Posted 14 years ago
Alpha1
(17 items)
My father used this ash tray while he was a P.O.W. in Romania. It measures approx. 6 1/4" x 4".
He was taken prisoner after being shot down during a major bombing raid on the Ploie?ti oil refineries in Romania. He was the Navigator on a B-24 Liberator.
Like many others he never talked about the war much, but I have been able to pick up information over the years & from going thru his things after he passed on.
My most prized pocession of his is the ring he wore from Navigation School. At the bottom it is inscribed w/ U.S.A.A.F. for U.S. Army Air Force. It never left his finger until he passed & my family allowed me to have it. It has not left my finger since.
There were times while growing up that the "Princess of Romania" stayed w/ us for a few days. I understand she traveled America staying w/ the families of the P.O.W.'s she helped get out of Romania when the Nazi's were pulling out.
Have shown this ash tray to some collectors who found it interesting, but did not know where to start researching.
While @ in a Numismatic office I showed him this ash tray. During his examination his associate came out of his office, since he is a WWII buff. Neither had ever seen 1 of these & were intrigued by the story & this piece.
They surmised that this was 1 of a few, if any, remaining pieces.
To restore a monetary system Romania melted all the metal it could find to produce coins. These pieces would have been one of the 1st to be melted according to them.
No wonder I have had a tough time finding any information on this ash tray.