74th FS 23rd FG 14th AAF CATF CBI | theater-made patch

[walika]

74th FS 23rd FG 14th AAF CATF CBI

The 74th was one of the original squadrons in the 23d fighter Group to see combat action in the Far East.

LINEAGE. Constituted 74th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 17 Dec 1941. Redesignated 74th Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942. Activated on 4 Jul 1942. Inactivated on 5 Jan 1946.

ASSIGNMENTS. 23rd Fighter Group, 4 Jul 1942-5 Jan 1946.

STATIONS. Kunming, China, 4 Jul 1942; Yunnani, China, 12 Mar 1943; Kweilin, China, 19 May 1943 (detachment operated from Liuchow, China, 16 Feb-30 Apr 1944); Luliang, China, 12 Sep 1944 (detachment operated from Tushan, China, Mar-Aug 1945); Liuchow, China, c. Aug 1945; Hangchow, China, c. 15 Oct-4 Dec 1945.

AIRCRAFT. P-40, 1942-1944; P-51, 1944-1945.

OPERATIONS. Combat in CBI, 16 Jul 1942-10 Aug 1945.

CAMPAIGNS. India-Burma; China Defensive; Western Pacific; China Offensive.

THEATER MADE. Chinese embroidery on cloth. c 1942.

 

Confirmation of this insignia identification is found in a publication of the 14th Air Force Association. In its 1979 edition of Annual Pictorial Magazine of the 14th Air Force Association is found the following photograph with caption.

 

 

Thomas B. Angel, Jr. (1924-2012) served in the US Army Air Corps during WWII where he was a fighter pilot with the Flying Tigers in China. He was shot down two times and received the Purple Heart.

 

In his wonderful series, Robert Watkins includes a Disney design submitted for the 74th Fighter Squadron in April, 1944, a cartoon gorilla on a cloud, which was never approved.

 

 

 

My thinking is the Disney gorilla design was intended to replace the insignia initially used, c 1942, after the squadron became known as the "Gorilla Squadron".

 

 

References:

Annual Pictorial Magazine of the 14th Air Force Association. 1979. p 29.

Maurer. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force World War II. pp 271-272.

Watkins, Robert A. Battle Colors. Vol. VI. p 24

 

74fs 23fg 14aaf cacw

[josesharontraders]

Wow, wow, wow. That is sooo beautiful and so rare.

 

Thank you for sharing, my old friend.

 

 

jose