WWI Aviator grouping

[Yank]

I finally acquired a nice WWI aviator grouping (I've been waiting for a few years now) which includes: French-made tunic with all insignia present (bullion wings, buttons, U.S. devices, Air Service devices, two overseas stripes), French-made American Field Service overseas cap with AFS patch and "29" metal insignia attached, French-made overseas cap with Air Service piping and 1st Lieutenant insignia attached, 2 shirts, 2 breeches, a photo of him in flying gear, a book titled "Harnly Family History" with hand written entries including his own life, boots, flying gauntlets, goggles, sleeping bag and liner, money belt, service belt with pouches attached, medical kit, photocopy of a silver platter made for him when he was a professor at NYU in 1960, and Sam Browne belt. His name was Morris Henry Harnly. He began his career in the military as an ambulance driver in the American Field Service in France in SSU 29. He was subsequently sent to Foggia, Italy for pilot training, and then to France to fight as a pilot. I am still waiting for some records to arrive. I will let you all know more when they arrive. After the war he was a Professor of Biology at NYU.

 

Here are some websites he is listed on about the American Field Service that show his transfer to Aviation as a 1st Lieutenant.

http://net.lib.byu.edu/estu/wwi/memoir/AFShist/AFS3l4.htm

http://www.ourstory.info/library/drivers/W...sters/SSU29.htm

 

He is all over the internet if you want to read about his biology background at NYU. He seems to have written extensively about fruit flies.

 

I will be adding photos as time permits.

 

If anybody knows how I can find more information about Harnly, please let me know. Thank you in advance.

[Yank]

This is the pic the dealer sent me before I purchased it. You can pretty much see everything.

 

[Dirk]

The promises to be a great thread. Please post more images as time allows!

[BEAST]

The promises to be a great thread. Please post more images as time allows!

 

 

Yes please! Looks like a great group!

[IMPERIAL QUEST]

[bobgee]

Great looking group! Congrats! Looking forward to seeing more pics!

Bobgee

[Yank]

Thank you for the replies. Here are some pics. Nothing is displayed yet, as I haven't decided how I'm going to do just that. Since you asked for pics, here you go. Oh, btw, this is what the entry in the book says under Morris Henry Harnly:

 

Page 18

“Morris Henry Harnly (7), born on April 19, 1895, at Mason City.” Then there is something handwritten, “---- of Baptist Church Jan. 16, 1905.”

 

Handwritten page in back of book says:

 

“Page 18 Morris Henry Harnly 7

Graduated Robert Emmet, Austin, Chicago, class

of 1909 x year of 1909-1910 at the Academy Mount

Morris College x year of 1910-1911 at the academy

I.S.N.U. x years of 1911-1913 Oak Park River

Forest O.H.S. x following year farm x years

of 1914-1917 at McPherson College x The United

States declaring war upon Germany on Good Friday

April 6, 1917, left college the following Wed, April 11, 1917 x

In Chicago volunteered and passed exams for

the American Field Service, in the French Army x

Sailed on S.S. Chicago, French Line, from New York,

landing at Bordeaux, France, the last week in May

1917 x Served in S.S.U. 29 brigaded to the 20 division

13th Army corps, 2nd Army (French) at Verdun,

Left Yank before cote 304 and le Morte Homme.

July and Aug. 1917 x Sept. 17 at St. Mihiel, base

Ruft x

Released from the French Army and enlisted in

S.E.R.C., U.S.A., Sept. 28, 1917 x Ordered to

Foggia, Italy for pilot training with the Royal

Italian Flying Corps and commenced pilot training

Oct. 18, 1917 x 2nd Brevet (Italian) Feb. 8, 1918

Commissioned 1st Lieutenant A.S. Av. on

March eighth, 1918 x (comprising 86, 408, 38 infantry,

53, + 253 artillery, 4th engineers) commaned by

Mangin “the butcher”

(see typed notes for rest)

Reentered McPherson College September

1919 graduating following May tak degree of B. Sc. X”

 

I have tried to transcribe this to the best of my ability. The big tease is at the end where he mentions to “see typed notes for rest” where the combat experience would go. Unofortunately, I don’t have these. I am trying to have the family contacted about this. I am also waiting for government records to come in. Hopefully, we find out more. There could be some really interesting combat experience in there, but we may never know. I hope to find out more soon.

[Yank]

[Yank]

I love these overseas caps. I've never had one with Air Service piping before, and I've never had one with the amazing AFS patch and SSU 29 device before. They're certainly striking. I find the metal initial devices inside the piped hat interesting as well.

 

[Yank]

[Yank]

This first pair of breeches looks just like the material that Eddie Rickenbacker's breeches in Udvar-Hazy hangar of the Air and Space Museum was made of. It's almost like a corduroy, with leather patches around the knee area.

 

[Yank]

I have no idea what the tassle looking device is, but it was in the box with the goggles, so there it will remain.

 

[Yank]

Well, here are the pictures that most of you were probably waiting for; the wings and tunic. The one thing that impressed me about the tunic was the weight. I've owned officer's tunics before, but this French made item is heavy duty. It also utilizes a three prong collar closure setup rather than the normal two prong.

 

[Yank]

If anybody wants more pics, or better detailed pics, just ask. Eventually, I will have all of this professionally displayed in my home, but I have to order some display material first.

[Mr-X]

Awesome grouping

Thanks for sharing.

 

I love the tunic

[Belleauwood]

Congrats on your gettig a wonderul group. Particularly like the fire bronze US insignia (probably stamped on reverse). Will be a steller display.

 

Dennis

[teufelhunde.ret]

This truly is a remarkable grouping for the depth of items... and state of preservation. The fire bronze are insignia are to die for. Thank you preserving this and sharing with us! s/f Darrell

[Yank]

First of all, let me thank you all for your kind words. It means a good deal to me when people are generous with their time in this increasingly busy world of ours.

 

Since there seems to be interest in the solid fire bronze, I took a few pics of the U.S. collar devices and the wing/prop Air Service collar insignia. You can see the sterling marks and the solid fire bronze marks. I find the clasps on the collar devices particularly elegant in function and simplicity.

 

I have also provided some pics of the the overseas stripes for details, and the wing to see the detail of the U.S. in the middle.

 

The inside of the collar was of interest to me because of the metal devices used to attach the secondary interior collar protrude into the neck area, and must have been extremely uncomfortable. It seems to be a very bad flaw in design. In any case, while I was observing this , I removed the secondary interior collar and found some form of designation printed on it. I would appreciate being enlightened by any of you on the meaning of these characters. Thank you in advance.

 

Yank

 

 

[Yank]

[Yank]

[Yank]

I want to add that I purchased this grouping from Ron Burkey, Jr. His website is http://www.flyingtigerantiques.com. If you are looking for WWI aviation material, he is the best source I know. Ron's material is always 100% and of the highest quality. He is also a leading expert on wings, so you can utilize his expertise for appraisals or acquisitions.

 

If you are looking for wings, he currently has a good variety available on his website. If you are looking for something that is not on his website, keep in mind, he can get it for you. Some of the higher end things just aren't available anymore unless you know somebody. Once a family or collector is willing to sell these rare items, your dealer will be the liaison between you and your potential prize.

 

Good hunting,

Yank

[IMPERIAL QUEST]

I want to add that I purchased this grouping from Ron Burkey, Jr. His website is http://www.flyingtigerantiques.com. If you are looking for WWI aviation material, he is the best source I know. Ron's material is always 100% and of the highest quality. He is also a leading expert on wings, so you can utilize his expertise for appraisals or acquisitions.

 

If you are looking for wings, he currently has a good variety available on his website. If you are looking for something that is not on his website, keep in mind, he can get it for you. Some of the higher end things just aren't available anymore unless you know somebody. Once a family or collector is willing to sell these rare items, your dealer will be the liaison between you and your potential prize.

 

Good hunting,

Yank

 

Thanks again for posting. Ron does have some very nice pieces. I agree with you about higher end pieces. I will probably add one of these to my collection through him later as I know it will be good. It is amazing how well these continue to escalate in value, but I realize they are probably THE most popular US collectible from WWI.

[Ron Burkey]

Hi Jim,

The "tassle(sic) looking device" is indeed that, one of the tassel ends from the campaign hat. I put it with the goggles for safe keeping.

Best regards,

Ron

 

I have no idea what the tassle looking device is, but it was in the box with the goggles, so there it will remain.

 

[Yank]

Thanks Ron! Maybe I'll use a gravity display with the hat and just prop it up next to the other one when I display it.

 

Jim

[Guest luce646]

Hi Jim,

The "tassle(sic) looking device" is indeed that, one of the tassel ends from the campaign hat. I put it with the goggles for safe keeping.

Best regards,

Ron

Hi, I'm a journalist and I'm doing a search on the American pilots who , between 1918 and 1918 , were trained in Foggia . I wanted to know if you had photos , documents and more . Of course I will indicate the source of the documents . Thank You