History Man Posted August 1, 2012 Share #1 Posted August 1, 2012 As some of you saw, I posted an A2 for discussion that was offered to me via CL. With all of the helpful info from fellow members I was able to meet with the man and purchase the A2 jacket. The jacket itself is a size 40 made by Roughwear and has both a squadron patch and name tag. The patch is for the 571st Bombardment Squadron and in great shape. The lining inside the jacket has some wear, a couple of sweat stains from use, and some tearing but it is holding up. The leather is supple with minor issues to the back, sadly the painting is almost gone but you can still make out 2 rows of bombs, the beginning of "Pickle Dropper IV", a B17, and some bombes with names in them. This is my first A2 jacket and I couldnt be happier! Comments are always appreciated. Philip Upon further research and help from other forum members I was able to find that his name was Sgt. Harry H. Brandt who was a B17 Ball Turret Gunner who flew 25 missions over Fortess Europe. He served on a total of 6 different aircraft, most missions being on the "Pickle Dropper IV." An interesting piece of information is that on 5 out of the 6 planes he served on were shot down (he was not onboard when those incidents happened). Also, if anyone has any info on the medals he might have earned it would be appreciated, I would like to try and make a uniform for him. Here is a list of the targets they bombed: Munster GE Rjukan Norway Gelsenkirchen GE Paris-Hisp-Suiza FR Solingen GE Bordeaux FR Enden GE Kiel GE Bremen GE Quoeux FR Ludwigshafen GE Kiel GE Elberfed GE Heuringhem GE Brunswick GE Wilhemshaven GE Frankfurt GE Romilly sur Seine FR Brunswick GE Rostock GE Hannover GE Berlin GE Berlin GE Berlin GE Berlin GE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
History Man Posted August 1, 2012 Author Share #2 Posted August 1, 2012 .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
History Man Posted August 1, 2012 Author Share #3 Posted August 1, 2012 .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manayunkman Posted August 1, 2012 Share #4 Posted August 1, 2012 Very nice A-2. Good for you. M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted August 1, 2012 Share #5 Posted August 1, 2012 Nice 390th A2 Philip :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack's Son Posted August 1, 2012 Share #6 Posted August 1, 2012 Overall Philip, the jacket is in very nice shape. The wear on the inside is minimal, and the back of the jacket is word from leaning back is a seat. The painting on the front has held up pretty well. I think you can be very proud of this A-2 :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vintageproductions Posted August 1, 2012 Share #7 Posted August 1, 2012 I got to see this A-2 on Sunday. It is a really nice jacket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manayunkman Posted August 1, 2012 Share #8 Posted August 1, 2012 I didn't have an A-2 when I was 14. :crybaby: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack's Son Posted August 1, 2012 Share #9 Posted August 1, 2012 I didn't have an A-2 when I was 14. :crybaby: Or, any other age.... :crybaby: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gparlin Posted August 1, 2012 Share #10 Posted August 1, 2012 Philip, thanks for bringing us to date on your find. The jacket cleaned up really nice and I love the 571st B.S. patch, it is a hard one to come by. Thanks, Gregg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted August 1, 2012 Share #11 Posted August 1, 2012 Nice find! I would have died to have owned an A-2 at 14. Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobgee Posted August 1, 2012 Share #12 Posted August 1, 2012 Outstanding A-2, :thumbsup: Philip. Congrats. I checked the outstanding 390th Bomb Group history and found this entry: "BRANDT, Harry H. T/Sgt., 5912 21st Ave., Brooklyn, N.Y. BTG - DFC, AM/3OLC" Bobgee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
p2tharizo Posted August 1, 2012 Share #13 Posted August 1, 2012 Great find Philip! Thanks for sharing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDogMilitaria Posted August 1, 2012 Share #14 Posted August 1, 2012 Congrats Phillip! Its nice to see something good come off Craigslist once in a while. Your persistence is amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDK Posted August 1, 2012 Share #15 Posted August 1, 2012 Congrats on a great jacket. You're off to a very nice start in the A-2 world. Watch out though, they are pretty addicting! JD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
History Man Posted August 1, 2012 Author Share #16 Posted August 1, 2012 Thanks for all of the kind replies thus far, it is a really nice jacket and I never thought I would own one at my age, it seems fate had other plans though! Bobgee, thank you for the info on the valor medals, will see what else I can find to restore it. Funny thing is is that I picked up a few ribbon bars that fit the valor medal description. Is it safe to assume that he was entitled to wear the combat aircrew patch under the gunner wings, American Defense, American Theatre, Eurpean Theatre (need to find out the amount of stars he was entitled to), WW2 Victory, and a GCM? Philip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUMP Posted September 16, 2014 Share #17 Posted September 16, 2014 I realize that this thread is more than two years old, but I thought it would be interesting to make this contribution anyway. (F.Y.I. - it's my very first post on this forum!) Here are two pictures showing a local WW2 veteran of the 571st Bombardment Squadron wearing his original A2 jacket. This man flew 35 missions as a ball-turret gunner on a B-17... and survived without a scratch! In fact, he is alive & well today at the age of 90... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUMP Posted September 16, 2014 Share #18 Posted September 16, 2014 Here are two close-up images. Sadly, the painted-leather 571st patch has lost alot of detail over time. However, the ball-turret with its "twin fifties" has survived the test of time quite nicely. I asked the veteran: "Why are there only 12 bombs painted on the back of your jacket, when you completed 35 missions?" He replied that there was only one guy (the tail gunner) who did the artwork on all of the crew's jackets and he just didn't get around to doing it! Simple. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUMP Posted September 16, 2014 Share #19 Posted September 16, 2014 Today's last post - a wartime picture of the entire successful crew. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparty On Posted September 16, 2014 Share #20 Posted September 16, 2014 Nice follow up. Notice that his patch is on the right side of the jacket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted September 17, 2014 Share #21 Posted September 17, 2014 Looks like the vet was on the run to Russia.His jacket says "Shuttle Run" I was just reading in the 390th anthology about the missions.If I recall the 390th did 2 of the 3 runs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUMP Posted September 17, 2014 Share #22 Posted September 17, 2014 Yes - that is correct! This veteran took part in two "shuttle runs" - one on August 6th, 1944 and another one on September 18th, 1944. (I have a transcription of the pilot's original flight log - that's how I know these specific details.) One of the vet's comments was particularly interesting to me. He said that the Russian airfield was in such poor condition, that only 21 out of 35 planes were able to get airborne for the next leg of the journey - the remainder were deeply mired and stuck in a sea of glutinous mud! Looks like the vet was on the run to Russia.His jacket says "Shuttle Run" I was just reading in the 390th anthology about the missions.If I recall the 390th did 2 of the 3 runs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted September 17, 2014 Share #23 Posted September 17, 2014 Reading the account from George Von Arb on the first shuttle run(June 21st to July 5th 1944) he stated that they made a bombing run to Germany then proceeded on to Russia.After landing a German observation plane spotted the planes on the airfield and later that eveneing the Germans bombed the field and 58 aircraft were destroyed or damaged(by his account).They moved to an alternate field the next day. Another account stated 70 aircraft lost duiring the German bombing raid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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