us-005578-irn517808-irn518227
type: RecordSet
archival history: The hat and box were donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2006 by Ronne Mitnick Hess, the daughter of J. George Mitnick.
biographical history: J. George Mitnick (1917-2005) was born in Hartford Connecticut to David and Rose Mitnick (nee Schwartz). George was the youngest of six children and was raised in a conservative religious home. After high school, George attended the University of Connecticut. Due to family financial stress, George left school after two years and got a job at a supermarket. After a year, he began working at the lumber company owned by his father and two uncles. After Japan bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, George enlisted in the Army. George trained at camp Devens, Massachusetts, and Camp Lee, Virginia before entering Officer Candidate School (OCS) in Edgeward, Maryland. George graduated as a Second Lieutenant in the 45th Infantry Division and was sent to Gadsden and then to Fort McClellan, Alabama for further training. While he was stationed in Alabama, George was promoted to Captain. He also met Willine Engel while visiting Birmingham, and the two began a relationship. George then received orders to report to the headquarters of the 65th Infantry Division at Camp Shelby, Mississippi. While in Shelby, George and Willine were married in spring 1944, and then George shipped out to Europe with the 65th. The 65th landed at Le Havre, France in January, 1945, and was deployed to the German border in March. In April, the division advanced into Bavaria and captured the city of Regensburg. On April 13, George arrived at the recently liberated Ohrdruf concentration camp in Germany. There he saw the abysmal living conditions and the sickly, emaciated corpses of the prisoners the guards killed before they fled. On April 20, the division liberated a subcamp in the Flossenbürg camp system. In May, the 65th captured the town of Passau, then moved into Austria and captured the city of Linz. On May 9, hostilities officially ended in Europe, George was among the troops of the 65th who made contact with the Russians at Erlauf. After the war, George was assigned to arrange for the separation of …
physical characteristics and technical requirements: a.Green felt hat with an oval brim, a tall crown with four indentations, and a brown ribbon with a bow attached around the crown’s base. A gold-black, acorn braided cord surrounds the brim and bottom of the crown. The cord is secured by two leather bands and knotted with three hard, gold, tassel-like decorations. The hat interior has an adjustable leather chin strap and a brown, leather, brow band. b.Rectangular, black, cardboard box with a removable insert of brown cardboard that supports the bowl of hat. Inside is brown tissue paper, decorated with ADAM and a shield with A & H in opposing corners. Stapled to the box is a paper label. a. back of leather band, black marker: 0-1037187 / LT. J. George Mitnick
conditions of access: No restrictions on access
conditions of use: No restrictions on use
date: after 1941 December 07
has or had holder: us-005578
has or had identifier: 1
has or had some members with language: eng
has record set type: Item
identifier: irn518227
is or was included in: us-005578-irn517808
record resource extent: a: Height: 5.250 inches (13.335 cm) | Width: 12.750 inches (32.385 cm) | Depth: 14.250 inches (36.195 cm) b: Height: 6.375 inches (16.192 cm) | Width: 13.125 inches (33.338 cm) | Depth: 14.500 inches (36.83 cm)
results or resulted from: 1
scope and content: Service hat issued to J. George Mitnick by the United States Army during World War II. Service hats were issued to both officers and enlisted men. The color of the cord around the brim indicated the enlisted man’s branch of service. Service hats with the gold and black cords were issued to officers. Mitnick, a 27 year-old Jewish American, served as a captain in the 65th Infantry Division, European Theater and in the Chemical Warfare Service, 91st Chemical Mortar Battalion, 45th Infantry Division. His unit took control of the Ohrdruf concentration camp in April 1945; nearly all the inhabitants were dead, killed by the departing German troops. This was the first concentration camp liberated by US troops and descriptions of the conditions horrified the world. Mitnick’s unit continued on into Austria and was involved with the liberation of Mauthausen concentration camp. Captain Mitnick was awarded two Bronze Stars for his service.
title: US Army service hat and hat box owned by a Jewish soldier