ID'ed specimen in my "Blood Chits" collection.

[fstop61]

Excellent collection-alwaying an education on USMF. Thanks for posting!

[BlueBookGuy]

thanks very much fstop61 !!

[Survival]

Here is a Burma Chit for the topic.

 

 

[BlueBookGuy]

A GREAT Chit indeed, Survival - one of the most gorgeous in my opinion.

 

Some time ago I was offered one of these British Burma Chits, in fair conditions. I preferred to pass on, after deciding at the same price I could get an original pair of US Cavalry riding gauntlets, Pattern 1886, in very good conditions.

I got them in effect, and they were subsequently added to an original Pattern 1884 Blue Blouse, having yellow US Cavalry Corporal chevrons sewn on sleeves. With the addition of a black Campaign Hat and an original Springfield Mod. 1879 Cavalry Carbine, I put together a good Cavalry display of that corner of Old West - a long sought after project.

 

Franco.

[BlueBookGuy]

Here a portion of the display.

The dark band just under Pinckney's leather Blood Chit will accept photos of him and his P-40, after having them printed.

 

[BlueBookGuy]

Completed right today, display of Capt. D. Pinckney's "Blood Chit" with pics addition:

he climbing into 16th Fighter Squadron P-40K tail number #365, and another P-40K tail number #358 in wich he was shot down.

 

[BlueBookGuy]

[BlueBookGuy]

It could be interesting to track down the original owner of the specimen made in embroidered silk - the one having "quilted" resemblance.

I know it was a C-46 co-pilot tasked with flying over the "Hump", India to China and back; still have to contact again the latest owner of very recently years, and ask to finally send to me some pics and infos about the aviator - I already did see them via E-mail.

 

Hope this could be done soon. It would make this Chit just the 2nd piece in collection having an identified provenance !

 

Franco.

[BEAST]

It could be interesting to track down the original owner of the specimen made in embroidered silk - the one having "quilted" resemblance.

I know it was a C-46 co-pilot tasked with flying over the "Hump", India to China and back; still have to contact again the latest owner of very recently years, and ask to finally send to me some pics and infos about the aviator - I already did see them via E-mail.

 

Hope this could be done soon. It would make this Chit just the 2nd piece in collection having an identified provenance !

 

Franco.

 

Franco,

 

Those are beautiful examples! If I may, here is the only chit that I have, a "quilted" example very similar to yours. This was carried by an NCO who served with the 1343rd AAF Base Unit which operated out of China. The vet gave this chit to me along with his uniforms, souvenirs, etc. This was folded and carried in his Chinese language book.

 

Hopefully this example will help provide some information on yours.

 

 

[BlueBookGuy]

hello BEAST, thanks for appreciating!!

Not a large collection but, I'm fond of it -- a good 2/3 of them I did obtain only by using overtime work so the whole process was rather slow, plus the fact I wasn't able in finding absolutely anything here in Italy except than (ugly, moreover) repros.

 

Your is a great Chit also 'cause you know its provenance. The piece itself is a beauty, with no real flaws - just those tiny areas of loose or missing threads on the red field, are almost nothing. Thanks very much!! Franco.

[Brian Dentino]

Some great Chits there. Love the classy way that you have them framed and displayed. Thanks for showing them to us. I had no idea there were so many different versions/types!

[BlueBookGuy]

Too much kind Brian,

thanks for appreciating!!

[BlueBookGuy]

here, a better view of the 5-language Chit - the US-made variant.

 

This was inspired by the India-made 1st variant, wich was of silk front sewn to cotton backing. The US-made one is rayon front, sewn to cotton backing. Also the overall quality of printing is much better.

More or less, layouts of languages and their content remains unchanged.

 

[BlueBookGuy]

This US-made Chit is currently framed together a 6-Languages Chit and a aviator's neck scarf, "souvenir" of the CBI theater of operations.

 

Scarf is made of silk, and sports hand-embroidered Chinese "dragoon" and CBI shield over two crossed flags - USA and Nationalist China.

 

 

[BlueBookGuy]

[BlueBookGuy]

Threading wich makes up flags and CBI shield, looks to be in less shape than the dragoon's:

 

[BlueBookGuy]

hello,

 

latest Chit just arrived today. Even if technically not a US Blood Chit, it could pretty well stay together to the two US-issued Chits for air missions deep into Russia-held territory in second half of 1944.

The less known, British variant of the "shuttle missions" Chit is identical in basic details to the American ones, of course the changes are most evident.

 

Above the paper US variant (left), and rayon-like US variant (right). Below the RAF-issued variant.

 

[BlueBookGuy]

[BlueBookGuy]

For comparison, here a close up of the rayon US specimen.

Basically, the same thing.

 

To next Chit (hopefully.. ) Franco.

 

[doinworkinvans]

I dont know how I have missed this thread for so long.....I am in love!!! You have some outstanding and priceless pieces! I only have one late-war CHIT in my collection. Thank you so much for sharing these! I will pay better attention from now on!

 

PS I also love that yellow border CBI patch...its a beauty as well!

 

Daniel

[BROBS]

Daniel,

probably missed it as the aviation stuff is divided into so many subforums...

it can be easy to miss stuff that all would have been in one place in the field, but many places here.

 

This is a great thread with many excellent examples of original blood chits.

-Brian

[BlueBookGuy]

thanks so much for your appreciations boys

 

Franco.

[BlueBookGuy]

A great day !!! - after an almost three-years searching, I have got a printed U.S. "back flag" typical of CBI theater operations.

Silk + cotton backing, and large indeed - about 8" x 13", the type to be sewn on back of A-2 jacket (mine was not sewn however).

 

Photo shows what was this type of US flag, here from a book. Will post pics of actual my flag at soonest.

 

[BlueBookGuy]

And finally the real thing, just arrived to me yesterday:

 

made in India, starting possibly in early part of 1944. Even if looking like an artisan-produced item, the large US flag "patch" was officially procured under Reverse Lend-Lease (this is, supplied by Brithish sources) to US aircrewmen.

Overall about 8" x 13", printed silk sewn to cotton backing. Many wartime photos show them attached to the backside of A-2 flight jackets worn by 14th Air Force aviators.

 

[BlueBookGuy]