Jump to content

USAF Museum: WWII Flight Jackets and More


gwb123
 Share

Recommended Posts

There is a section of the Museum that commemorates celebrities who set aside their careers to fly with the Army Air Force.

 

"On March 22, 1941, Jimmy Stewart was drafted into the U.S. Armed Forces. He was assigned to the Army Air Corps as an enlisted man and stationed at Moffett Field, Calif. During his nine months of training at that base, he also took extension courses with the idea of obtaining a commission. He completed the courses and was awaiting the results when Pearl Harbor took place. A month later he received his commission, and because he had logged over 400 hours as a civilian, he was permitted to take basic flight training at Moffett and received his pilot wings. During the next nine months, he instructed in AT-6, AT-9 and B-17 aircraft and flew bombardiers in the training school at Albuquerque, N.M. In the fall of 1943, Stewart went to England as Commanding Officer of the 703d Bomb Squadron, equipped with B-24s.

He began flying combat missions and on March 31, 1944, was appointed Operations Officer of the 453rd Bomb Group and, subsequently, Chief of Staff of the 2nd Combat wing, 2nd Air Division of the 8th Air Force. Stewart ended the war with 20 combat missions. He remained in the USAF Reserve and was promoted to brigadier general on July 23, 1959. He retired on May 31, 1968."

 

http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit/MuseumExhibits/FactSheets/Display/tabid/509/Article/196679/brig-gen-james-m-stewart.aspx

BB 70.jpg

BB 72.jpg

BB 75 Stewart.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A favorite of mine, Jackie Coogan's 1st Air Commando flight jacket.

 

"Jackie Coogan enlisted in the Army on March 4, 1941. When the U.S. entered World War II as a result of the Pearl Harbor attack, Coogan requested transfer to the AAF as a glider pilot because of his civilian flying experience. He was sent to glider school at Lubbock, Texas, and Twentynine Palms, Calif. Upon graduation, he was made a Flight Officer. He then volunteered for hazardous duty with the 1st Air Commando Group being formed by the famous Col. Phil Cochran. In December 1943, the unit was sent to India where, using Waco CG-4A gliders, it airlifted crack British troops under Gen. Orde Wingate during the night aerial invasion of Burma (March 5, 1944), landing them in a small jungle clearing 100 miles behind Japanese lines. Coogan returned to the United States in May 1944 and was discharged in December. 1945."

 

http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit/MuseumExhibits/FactSheets/Display/tabid/509/Article/196681/flight-officer-jackie-coogan.aspx

 

 

Jackie Coogan is better known to modern audiences for his role as "Uncle Fester" in the original TV version of the Addams Family. My Dad had to convince me that these were one and the same person!

 

BB 60 Coogan.jpg

BB 62.jpg

BB 63.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Back where we began, in the hallway display...

 

"Jacket art continued in popularity into the Korean War as this jacket illustrates. The 307th Bomb Group flew B-29s from Okinawa from 1950 to 1953.

This jacket was donated by Mr. Cleve J. Covey."

 

It's quite possible that I missed one or two of them. There is other flight clothing on display there as well.

 

I hope you have enjoyed this selection, and that you get the opportunity to visit the Museum as well.

 

AA 50.jpg

AA 51.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's like going to a toy store when you're a kid...but you're not allowed to buy anything....

 

It does drive you a bit crazy in that respect.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Add on: While technically not a "flight jacket", it is a tanker jacket worn by a pilot who wanted to stay warm! Both the patch and the story that goes with it are fascinating.

BB 20.jpg

BB 21.jpg

BB 22.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What a great presentation. Gil! Wonderful seeing them on display with appropriate explanations. Have heard they have '100s' of A-2s in the back room! THANK YO! Bob

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you so much for posting these photos. It has been close to 30 years since I have visited the museum; this has sparked my interest in a return trip.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was just there a couple days ago, and the only thing better is seeing all of these in person.

 

Oh, and the planes were pretty cool, too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was just there a couple days ago, and the only thing better is seeing all of these in person.

 

Oh, and the planes were pretty cool, too.

 

I swear you could spend a week there and still miss something. My brother and I gave it two days and still did not see it all.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks so much for sharing these here. It's been a long time since I was at the Museum and I've learned a lot since so seeing these again is like getting a fresh look.

 

Bert Stiles, who wrote the great book "Serenade to the Big Bird" about his time flying 17s with the 91st BG had time in the B-17 "Times a Wastin" so it's fun to see that jacket.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Garandomatic

Hell's teeth... I think I've got the waist gunner's uniform that flew on Ice Cold Katy... He was 447th... Their next plane was Feather Merchant... I gotta check that out!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

phantomfixer

second that...thanks for posting the pics...been to the museum once...and was able to photograph a few of the jackets seen here, but not all...and agreed...like a kid in the candy store..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Recently I had a discussion with the archivist there at the USAF museum and one of the talks was about artifacts. Off site, on the grounds of Wright-Patterson AFB is there warehouse, a massive structure consuming several acres. In regards to A-2 jackets only a small fraction are on display, in fact they have so many he told me they stopped accepting them meaning they turn down donations. They don't want anymore. They also stopped taking books and manuals. If you contact them wanting to donate A-2 jackets and books they answer you will get is ...no!

speaking of A-2's this is a great picture of the equipment room of the 401st BS based in England, note the notice that no A-2 jackets are available...they were popular.

post-56-0-26706000-1489443335.jpg

post-56-0-90636400-1489443339_thumb.jpg

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...