WW2 USN and USAAF named googles

[Braccobaldo]

I have already posted it on WAF but I think this forum is mor appropriate, I new here and hope this is the right section.

In the past years I acquired two different flight helmet and each one had a matched flight goggles. I tried to get informations about the pilots/crew members but never found anything since few days ago.

Google showed me this result about a pilot that could be the owner of the AO Skyways (below)

 

 

AO Skyway goggles and was grouped with an ANH-15 flight helmet.

Tom DiFloure .http://www.hmdb.org/Marker.asp?Marker=51306 ( the name doesn't match completely, TOM instead of Thomas but maybe is the same person)

 

 

 

 

 

AN6530 that was grouped with a M-450 USN flight helmet.

Johnson, M. B. - A.R.T. 3/C (Air Radio technician 3rd class, maybe radio operator or gunner?)

 

 

Any help about finding their units, service or anything else will be appreciated.

grazie!

[MWalsh]

Your requests are probably better suited to the Research section, but I will give you a bit of info from Ancestry.com.

 

Thomas DiFloure appears to have been born 4 Jnuary 1919 and to have died 5 May 2008, and he was a veteran, he died in Sacremento, California and appears to have been living in Alliance, Ohio in 1940 - might be worth writing to the local library in Alliance and see if they have any WW2 era news articles on him.

 

Check out this link too, appears DiFLoure was a Lieutenant Colonel maint. squadron commander at Webb Air Force Base in 1969:

http://newspaperarchive.com/big-spring-dai...9-05-16/page-29

 

Another: http://newspaperarchive.com/big-spring-dai...ald/1970-05-07/

 

Another: http://www.locategrave.org/l/940189/Thomas-Difloure-CA

 

You may want to consider paying a researcher to get his records for you. Read through the pinned posts / threads on the Research section for info on how to do that.

 

And remember - Google name searches need to be the first thing you do when you try to research.

 

MW

[MWalsh]

ART MB Johnson is a very difficult one to research... there are so many Johnsons who served in WW2, and a ton of M Johnsons, and probably a lot of MB Johnsons too, so without something to narrow it down, since it is such a common name it may be just simply too difficult to do anything with.

 

I guess you could check the Navy muster rolls on Ancestry and search under the first names of Michael, Mitchell, Maurice, Manual, etc, and just play around with names and see what you come up with, you may get lucky and get a "hit" on it, but it could take some hours just sitting there clicking on records there. I guess it depends on how badly you want to know his history.

 

MW

[Braccobaldo]

Thanks for the info! I really appreciate your help.

I hope moderator will move the topic in the correct section. i tried to google both names but the found was about the link I posted.

I'll check the pinned posts for further info, thanks!

[Braccobaldo]

ART MB Johnson is a very difficult one to research... there are so many Johnsons who served in WW2, and a ton of M Johnsons, and probably a lot of MB Johnsons too, so without something to narrow it down, since it is such a common name it may be just simply too difficult to do anything with.

 

I guess you could check the Navy muster rolls on Ancestry and search under the first names of Michael, Mitchell, Maurice, Manual, etc, and just play around with names and see what you come up with, you may get lucky and get a "hit" on it, but it could take some hours just sitting there clicking on records there. I guess it depends on how badly you want to know his history.

 

MW

 

This is very difficult to find but I'm really motivated to know more. The only found was:

 

Johnson, Byron M. 8 Victories USN

 

but I doubt is related to my goggles considering he was a ART.

[VMTB-242]

Great find! Ever wonder how much is still out there waiting to be found?

[TomD]

Hello everyone. I am reviving this thread because the flight helmet pictured above with the name "Tom Difloure" on it belonged to my father. I found this site and the picture yesterday while looking for something else with Google.

 

The original poster posted here and on another site I found. A couple of people found some info on line about my dad and all of it is correct. I never saw this helmet, so don't know how it wound up where it did. I just wish I had seen it two years ago. My dad flew at the end of WWII, but not in combat. He was stationed in Australia and New Guinea for a short while then was in Japan for a year with the Occupation. He flew the A-20 Havoc and a few other planes, including the C-47 and C-54. He was recalled for Korea, was stationed stateside and stayed in until he retired in the early 70's.

 

You can imagine how surprised I was when I enlarged the thumbnail on the Google page and saw my name (same as his) on this helmet. I know it's his. I recognize the printing (also looks like mine) and anyone with the last name "Difloure" is somehow related to me. It was one of those Ellis Island made up names given to my grandparents when they arrived from the old country (Italy) after WW1.

 

If anyone knows the poster, I would appreciate a shout out about how to contact him.

[Bob Hudson]

If anyone knows the poster, I would appreciate a shout out about how to contact him.

 

The profile of the person who started this thread shows that they have not visited the forum since Sep 28, 2012 so odds are they will never see your post.

[Braccobaldo]

Good morning all, and above all Tom.

I'm here, I'm Giulio from Italy and I'm still the owner of this flight helmet and goggles.

Is a great surprise to read what Tom wrote. The fligh helmet and the goggles came from an eBay auction of the 2010/2011.

Let me know if you'd like to bring it home, for me will be a great miss because I really like it but I think That the son's house will be the right place if loved because until today is has been well preserved and displayed.

If you are interested I can tell you who was the seller and the location.

I didn't pay it so much, but I have to check between my papers.

[Bob Hudson]

Good morning all, and above all Tom.

I'm here, I'm Giulio from Italy and I'm still the owner of this flight helmet and goggles.

 

Wow - welcome back to the forum after almost two years! I wil send a PM to the son to be sure he sees your kind reply.

[TomD]

Giullo, Thank you so much for your kind offer. I would love to know who sold it to you. I am as much interested in the story of where it has been, as in the helmet itself. Of course I would love to have it and would be happy to cover any costs to you. I am so glad to hear that it has been someone who appreciates these things. My dad's parents, my grandparents, were from Italy. My grandfather was from Northern Italy and my grandmother was from Sicily. I remember visiting them when I was small.

 

What other kinds of things do you collect? Perhaps I could find something of interest to you to trade.

 

Bob, thank you for your help. I am posting this in the forum, so other members can see how this turned out. Pretty amazing story.

[Braccobaldo]

Giullo, Thank you so much for your kind offer. I would love to know who sold it to you. I am as much interested in the story of where it has been, as in the helmet itself. Of course I would love to have it and would be happy to cover any costs to you. I am so glad to hear that it has been someone who appreciates these things. My dad's parents, my grandparents, were from Italy. My grandfather was from Northern Italy and my grandmother was from Sicily. I remember visiting them when I was small.

 

What other kinds of things do you collect? Perhaps I could find something of interest to you to trade.

 

Bob, thank you for your help. I am posting this in the forum, so other members can see how this turned out. Pretty amazing story.

 

Hi Tom,

You are right, this is an amazing story. It is really curious that this lot returned in the country of origin of you family. I collect WW2 flight helmets and goggles, buying mostly on ebay.

I acquired this flight helmet with goggles in June 2009 and I'll send you the ebay seller name via PM so I don't violate his privacy, He is located in USA. I paid this lot 101.00 usd plus shipment that was 44.00 usd. thats all about the transaction with the seller, then I died to know more about the name so I posted here on the forum.

 

ciao

G