willipr Posted November 5, 2014 Share #1 Posted November 5, 2014 I share with you my grandfather's flight jacket. I'm not sure of the maker of the jacket as the tag is no longer on the jacket. The patch is for his fighter squadron VF-7 where he flew the F6F Hellcat in the Pacific. I posted a little more about him in the Veterans Recollections thread. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willipr Posted November 5, 2014 Author Share #2 Posted November 5, 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willipr Posted November 5, 2014 Author Share #3 Posted November 5, 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willipr Posted November 5, 2014 Author Share #4 Posted November 5, 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willipr Posted November 5, 2014 Author Share #5 Posted November 5, 2014 I also have an unused decal that would've gone on their planes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willipr Posted November 5, 2014 Author Share #6 Posted November 5, 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted November 6, 2014 Share #7 Posted November 6, 2014 Very nice jacket. It is tough to find WWII Navy Flight jackets with BOTH a name tag and a squadron patch, especially to a unit that saw combat. I only have 1 and I have a number of WWII USN flight jackets. Most of mine only have name tags. Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willipr Posted November 6, 2014 Author Share #8 Posted November 6, 2014 Very nice jacket. It is tough to find WWII Navy Flight jackets with BOTH a name tag and a squadron patch, especially to a unit that saw combat. I only have 1 and I have a number of WWII USN flight jackets. Most of mine only have name tags. Kurt Thanks for your feedback Kurt. I never realized how difficult it is to find a jacket with both the name tag and squadron patch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted November 6, 2014 Share #9 Posted November 6, 2014 WWII AAF jackets are common with squadron patches, butWWII USN and USMC jackets are scarce and under-rated. Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted November 6, 2014 Share #10 Posted November 6, 2014 These are from January 21st, 1945 from some VF-7 after action reports. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willipr Posted November 6, 2014 Author Share #11 Posted November 6, 2014 Wow. Thanks for the after action reports. They mean a lot to me. I haven't seen any reports with my grandfather mentioned in them. I do have his flight book he used throughout the war and in training and also a history of VF-7 typed up by one of the veterans who sent it to Sig. The history starts with their formation as a squadron, training, daily action in the Pacific, and return to the US. In the history and logbooks it briefly mentions him shooting down the Lilly. But this gives a lot more detail. Thank you a lot Kurt! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffro Posted November 6, 2014 Share #12 Posted November 6, 2014 Phenomenal jacket Willipr! Priceless too, having been your grandfather's. That's the first real example of the VF-7 patch that I've ever seen. I'd love to see more from your Grandfather. Logbook pages or period photos of him wearing the jacket would be really cool. Thanks for sharing with the forum. Jeffro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hink441 Posted November 6, 2014 Share #13 Posted November 6, 2014 Great looking jacket. Would love to hear more about your Grandfather!! Please post some more pics of his treasures!! Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willipr Posted November 6, 2014 Author Share #14 Posted November 6, 2014 Thanks Jeffro and Chris. I'll try to post some more of his items along with pictures from his logbook and pictures of him. I also have an unused VF-7 patch of his. Sadly the best camera I have is my cellphone and I can usually only post one picture at a time. Thanks again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDK Posted November 6, 2014 Share #15 Posted November 6, 2014 That's a really great jacket. I would also love to see more of his items. It's great you have his logbook as well. It's really great you have all of these items from your grandfather. Hang on to them! JD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazelot Posted November 6, 2014 Share #16 Posted November 6, 2014 Fantastic jacket. Thanks for sharing the pictures with us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BROBS Posted November 6, 2014 Share #17 Posted November 6, 2014 I agree... just really cool. feel free to post more photos of more stuff.. -Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willipr Posted November 6, 2014 Author Share #18 Posted November 6, 2014 That's a really great jacket. I would also love to see more of his items. It's great you have his logbook as well. It's really great you have all of these items from your grandfather. Hang on to them! JD Thanks JD. They will be staying in the family. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willipr Posted November 6, 2014 Author Share #19 Posted November 6, 2014 I'm sharing with you tonight my grandfather's log book. It starts in October 1942 and ends in August 1945. Included are his training and deployment to the Pacific. Enjoy and thanks for looking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willipr Posted November 6, 2014 Author Share #20 Posted November 6, 2014 Flight Clothing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willipr Posted November 6, 2014 Author Share #21 Posted November 6, 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willipr Posted November 7, 2014 Author Share #22 Posted November 7, 2014 Training in my hometown of Vero Beach, FL at the Naval Air Station. The station is now a small airport. Piper aircraft also manufactures their airplanes their. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willipr Posted November 7, 2014 Author Share #23 Posted November 7, 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willipr Posted November 7, 2014 Author Share #24 Posted November 7, 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willipr Posted November 7, 2014 Author Share #25 Posted November 7, 2014 His first kill on October 16th, 1944. It reads "Sull, Bahr & Hickey fired too. I blew him up. 1 hole in my wing." Yikes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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