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Named WWII 5th Air Force Navigator's Uniform


mndoss
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This uniform grouping belonged to 1stLt Jack J. Schofield. Lt Schofield was a navigator in the 380th Bomb Group, 5th Air Force. The grouping came with everything pictured (minus the ribbons), including his Navigator wings. I just need to get a tie to complete it. The garrison cap and shirt have his name in it. Lt Schofield was a navigator on the B-24 On De-Fense. This grouping came with an unopened model kit from Monogram of this very plane! There were also a few printed pages of research the seller included, such as his obituary, some information on On De-Fense, and a history of the 380th Bomb Group. I was able to get some of his records from Geoff at Golden Arrow Research. Included with that was a listing of the medals and ribbons he rated. Using this list I was able to restore the uniform with the ribbons he rated. What's interesting is that he rated the Philippine Independence Medal, though from what I've read one of the criteria for that was to also have been awarded the Philippine Defense Medal, which Lt Schofield was not.

 

It'd be interesting to see what campaigns he served in and how many missions he flew. What bits of his record survived didn't include this. I've been able to get some additional information on him from the 380th Bomb Group Association website. According to the site he served in the 530th Bomb Squadron in the 380th BG as part of Lt Huet's crew. The site lists him with the group from 29 Jan '44 to 21 Jan '45. One of the documents that was included in his record indicates that he reverted to inactive status on 24 Jul '45. Looks like I've still got more research to do, but that's half the fun!

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Some of the paperwork showing his awards. This paperwork was done after the war, looks like when he requested copies of his medals.

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Old Crow 1986

Terrific grouping and superior research on your part! The unopened model of the B-24 - HIS B-24 - is an fantastic touch. Nicely done!

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The Philippine Independence Medal was also originally awarded to all those stationed in the Philippines on July 4 1946. The criteria to have been awarded both Defense and Liberation medals to rate the Independence one came later. So that could be the reason, though inactive status in 1945 might preclude that.

 

Thanks for the info, I didn't know that!

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  • 2 weeks later...

So I posted some pics of this uniform on the 380th Bomb Group Facebook page to try and see if I could get more information on Lt Schofield. One of the members who wrote a book on the 380th shared some interesting information about the uniform. Apparently Lt Schofield donated it to the Plattsburgh AFB museum back in the 1980s. The museum (and base) had subsequently closed down. Nice to see that the uniform grouping was kept together and now wound up with me as its caretaker!

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