Nazi Party Flag "Seized" in Aldrans, May 16th, 1945
In the final stages of World War II, an intriguing episode unfolded in the village of Aldrans near Innsbruck, Austria. The G Company, 409th Regiment, Cactus Division, made a significant discovery - a Gaupropagandaamt of the Nazi Party, a key propaganda unit.
Upon finding this facility, the GIs decided to seize Nazi flags, weapons, and other items. However, the events that followed are not commonly documented in historical records. Some accounts suggest that some GIs transformed these Nazi flags into swim trunks, while others took them as souvenirs in their march packs.
During a swimming incident in Innsbruck, the GIs are said to have made bathing suits out of Nazi flags, with the swastikas on their behinds, an act that was found hilarious by the Austrians. Some GIs even sent these signed flags home via post as symbols of victory over Nazism.
One notable individual, Robert Leslie, a member of the 103d Infantry Division, still possesses a Nazi flag with his machine gun section's names on it. It is worth noting that the 106th Infantry Division, not the 103d, is commonly recognised as the Cactus Division.
In 2015, the oral history collections and "war souvenirs" from the Cactus Division, including the signed Nazi flags, were donated to the University of Southern Mississippi.
While the specific story of the Cactus Division and the unique practice involving Nazi flags in Aldrans near Innsbruck during World War II is not widely documented, it remains an interesting anecdote from the war's history. For those seeking detailed information about the 106th Infantry Division, WWII activities in Aldrans or Innsbruck, or the handling of Nazi flags by Allied troops, further research is recommended.
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] - These references point to the lack of credible historical records or authoritative sources documenting the unique practice of using Nazi flags as swim trunks or souvenirs by the G Company, 409th Regiment, Cactus Division, in Aldrans during World War II.
- Despite the lack of comprehensive historical records, some accounts indicate that in Aldrans during World War II, members of the G Company, 409th Regiment, Cactus Division, repurposed Nazi flags into swim trunks as a unique practice.
- Beyond souvenirs, some GIs manipulated seized Nazi flags into sports attire, such as swimsuits, during the war, adding an unusual chapter to the history of sports-related memorabilia.
