When we were in the city yesterday we ventured in to a thrift store after breakfast to see what treasures we might find. Such stores in New York can often reveal hidden gems; many people clean out their apartments after decades of living and bring it in without a second thought, not to mention wealthy folks who drop off their high quality clothes, mementoes and what have you just because they’ve become bored with it and are moving on to something else. There’s a whole other way to live.

These did not come home with me but I could not help getting my picture taken with this First Army jacket and helmet. It was not clear if the two came from the same person but they were next to each other in the store. I imagine the jacket is from WWII, which means the wearer served in Europe. Note the thick weight of the garment and also its small size. Men were smaller back then, having grown up during the Depression as they did. The jacket itself is in very good condition, as are the First Army insignia and the staff sergeant stripes. The First Army of course dates back to the First World War when it was commanded by Pershing himself and later by Hunter Liggett. Those who have ever visited Governors Island will recognize the latter’s name. It was one of those small things that added an interesting moment to our Sunday.