Author Topic: Cool flight jacket (Read 362 times)

2stony · « **on:** April 21, 2003, 03:18:17 PM »

I took this picture last year of a WWII Army Air Forces gunner's painted A-2 flight jacket. He was very cool to let me take the pictures. He flew in the Pacific early in the war and then transferred to Europe and flew combat there as well. He is quite the character.

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/ah_32_1050955927.jpg

2stony · « **Reply #1 on:** April 21, 2003, 03:19:49 PM »

Well, that gave a link to the pic, now let's try and attach one.

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2stony · « **Reply #2 on:** April 21, 2003, 03:21:06 PM »

By the way, the bombs with a "B" on them are Berlin missions.

gofaster · « **Reply #3 on:** April 22, 2003, 08:23:30 AM »

That's a cool jacket. I didn't think units transferred theatres like that until later, after Germany was defeated. I thought the Pac units "held the line" while most of the resources fought in Europe. I didn't know they pulled resources from Pac to go to Euro like that.

2stony · « **Reply #4 on:** April 22, 2003, 10:37:14 AM »

This particular gentleman was in the Phillipenes when it was overrun and barely got out. He went to Australia and started his flying right at the beginning of the war.
The bomber units in Europe weren't even in operation when he finished his tour in the Pacific. He was one of those "gun ho" guys who didn't get enough, so after being an instructor stateside for a while, he volunteered for combat in Europe.

snocone · « **Reply #5 on:** April 22, 2003, 11:03:09 AM »

thanx stoney, very interesting piece of history, btw, what do the red bombs denote?

2stony · « **Reply #6 on:** April 22, 2003, 11:14:00 AM »

Quote

btw, what do the red bombs denote?

Those are when his B-17 was the lead bomber on the mission.