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US Army 2nd Cavalry Regiment Toujours Pret pin worn by a Jewish American soldier

Object | Accession Number: 2015.255.4

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    US Army 2nd Cavalry Regiment Toujours Pret pin worn by a Jewish American soldier

    Overview

    Brief Narrative
    Clutchback pin with the motto Toujours Pret (Always Ready) worn by Henry Morgenthau III, an officer in the United States Army, Second Cavalry, ca. 1941-1945. He served in combat in the European theater and was awarded a Bronze Star for meritorious service.
    Date
    use:  approximately 1943-1945
    Geography
    manufacture: New York
    Credit Line
    United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of Henry Morgenthau III
    Markings
    back, maker's mark, stamped : N.S. Meyer / Inc / New York
    Contributor
    Subject: Henry Morgenthau III
    Issuer: United States. Army
    Manufacturer: N. S. Meyer, Inc.
    Biography
    Henry Morgenthau III was born on January 11, 1917, to Henry Morgenthau, Jr. and Elinor Fatman Morgenthau. He had a younger brother Robert, born in 1919, and a younger sister Joan, born in 1922. The family lived in Hyde Park, NY. His father (1986-1967) was US Secretary of the Treasury during the Roosevelt administration, 1932 - July 1945. After graduating from Princeton University in 1939, Henry worked for two years on public housing issues in Cleveland, Ohio. The United States declared war on Germany and Japan in December 1941. Morgenthau joined the United States Army. In 1943, he graduated from the 24th Cavalry Officer candidate school as a 2nd Lieutenant. Lt. Morgenthau deployed to the European Theater. At some point, he transferred to the Second Cavalry. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge and was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious service. The war ended in May 1945. After his return to the US, Morgenthau resumed his work on public housing issues. He became involved in theater, working with the New Dramatists, and with public radio and television. In 1962, he married Ruth Schachter, who had fled Austria at age nine with her family in 1940. The couple had three children. They settled in Cambridge, MA, and were involved in many philanthropic endeavors. Henry spent most of his career with public television broadcaster WGBH. Ruth, who held a PhD in African politics, was a professor at Brandeis University. Ruth, 75, passed away in 2006.

    Physical Details

    Language
    French
    Classification
    Military Insignia
    Category
    Badges
    Physical Description
    Metal clutchback button with a sunburst and fleur-de-lis design and the French text, "Toujours Pret" (Always Ready).
    Dimensions
    overall: Height: 2.000 inches (5.08 cm) | Width: 1.125 inches (2.858 cm)
    Materials
    overall : metal, enamel

    Rights & Restrictions

    Conditions on Access
    No restrictions on access

    Keywords & Subjects

    Administrative Notes

    Provenance
    The military lapel pin was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2015 by Henry Morgenthau III.
    Record last modified:
    2023-08-31 15:30:43
    This page:
    https:​/​/collections.ushmm.org​/search​/catalog​/irn535273

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