Originally conceived as a joint Army/Marine Corps operation and later consolidated under the Army, the Engineer Special Brigades (aka the Engineer Amphibian Brigades) had a mandate to go onto the beaches with the opening waves of an amphibious landing, both to help get the first wave off the beach and to assist later waves in their arrival. Active in the European, African and Pacific Theaters, the ESBs were heavily involved with the Invasion of Normandy; out of six ESBs, three were present at Utah and Omaha Beach. The ESBs at Normandy were faced with the Atlantic Wall, the physical manifestation of the idea of "Fortress Europe", rampant with land mines, anti-boat obstacles, gun emplacements, and all manner of physical obstructions between the invaders and the French countryside. Of the three ESB's active at Normandy, one (1st ESB) stayed on Utah Beach until late October before packing up to head to the Pacific, while the other two (5th and 6th ESB) stayed on Omaha Beach to New Years before moving further into France. Casualties over 40% were suffered, their work being slowed by lost equipment, infantry trying to use the beach obstacles as cover, and premature detonation of demolition charges by enemy fire, but the engineers did successfully clear multiple routes off the beach. The jacket lacks makers or owners marks, with a set of Private's chevrons on the sleeves, three gold overseas service bars on the left cuff, and the "eagle/Thompson SMG/anchor" amphibious patch on the left shoulder. A set of gold "U.S" and Corps of Engineers badges are present on the lapels, with the distinctive "seahorse" ESB patch on the left breast pocket. Arranged on the right breast are a "ruptured duck" Honorable Discharge Lozenge over a Presidential Unit Citation ribbon, and four ribbons over the left pocket, specifically the WWII Victory Medal, Good Conduct Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with Star and Amphibious Assault Arrowhead Device, and the French Croix de Guerre with Palm. The last two are of particular interest, being issued for amphibious assault for the former and being issued as a unit commendation by the nation of France for the latter, and the absence of any ribbons related to the Pacific Campaign suggests that it was worn by a member of either the 5th or 6th ESB, which were assigned to Omaha. Included with the jacket is a shirt numbered "15-32" on the collar tab and fitted with a matching set of rank insignia, service bars, and shoulder and pocket patches, a plain brown necktie, and a pair of twill pants ink stamped "H7897" and "WAIST 30/INSEAM 33" inside the waist and bearing a 1941 dated tag for the Sidor Pants Company and the Philadelphia Quartermaster Depot. Also included is a set of photocopied research and a vintage photograph of two GIs standing in front of a half-demolished house, which is noted in the book "Spearheading D-Day" (photocopies included) as a landmark/ambulance station established on Omaha Beach; the photo is signed "Normandy '44/Harmon & Warner on the beach". Fine overall, with minor wear and staining. The amphibious patch is missing some stitching, and the Presidential Unit Citation ribbon has damaged mounting hardware Provenance: The Putnam Green/Sycamore Collection