Aviatiors' Kit Bag, AN 6505-1

[Sabrejet]

This WW2 Aviators' Kit Bag was found in the cellar of a house in Bristol, England, during renovations. The present owners of the property had never seen it before so no-one knows exactly how long it had been there. It's quite grubby and one of the Crown zippers is broken..my guess is that it was probably used as tool-bag by someone in the post-war era. However, it is beautifully and clearly stencilled with the details of the AAF officer to which it was issued:

 

"CAPT. A.D. HALBER O-795389 (previously Lt. Halber) N.C.A.A.B, WILMINGTON, DEL."

 

I who he was and what happened to him...?

 

 

[Bob Hudson]

Nice find. Alexander D Halber Joiined the Army as an enlisted man, became a commissioned officer in the Army Air Force and then became part of the US Air Force when that was formed in 1947. He retired as a US Air Force colonel

 

This is from the 1947 Officer's Register:

 

 

And this shows his promotion to Colonel in the 1965 register:

 

 

 

He was still on active duty in 1969 and this article says he flew transports in the CBI theater:

 

[Sabrejet]

Nice find. Alexander D Halber Joiined the Army as an enlisted man, became a commissioned officer in the Army Air Force and then became part of the US Air Force when that was formed in 1947. He retired as a US Air Force colonel

 

This is from the 1947 Officer's Register:

 

 

And this shows his promotion to Colonel in the 1965 register:

 

He was still on active duty in 1969 and this article says he flew transports in the CBI theater:

 

 

 

Terrific...thanks a lot for such a quick and informative response! Given that the bag was found in the UK, does that suggest that he was maybe assigned to the Eighth AF before shipping out to the CBI?

 

Ian :thumbsup:

[Bob Hudson]

Terrific...thanks a lot for such a quick and informative response! Given that the bag was found in the UK, does that suggest that he was maybe assigned to the Eighth AF before shipping out to the CBI?

 

Ian :thumbsup:

 

I found as reference to him arriving in New York in 1944 on a flight from Newfoundland, so I would guess he flew to Newfoundland form the UK.

[517th]

Nice find Ian, lovely markings......517th

[Sabrejet]

Nice find Ian, lovely markings......517th

 

 

Cheers 517th!! :thumbsup:

[Sabrejet]

I found as reference to him arriving in New York in 1944 on a flight from Newfoundland, so I would guess he flew to Newfoundland form the UK.

 

 

Thanks again. Suddenly that slightly tired old bag has "come alive" for me! (Glad you made sense of my initial posting despite my typo...I inadvertently deleted the word "wonder"!)

 

Ian

[USMC_GAU-21]

Ian,

 

Great find lad!

 

Cheers to the 517th as well!

 

r/Gy Dan

[Sabrejet]

Nice find. Alexander D Halber Joiined the Army as an enlisted man, became a commissioned officer in the Army Air Force and then became part of the US Air Force when that was formed in 1947. He retired as a US Air Force colonel

 

This is from the 1947 Officer's Register:

 

 

And this shows his promotion to Colonel in the 1965 register:

 

He was still on active duty in 1969 and this article says he flew transports in the CBI theater:

 

 

 

I take it that "....A.A.B." as stencilled on the bag means something like Army Air Base? What about the "N.C" which precedes it...any ideas?

[Bob Hudson]

I take it that "....A.A.B." as stencilled on the bag means something like Army Air Base? What about the "N.C" which precedes it...any ideas?

 

New Castle Army Air Base in Delaware

[Sabrejet]

New Castle Army Air Base in Delaware

 

Roger that! :thumbsup: