Korean War B-29 Crew Caps

[mackinturk]

Our guys picked these up at the Show of Shows this year.

 

Two custom flight crew caps from the Korean War. Each one is personalized for the owner, with crew position on the front, name/nickname on back, and usually home state on the bill. These two both came from the 98th Bomb Group stationed at Yokota, Japan. One is from the 345th, the other from the 343rd Bomb Squadron. I believe I may have identified the owner of the 343rd cap, but I'm still in the process of tracking down information and verifying this.

 

Anyway, does anybody have any info on this type of cap? I've seen a couple of period photos that show them in wear, but it doesn't seem to be an official practice.

[mackinturk]

right sides

 

notice the "fifth" of whiskey in place of the number 5 in 345

 

also, the 343rd cap has oxygen mask attachment points sewn on, you can see the snaps below the 343 in this photo and the hook in the first photo above.

[mackinturk]

backs

[Sabrejet]

Whoooa! They are uber-cool caps!! I envy you those!

 

Sabrejet :w00t:

[JGC]

Very unique items, thanks for sharing. Jon

[gwb123]

I have seen period photos of these type of caps being worn by fighter personnel during that period. Judging by the quality, I'd guess they were both locally made in Japan. They would have been quite expensive if made in the USA, while things would have been a lot less expensive in Japan.

[Saskatoon Light Infantry]

Our guys picked these up at the Show of Shows this year.

 

Two custom flight crew caps from the Korean War. Each one is personalized for the owner, with crew position on the front, name/nickname on back, and usually home state on the bill. These two both came from the 98th Bomb Group stationed at Yokota, Japan. One is from the 345th, the other from the 343rd Bomb Squadron. I believe I may have identified the owner of the 343rd cap, but I'm still in the process of tracking down information and verifying this.

 

Anyway, does anybody have any info on this type of cap? I've seen a couple of period photos that show them in wear, but it doesn't seem to be an official practice.

 

 

 

mackinturk:

 

Might it be possible to see photographs showing the inside of the caps and a close up of the patch on the top of the 343rd cap?

 

These are great examples of Korean War headgear! ! ! Thanks for sharing them with us.

[Cobrahistorian]

Those are absolutely incredible finds Jon!

[HerbG]

Here are a few links where you might find some veterans of the 98th who could add some information about the caps:

 

http://home.att.net/~sallyann2/b29-3.html

 

http://www.pyramidiers.com/history.shtml

 

http://www.koreanwar.org/html/units/usaf/98bg.htm

[mackinturk]

Saskatoon -

I should be able to get some more photos at work on Monday, I'll put them up then. There really isn't much on the inside of the caps though, no maker tags and no names. I guess since each one was made individually, with the owners name on the outside, there wasn't much need to write your name inside.

 

Herb -

I asked about these on the forums on the pyramidiers site, were you the one that I was talking to on there? I tried to order Vol. II of the 98th Veterans Group's book, but the library sent Vol. I instead, so I have to reorder the right volume. I'm trying to find someone on Capt. Lyle Stockton's crew, because I believe the 343rd cap may have belonged to Frederick Cushman, a TSgt at the time, who was the flight engineer. Cushman enlisted in 1943 and joined the Air Corps; according to NARA he had a background in aircraft building. I'm not sure what he did after the war, the only thing I've been able to find is that he passed away in 2001 in Bangor, Maine.

 

 

Yeah, sometimes, just sometimes, I really love my job. Whenever we get something like this that has so much personality and history it's just amazing.

[Bebel]

Wonderful stuffs! I had a dream: I found such Korean war era caps crews! :thumbsup:

This one is from 13th BS "Grim Reapers" (Japan made).

Another one from the 46th FIS from the East coast ADC.

[mackinturk]

So, with some help from Herb Harper, the 98th BG Veteran's Association Historian, I got in touch with Gerald Hoffman. Gerald was the CFC gunner on Capt. Lyle Stockton's crew during the Korean War, while the 343rd and the rest of the 98th were flying out of Yokota AB Japan. He confirmed that the black and orange cap did belong to Frederick Cushman. Cushman was the oldest member of the crew, having served in WWII. He was actually a replacement for their Flight Engineer, who got sick shortly before they deployed to Yokota. Before Korea, Cushman was an instructor at Randolph AB, Texas.

 

Apparently, everyone had these caps made in Japan. They wore them instead of the leather flight helmets. The snaps and hoods were so they could don an oxygen mask in the event of pressure loss. Since the planes were pressurized, they only lost pressure if they took a hit from flak or an enemy plane. Hoffman said that he tried to wear his cap after he came back stateside, but wasn't allowed to.

[mackinturk]

343rd patch photo:

[mackinturk]

inside:

[tmackie]

inside:

Hello...sent you an email a while back about using this in an upcoming publication. Would you consider parting with these?

[VP_Association]

Caps like these were purchased by aircrewmen while they were stationed in Japan. The Japanese were, and to an extent still are, known for the custom tailoring and embroidery shops near the U.S. military bases. Typically, a crew would pool their money and would all buy the same type of cap, which whey wore only while they were in their flight gear. The caps would feature the squadron's colors and insignia and would be customized with the crewman's name, rank, and position on the aircraft. I flew with the Navy during the 1980s and 1990s and a lot of our guys who had spent time in Japan had similar types of things (caps and jackets).

[VP_Association]

One more thing. I saw something in a Japanese guide book to replica flight jackets and other flight gear a few years ago that suggested that some company over there reproduced these things. I'd sure like to get my hands on one.

[Pierce343rd]

I set this up for my Dad. He is 81 and not too computer literate. My dad was the Rt Gunner on the Freshly Maid with Stockton and Cushman. He would love to have that cap if you were willing to part with it. In his old age, his military days are all he talks about. He can give you every name, dates, It is amazing how much he remembers.

[Pierce343rd]

Also, I used to have an email address for Hoffman. If he is still around Tmackie I would love to get some contact info for him.<br />

[GrimReaperOscar13th]

Thank you for sharing these pics; they are some of the clearest images which I have seen of 98th Bomb Group B-29, theater-produced caps.

[JDK]

Great Caps everyone!!

 

JD

[GrimReaperOscar13th]

i am recently, the proud owner of a Late Veteran's former USAF 90th Bomb Squadron-Light, Night Intruder, fifty misson ball cap.

It was made in Japan originally, and the Veteran glued on felt, white bomb emblems along the top inside of its brim. I shall post a photo of it, when I am able to.

[GrimReaperOscar13th]

Ok--update: I shall post my digital photos of the cap, when the Militaria Forum allows me to do so. My apologies for the delay; it seems that function is not permitted for me, now.

[uplandmod]

Wow never seen anything like these before.

 

Well done!

 

LF

[GrimReaperOscar13th]

Here is a picture, of my '50 missions' 90thBomb Squadron (Light-Night Intruder) original ball cap.