The bank note was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2013 by Cristy L. Phillips, the granddaughter of John Phillips.
Allied Military currency, one [eine] mark, for use in Germany, acquired by John Phillips, a soldier in the postwar United States Army of Occupation in Austria and Germany from April 1946 - January 1947. Military currency or occupation money was produced for use by military personnel in occupied territories. The notes for different currencies: lire, francs, kroner, marks, schillings, and yen, had similar designs for ease of production. Phillips served in the US Army from June 1945 to January 1947, with the 222nd Infantry, 42nd Infantry Division, Cannon Company, 5th Infantry Division, and F Company, 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division.
Allied Military Authority currency, 1 mark, for use in Germany owned by an American soldier
John Pines Phillips was born on June 28, 1924, in Anson, North Carolina, to Walter Binyon (Bun) and Sallie Gilmore Phillips. He had eleven siblings. His father Bun was a carpenter. John was a salvage inspector. On December 8, 1941, following the attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States entered World War II. On May 7, 1945, Germany surrendered, but the US was still at war with Japan. On June 29, 1945, John was inducted into the United States Army. He trained at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and Camp Pickett, Virginia, and qualified as an M1 rifle marksman. On September 2, 1945, Japan surrendered, ending World War II. On January 27, 1946, John was discharged from the wartime draft force and re-enlisted in the regular army. John was sent to Europe on April 1 as part of the Army of Occupation. He was stationed in Germany and Austria. He served as a private first class with the 222nd Infantry Regiment, 42nd Infantry Division. The 42nd was inactivated in June and John was transferred to Cannon Company, 5th Infantry Division. The 5th was inactivated in November and John was moved to F Company, 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division. On January 3, 1947, John returned to the US. He was discharged on January 24 and returned to North Carolina. On August 2, John married Louise Abernathy (1922-2008). They had two sons. John worked at Phillips Construction. John, age 86, died on February 22, 2011, in North Carolina.
overall: Height: 2.625 inches (6.668 cm) | Width: 3.000 inches (7.62 cm)
Square paper currency with a face in light blue green ink with an abstract leafy underprint with a white M in the center, overlaid by a black latticework design, within a black decorative border with German text at the top. The denomination 1 is in each inner corner in blue ink. The serial number is in the center, with German text on all sides. The reverse is in orange ink, with a large white M in the center of an ornate, circular medallion within a square, geometric patterned frame. The note is creased, lightly soiled, and missing the top left corner.
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