1
Antelope ValleyPress, 5unday, ruly l5f zu I v -rv After 30 years, stolen jacket makes its way home ( ffih'e last.time t sawthe . I tacket lt was hangrngm I a closetat my gralril- Darents' house," Dan Potter ;aid. "That was 1980, maybe '81.', Not long after that, the Woild War II Army jacket, known as an'Tisenhower Jacket' or "lke Jacket'because it was introduced under Gen. Dwisht D.'Ike' EiseDhower, wasitolen in a break-in at the grandparents'home. "I was deployed for a time with the Marines as a civilian and when I returned in 1985, the entire uniform was gone. SoI ditln't think I'd ever see v William P. Warford Columnlst AnteloDe Valhv Prcss -r'- -- ewar Io t@ avDress.cam orhted an account ofGeorge Pottels first parachute jump It ouoted ertensively fiom his letter home, very much the gu:rg-ho youngparatrooper. He would go on to see and experience th-ilgs that a kid just out of high school - or anYone, for that matter - shoulil never seeor exoerience, He joined E ComPanY 'Ute" - on Feb. 22, 1943, and felt a bit slishted bv others for uot being oneof thi originals. He made the jump with E ComPanY in Normandy and also in Hol- lanil, where he was woundedin the fighting and earned a Bmnze Star. He fought at Bastogne in the Battle ofthe Bulge, suffering Dan Potter never thought he'd see his Iate fathels'Band of B roth eis' iacket again. that jacket again,"said Po_tter, _ who lives in Lancaster and works rn aerospace That year,1985, was the same year his father - Georse L. Potter, Jr - died. Soit waseven more meaniaifrrl to havelost this svmbolof a ri'ar that plaved zuch a maiorrole in his dad's life and the iivesoftens of millionsofAmericans. There was no reasonto expecithat the jacket or anvthine elsethat was taken from his grandpar- en[s'hoire in Dinuba wouldeverbefound But then again,he ilitln't have the Internet in 1985. Georse L, Potter Jr. servetlin the famousEasy Comoanlv. 506th Renment, 101stAirborne' which *as ieatured in Stephen Ambrose's 1992 book Tand of Brothers" ind the subsequent HBO mini- series ofthe same name. Wllile Potter was not featured in the book, he is the subiect ofa chapler in'A Company ofHeroes" bv Marius Brotherton Thetook tells the stories oithe menwho served in EasyCompany, and the chapter is based on the authols interview with Dan Potter George Potter was a military man from day one. Born at-Fort Benning, Ga., in 1923. he wasthe son of a World War I officer. Growing up, his family lived in California, Ari- zona. Washington stateand finally Oregon. where he livedwhenhe enlisted in 1942 at age18 He ioined the Army while still a senior at Hood River Hieh School, and received his diploma aspafl ofhis eniistment. An athlete, he beldthe staterecord for the ouarter-mile. on Msrch 6. 19411. the llood River newepaper frostbitten feet that would bother him the rest ofhis life. Geore Potter survived the war physically,his sonsaid: but it haunted hin p-sychologically for the remainder ofhis tlays fie never talked about his experiences." Daa Potter said. And. like manv ofhis generation,he tried his best to ielf-nediiate with alcohol, and it took over his life. fie never lot over iti his son said. In iA Coupanv of Heroes," Dan Potter recounts the iime his dad.underthe influence, barricaded the door of a winter cabin they were staying in and insisted the G€rmans were just outside. He married four times, and divorced three. He made a careerin television newsin San Diego, workins as a cameraman, who in those days did a fai r am"ount of reporting whicb would then be read by the anchor, narral,ing the film footage. : lt was onlv after his dad'sdeath that Dan Potter Iearnedso much about the war experiences The "Band ofBrothers" bookcane out and Dan began researchina on his own, ultimately ialking with author Amlrose and attending company reunions. He met his dail's fiiends - the ones who survived. Sonow we fast-forward to 2010. And, out ofthe blue. a couple ofweeks ago, Dan Potterand his brotLerTom started getting calJs from a military collectorin the Netherlands about a jacket he was considerinebusinq on eBay "He waited-to know if it wasgenuine,'Dan Pol- ler sa1q. . Potter had no idea what the man lias talking about. E Company equipment goes fo-r a good price. and there's a iemptaaionfor fakery He thought said. The collectormailed the jacket to Dan Potter, and he will keeD it until t}e nextEasyCompany reunion later this year ard then passit along to his brother Tom. It was hard to describe the emotion of open- ins that Dackase. 'It was kind of an unbelievable eierience." Pottersaid. "lt wassolongago and we never imagined we wouldsee thatjacket again Throueh 'Band of Brol"hers' we leamed a lot, but thereiere pieces missing.",- Noq 30 vears lat€r,they have onemore piece of the historv bf the life of their dad, George Potter WiUia; P. Warford's column appears euery Tlies' duv. Thurs(Lar, hid av and Sund ay. Conto ct him at (66b 267-4166; P.o. Box4050. Palmdsle. CA,93590' 40 5 0 ; or ww arfor' d@uu pre s s' c onx. GHRISTIIiA RAM0SllalleY Press PIEcE oF HlsToRY - George Potter, above left, inhis world war ll Army unifolm Potter served in the .Band ofBrothers" made famous bt historian Stephen Ambrose: Company Eofthe 506th Parachute Inlanlry n.giirni.iiil loiiiniroorne Division. Above right, Dan Polter look*own at his dad's World War ll lke Jac"ket. The jackei was stolen years ago, but was lound and leturned to Dan Potter' mavbesomeone had a trench coat up for sale and wai claiming it bad belonged to his dad "It never occured to;e that it wouldbe the Ike Jacket." But it was. The auction had:iust closed, but Poltercontacted the setler, who lives'inLosAngeles, and erplained that the iicket was indeedhis fathe/s - but it had beenstoien.At the first the fellow was reluctant, thinkina that Potter might be a phony, but ulti- mately he agreed to sendit back. Potter sent him a finder's fee. It tums out that the seller is a collector who goes to "rag shops,' whichamass bundles ofunsoldcloth- ine from thrift storesand separate the materials orit to oroduce filling for mattresses. 'lt waslhere, in a bii pile, that he foundit, about to be chopped up. It wis this close to being gone forevei'Potter

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  • Antelope Valley Press, 5unday, ruly l5f zu I v -rv

    After 30 years, stolen jacket makes its way home( ffih'e last.time t saw the .

    I tacket lt was hangrng mI a closet at my gralril-

    Darents' house," Dan Potter;aid. "That was 1980, maybe'81.',

    Not long after that, theWoild War II Army jacket,known as an'TisenhowerJacket' or "lke Jacket'becauseit was introduced under Gen.Dwisht D.'Ike' EiseDhower,wasitolen in a break-in at thegrandparents' home.

    "I was deployed for a timewith the Marines as a civilianand when I returned in 1985,the entire uniform was gone.So I ditln't think I'd ever see

    vWilliam P.WarfordColumnlstAnteloDe Valhv Prcss

    -r'--- ewar Io t@ av Dress.cam

    orhted an account ofGeorgePottels first parachute jump Itouoted ertensively fiom his letterhome, very much the gu:rg-hoyoung paratrooper.

    He would go on to see andexperience th-ilgs that a kid justout of high school - or anYone, forthat matter - shoulil never see orexoerience, He joined E ComPanY'Ute" - on Feb. 22, 1943, andfelt a bit slishted bv others foruot being one of thi originals. Hemade the jump with E ComPanYin Normandy and also in Hol-lanil, where he was wounded inthe fighting and earned a BmnzeStar. He fought at Bastogne inthe Battle ofthe Bulge, suffering

    Dan Potter neverthought he'd see hisIate fathels'Band ofB roth eis' iacket again.

    that jacket again," said Po_tter, _

    who lives in Lancaster and works rn aerospaceThat year, 1985, was the same year his father

    - Georse L. Potter, Jr - died. So it was even moremeaniaifrrl to have lost this svmbol of a ri'ar thatplaved zuch a maior role in his dad's life and theiives oftens of millions ofAmericans.

    There was no reason to expeci that the jacket oranvthine else that was taken from his grandpar-en[s'hoire in Dinuba would ever be found

    But then again, he ilitln't have the Internet in1985.

    Georse L, Potter Jr. servetl in the famous EasyComoanlv. 506th Renment, 101st Airborne' which*as ieatured in Stephen Ambrose's 1992 bookTand of Brothers" ind the subsequent HBO mini-series ofthe same name.

    Wllile Potter was not featured in the book, he isthe subiect ofa chapler in'A Company ofHeroes"bv Marius Brotherton Thetook tells the storiesoithe men who served in Easy Company, and thechapter is based on the authols interview with DanPotter

    George Potter was a military man from day one.Born at-Fort Benning, Ga., in 1923. he was the sonof a World War I officer.

    Growing up, his family lived in Cal ifornia, Ari-zona. Washington state and finally Oregon. wherehe lived when he enlisted in 1942 at age 18 Heioined the Army while still a senior at Hood RiverHieh School, and received his diploma as pafl ofhiseniistment. An athlete, he beld the state record forthe ouarter-mile.

    on Msrch 6. 19411. the llood River newepaper

    frostbitten feet that would botherhim the rest ofhis life.

    Geore Potter survived the war physically, hisson said: but it haunted hin p-sychologically for theremainder ofhis tlays fie never talked about hisexperiences." Daa Potter said.

    And. like manv ofhis generation, he tried hisbest to ielf-nediiate with alcohol, and it took overhis life. fie never lot over iti his son said.

    In iA Coupanv of Heroes," Dan Potter recountsthe iime his dad. under the influence, barricadedthe door of a winter cabin they were staying in andinsisted the Grmans were just outside.

    He married four times, and divorced three. Hemade a career in television news in San Diego,workins as a cameraman, who in those days did afai r am"ount of reporting whicb would then be readby the anchor, narral,ing the film footage.: lt was onlv after his dad's death that Dan Potter

    Iearned so much about the war experiences The"Band ofBrothers" book cane out and Dan beganresearchina on his own, ultimately ialking withauthor Amlrose and attending company reunions.He met his dail's fiiends - the ones who survived.

    So now we fast-forward to 2010. And, out oftheblue. a couple ofweeks ago, Dan Potter and hisbrotLerTom started getting calJs from a militarycollector in the Netherlands about a jacket he wasconsiderine businq on eBay

    "He waited-to know if it was genuine,'Dan Pol-ler sa1q.. Potter had no idea what the man lias talking

    about. E Company equipment goes fo-r a good price.and there's a iemptaaion for fakery He thought

    said.The collector mailed the jacket to Dan Potter,

    and he will keeD it until t}e next Easy Companyreunion later this year ard then pass it along to hisbrother Tom.

    It was hard to describe the emotion of open-ins that Dackase. 'It was kind of an unbelievableeierience." Potter said. "lt was so long ago andwe never imagined we would see thatjacket againThroueh 'Band of Brol"hers' we leamed a lot, butthere iere pieces missing.",-

    Noq 30 vears latr, they have one more piece ofthe historv bf the life of their dad, George Potter

    WiUia; P. Warford's column appears euery Tlies'duv. Thurs(Lar, hid av and S und ay. Conto ct him at(66b 267-4166; P.o. Box 4050. Palmdsle. CA,93590'40 5 0 ; or ww arfor' d @uu pre s s' c onx.

    GHRISTIIiA RAM0SllalleY Press

    PIEcE oF HlsToRY - George Potter, above left, in his world war ll Army unifolm Potter served in the.Band of Brothers" made famous bt historian Stephen Ambrose: Company E of the 506th Parachute Inlanlryn.giirni.iiil loiiiniroorne Division. Above right, Dan Polter look*own at his dad's World War ll lkeJac"ket. The jackei was stolen years ago, but was lound and leturned to Dan Potter'mavbe someone had a trench coat up for sale andwai claiming it bad belonged to his dad "It neveroccured to;e that it would be the Ike Jacket."

    But it was.The auction had:iust closed, but Polter contacted

    the setler, who lives'in Los Angeles, and erplainedthat the iicket was indeed his fathe/s - but it hadbeen stoien. At the first the fellow was reluctant,thinkina that Potter might be a phony, but ulti-mately he agreed to send it back. Potter sent him afinder's fee.

    It tums out that the seller is a collector who goesto "rag shops,' which amass bundles ofunsold cloth-ine from thrift stores and separate the materialsorit to oroduce filling for mattresses. 'lt was lhere,in a bii pile, that he found it, about to be choppedup. It wis this close to being gone forevei'Potter