sold for: $295.00

Original era manufacture. Midnight blue wool jacket with matching trousers, both decorated with gold wire embroidery and/or brocade. The tunic is lined with red silk and has its original Marine Corps Depot of Supplies Philadelphia tag inside the pocket. The tag is dated 1959 and bears the name of Lt. Colonel J.M.Callender. On each shoulder epaulette is a hand embroidered full Colonel insignia. The trousers are of matching material to the tunic and display a wide gold brocade stripe down the outside of each seam. Also included is a red silk cummerbund which also displays a Marine Corps Depot tag and is also named to the Colonel. No moth damage to the set, just light wear and age. Colonel James M Callender was born in Texas in 1919 and graduated from the US Naval Academy with the class of 1942. He served as officer commanding the Marine Detachments on several warships during WWII. During the Korean War he served with the 3rd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment during the epic withdrawal from the Chosin Reservoir where (according to his obituary) he was awarded the Silver Star and Purple Heart. In 1965 he was commanding officer, 12th Marine Regiment, Da Nang, Republic of Vietnam. Great research potential and a beautiful uniform to boot.