USAF PILOT'S HELMET WITH JUMP WINGS & MUSTARD STAIN

[BEAST]

Well, this one fits into a lot of categories, so I wasn't sure just where to post it, I think the unusual piece of history here are the jump wings, so I choose this catagory.

 

LT General James T. Callaghan was a fighter pilot who flew 425 missions in Southeast Asia and was a Forward Air Controller with the 173rd Airborne Brigade. In February 1967, while serving as a liaison officer with the 173rd, Callaghan made a combat jump during Operation Junction City.

 

This helmet is on display at the Indiana War Museum in Indianapolis.

 

 

 

 

 

[northcoastaero]

Interesting career and neat USAF HGU-55/P flight helmet with MBU-12/P oxygen mask. The helmet could be<br />a pre 1985 variant with a thinner leather edge roll around the eyes, but it is difficult to tell in the<br />photo. The HGU-55/P was introduced around 1981. The gray colored MBU-12/P mask was introduced around<br />1986-1987. The green ones were introduced around 1979-early 1980s. There was an earlier version of the<br />green MBU-12/P that was introduced around 1974 which had a smooth plastic surface on the front of the mask<br />face piece instead of having a textured surface. These pre 1979 MBU-12/P masks are very difficult to find.<br />Hope this helps.<br />

[BEAST]

Thanks for the info opn the helmet and mask! With "Pil Sung 1", I'm thinking it was worn when he served in Korea during the 1980s, which seems to fit in with your timeline.

 

"From June 1983 to July 1986 General Callaghan was commandant of the Air Force Institute of Technology and commandant of the Defense Institute of Security Assistance Management, both located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. He then became commander, U.S. Air Forces Korea, United Nations Command Air Component; and commander, 314th Air Division, with headquarters at Osan Air Base, South Korea. When the 314th was inactivated, he was assigned as chief of staff of the United Nations Command and of the Republic of Korea/U.S. Combined Forces Command, Seoul. The general assumed the duties of director, plans and policy, Headquarters U.S. European Command, Stuttgart, West Germany, in July 1988. He assumed his present command in December 1990."

[BEAST]

A photo of the general taken while serving in Korea.