ACE NOVELTY TOKYO Patch and Patched Bowling Shirt

[hirsca]

These came from the same estate sale today. No other military items were to be found. The bowling shirt (so labeled) has his first name on the front--Jay. Jay Goggans--no other info was available. The patch on the back of the shirt measures approximately 10.5" by 7.5." The other patch measures approximately 3.5" by 3.5." Ace Novelty apparently made lots of patches for US servicemen and I had not seen one like this with their label affixed to the back of the patch. Any help on an ID of these is much appreciated. Thanks, Al.

[hirsca]

And the bowling shirt. Tail gunner?

[Mitch]

I'll take a WAG . The depiction on the patch and the back of the bowling shirt are for a tail gunner on a B-52 in the SAC. I believe the crow is holding the lightning bolts from SAC patch. On the other hand the crow with the tiger tail was usually associated with Electronic Warfare and it also had lightning bolts in its hands, so it could have a double meaning, but its a start.

Mitch

[hirsca]

I'll take a WAG . The depiction on the patch and the back of the bowling shirt are for a tail gunner on a B-52 in the SAC. I believe the crow is holding the lightning bolts from SAC patch. On the other hand the crow with the tiger tail was usually associated with Electronic Warfare and it also had lightning bolts in its hands, so it could have a double meaning, but its a start.

Mitch

 

Thanks Mitch. Is the Bulldog a symbol for tail gunners? Thanks again, Al.

[vintageproductions]

Great set.

[Mitch]

 

Thanks Mitch. Is the Bulldog a symbol for tail gunners? Thanks again, Al.

 

Hi Al,

The bulldog is normally associated with the USMC but I read about this patch or one similar to it in a book called B*U*F*F (Big Ugly Fat F***) B-52 Vietnam bombing Ops by Maier

Mitch

[hirsca]

Great set.

 

Thanks. B-52 tail gunner maybe? Vietnam era? Al.

 

[Mitch]

Hi Al,

I just found the book as an e-book on google. Google it and go to page 198 . There is a description of the patch. Also there is one similar here:

http://www.strategic-air-command.com/crow.htm

Mitch

[Patchcollector]

That is a cool set.The Ace Novelty tag on the back of their patches is actually fairly common.I believe that the gunner patch that you have is an earlier version,as it lacks the text.

[doyler]

Great set.Would say the shirt was done in Japan as well.

[vintageproductions]

For sure Vn era.

What tailor tag does the bowler have in it ( Sun Bros, Duck, etc..)?

[Patchcollector]

I'm unsure exactly when the B-52 went to the automatically controlled rear guns.Here is an excerpt from an article I found online:

 

The first USAF B-52s entered service in November 1955. Initial Air Force requirements for the long-range strategic bomber called for a crew of five, plus turret gunners. But the B-52B—the first deployed variant of the bomber—carried only one gunner, who manned four .50-caliber M3 machine guns. The barrels of these weapons protruded menacingly from the bomber’s rear, like a giant multipronged stinger.

The gunner sat in the aircraft tail underneath a transparent canopy, allowing a wide field of vision. The view directly in front was blocked by the control panel and the guns themselves, but an optical periscope overcame the blind spot.

B-52 gunners reached this isolated position by climbing over the fully reclined back of their seat. When they snapped the seat upright, they were physically isolated in a space more than one airman compared to the size of a coffin. With some variation as to weaponry and fire-control systems, this layout remained the same through the B-52D, the version used extensively in Southeast Asia beginning in the 1960s.

 

I highlighted the areas that seem to correspond to the patch design on the shirt.

 

Here is a link to the entire article:

 

http://www.airforcemag.com/magazinearchive/pages/2012/january%202012/0112gunners.aspx

[hirsca]

Thanks to all. Great information. I'm going to go out and buy a bowling ball......Thanks again, Al.

[hirsca]

For sure Vn era.

What tailor tag does the bowler have in it ( Sun Bros, Duck, etc..)?

 

Here is a pic of the label. PX purchase maybe, then Japanese embroidery? How do you spell LEAGER? One G or 2? Thanks, Al.

 

[Torch03]

Very nice set!!

 

Matt

[hirsca]

 

Here is a pic of the label. PX purchase maybe, then Japanese embroidery? How do you spell LEAGER? One G or 2? Thanks, Al.

 

 

A closer look at the label shows what I thought was a G is actually a U, so, the spelling is correct. I can't find any info on him. Mother (Norma Mae Goggans) owned the house the estate sale was at. She died in 2013 at the age of 89. I am a Vietnam veteran and my mother will be 90 in September, so Jay is probably pushing 70, like me, if he is still living. Anyone able to find info about him? Thanks again for all the kind comments.

[checkit]

Another example of the Ace Novelty label:

[Randy]

 

Thanks Mitch. Is the Bulldog a symbol for tail gunners? Thanks again, Al.

 

Yes, the bulldog is used by the gunners. The crow represents the Electronic Warfare Officers, the other half of the B-52 defensive team. There are many variations, but the overall theme is the dog protecting the scared crow. All B-52 guns were radar controlled, with the gunner in the tail, or up front on the G and H models.My dad, who had over 8000 hours as a BUFF gunner, said they also used bulldog pins from the Mack truck company during formal occasions. That's a neat shirt.

 

Randy

 

[tredhed2]

I'm unsure exactly when the B-52 went to the automatically controlled rear guns.Here is an excerpt from an article I found online:

 

The first USAF B-52s entered service in November 1955. Initial Air Force requirements for the long-range strategic bomber called for a crew of five, plus turret gunners. But the B-52B—the first deployed variant of the bomber—carried only one gunner, who manned four .50-caliber M3 machine guns. The barrels of these weapons protruded menacingly from the bomber’s rear, like a giant multipronged stinger.

The gunner sat in the aircraft tail underneath a transparent canopy, allowing a wide field of vision. The view directly in front was blocked by the control panel and the guns themselves, but an optical periscope overcame the blind spot.

B-52 gunners reached this isolated position by climbing over the fully reclined back of their seat. When they snapped the seat upright, they were physically isolated in a space more than one airman compared to the size of a coffin. With some variation as to weaponry and fire-control systems, this layout remained the same through the B-52D, the version used extensively in Southeast Asia beginning in the 1960s.

 

I highlighted the areas that seem to correspond to the patch design on the shirt.

 

Here is a link to the entire article:

 

http://www.airforcemag.com/magazinearchive/pages/2012/january%202012/0112gunners.aspx

 

I had a bud from HS who joined the USAF approx. 1969 and got bored being the tail gunner on 52s, so he transferred to a USAFD assault helicopter unit where he served as a door gunner.......

 

[firefighter]

WOW!!! Awesome stuff.