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WWI Bullion Wing of GH Tobelman


B-17Guy
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This wing was worn in 1918 by Gustave Henry Tobelman of Newark, NJ.

He was commissioned at Kelly Field and died in 1965.

 

Best, John

 

Thanks for the help Cliff!

post-12439-0-09003100-1406988206.jpg

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skypilot6670

A beautiful wing.Will you be able to come up with a more complete bio on the aviator ? Any ideas on the maker? Thanks for posting. Early wings are my favorites especially in the Dallas style. Thanks again Mike

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rathbonemuseum.com

Nice John. What was the original attribution? Family? It came with other named stuff? Fascinating how one thread leads to the whole story!

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This wing was worn in 1918 by Gustave Henry Tobelman of Newark, NJ.

He was commissioned at Kelly Field and died in 1965.

 

Best, John

 

Thanks for the help Cliff!

 

A beautiful wing, however even as good as it looks in the picture it looks better in hand. I believe that they were made in the US. The uniform that I received from Lt Thomas D. Cabot had an identical wing in pin back and the uniform from Lt Howard Wing had the same wing badge sewn directly to the tunic. Since both aviators never saw overseas duty and both were from the New England area, and both tunics were private purchase, I suspect that these were made in that area. This was one of my favorite bullion wings and are quite striking. Thanks for posting.

Terry

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Thanks Terry, I agree, it is a real stunner!

I don't believe 2Lt Tobelman ever went over seas either, as you and

Cliff have mentioned, most US pilots never got the chance to go to

France before the Armistice.

Thanks very much for adding to the tread.

Maybe you could post your wings as well?

 

Best, John

 

 

This wing was worn in 1918 by Gustave Henry Tobelman of Newark, NJ.

He was commissioned at Kelly Field and died in 1965.

 

Best, John

 

Thanks for the help Cliff!

 

A beautiful wing, however even as good as it looks in the picture it looks better in hand. I believe that they were made in the US. The uniform that I received from Lt Thomas D. Cabot had an identical wing in pin back and the uniform from Lt Howard Wing had the same wing badge sewn directly to the tunic. Since both aviators never saw overseas duty and both were from the New England area, and both tunics were private purchase, I suspect that these were made in that area. This was one of my favorite bullion wings and are quite striking. Thanks for posting.

Terry

 

 

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Holy smokes!! As a newby collector of AAS wings, that is just a stunning piece, truly stunning! You made my day!

Congratulations!
Greg

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  • 2 weeks later...

Tobleman was a New Jersey boy, so I have a little background for you.

Gustav Henry Tobelman was born 6 June 1894 in Newark, New Jersey. A student at Brown University prior to the war,
he graduated with the class of 1917 and was employed as a mechanical engineer. When war was declared in April
of 1917, he completed his final year at Brown and enlisted in the U.S. Air Service, mustering in as a Private
at Philadelphia on 10th December 1917.

 

 

 

His first assignment was to the School of Military Aeronautics at Austin, Texas. Following graduation from the
"ground school" course there, he was posted for primary flight instruction to Kelly Field in San Antonio, Texas.
While at Kelly, he completed his Reserve Military Aviator tests and received his commission to 2/Lt. on
30 October 1918. The extraordinarily long period between his first posting for flight training and his
final successful completion of his RMA tests has not been explained, but there are a variety of reasons this
could have been so. Most pilots who do not show aptitude for flying would have long since been removed from the
flying program, but the fact that he completed his training indicates the long delay was possibly due to health
or injury.

 

While at Kelly, he was part of a nine plane formation which flew from San Antonio to Austin and then stopped over
in Flatonia about 80 miles south-southeast of Austin. The town rarely saw airplanes and the crews were feted
by the residents. The formation was led by Captain Edward Stinson, who would later become famous as a barnstormer
and founder of the Stinson Aircraft Company.

 

Tobelman was at one point assigned to Love Field, probably as a flight instructor, and completed his service
during the war in the U.S. On 6 January 1919, he was finally discharged from the national service.

 

In the post war, he married Helen close from his hometown of Newark. Employed by the Bridgeport Brass Company and
later by the Calumet and Hecla Copper Company, the Tobelmans raised three children. Gustav retired in 1959 and
move to Brownsville, Vermont with his wife.

 

Two years later, while on a cross country trip from Florida to California, the Tobelmans traveled down Route 10
and once again "landed" in the town of Flatonia, Texas, where he had stopped in 1918 with Captain Stinson. While in
Flatonia, he related the story which made it's way into the local newspaper. 43 years after the event, Gustav
Tobelman was once again famous - at least in Flatonia.

 

Just four years later, Gustav Tobleman passed away at age 71 in March 1965.


And the only photo I have been able to locate.

Mike

post-4331-0-71061600-1408383971.jpg

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Hello Mike (njaviators),

 

I just got off the telephone with John (B-17Guy) who's on a mini-vacation, with no access to a computer. He asked me to pass along a sincere word of thanks for the information you've uncovered regarding Air Service Pilot Tobelman. Being the conscientious kind of guy he is, John didn't want your efforts to go unacknowledged until he returns to civilization and can respond personally.

 

Mike, I think I can say for all those collectors admiring John's beautiful bullion Pilot badge, the additional research you've provided really brings this aerial artifact to life! Thank you.

 

Russ

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  • 3 weeks later...

very neat and amazing to find so much history behind this little object.

I don't collect WW1 wings but I certainly see their beauty and merits.

This is an excellent one even without the history, but with it... it's beyond that.

 

-Brian

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