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Looking for info for flight suit and missing unit emblem


WrongCoast
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WrongCoast

I don't know much about this flight suit that I've had for a while. I've been able to make out the label, which is  T.S. Lankford and Sons, Abilene Texas. I was able to find a short newspaper clipping that said the company goes as far back as the 1920s making garments for the Government. My best guess is this is WW2 or a little before.  I'd love to know more about the history of these types and I'm most interested in if anyone has any guesses as which unit emblem may have previously adorned this flight suit.  I've attached a photo that outlines where the patch was, I' hope someone might recognize the shape and help me with an identifications. Many Thanks, Mike.

T.S. Lankford and Sons 1.jpg

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WrongCoast

While researching the flight suit yesterday before making my original post I found an identical flight suit in online auction. What was very interesting in that one was some original paperwork in a pocket that looks like some grade sheets from pilot training. The embroidered name is done identically but this one also doesn't have a patch or any other additional information.  This paperwork does seem to point to flight trainingas previously mentioned.

s-l1600.jpgs-l1600.jpgs-l1600.jpg The auction can be found here https://www.ebay.com/itm/WW11-flight-suit/202693963919?_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D225074%26meid%3D0b3a71c266f54fa8992a3040d270a9d8%26pid%3D100675%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D15%26mehot%3Dnone%26sd%3D202693963919%26itm%3D202693963919%26pmt%3D0%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D2380057&_trksid=p2380057.c100675.m4236&_trkparms=pageci%3A58e163f1-93ae-11ea-a384-7a5081210c5d|parentrq%3A04d1da271720ad30d315e852ffb431fa|iid%3A1 (I'm not associated with this auction, just posting as a reference. )

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  • 2 years later...

Believe I may have found your missing patch. It’s on my father’s WWII flight suit. He received his naval flight training in TX. He flew with NATS - naval air transport service.

Hope I attached my photos correctly and hope you are still there.

855F1049-C6E4-4375-8255-F2DB9E71F1A8.jpeg

241B06C9-E37E-4186-8F65-406DB2F1A23A.jpeg

312AA0AF-C54C-4787-AAFD-55B1FB3B7ACF.jpeg

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Military looking suit design but appears pre-war to me. And not military contract. Not that uncommon to see early on.

JoAnne, welcome to the forum, do you have any more information you can share about your father's military service?

Dave

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Hi Dave, 

Suit could very well be pre Dec. 7, 1941 - very interesting! I was hoping to learn more. His suit and two silk flight scarves are still hanging in my closet.

This is a bit of a long story, but here it is.

Upon Dad’s high school graduation in 1938, he entered Long Beach Junior College and enrolled in the Federal Civilian Flight Training program. He received his private pilots license in 1940 and in July 1941 he obtained his instructors rating from West Coast Air Corps Trainig Center, Moffett Field, Hemet, CA. He then was offered the post of instructor with the US Army Air Corps at Ryan School of Aeronautics in Hemet, CA. He wore a uniform at Ryan, but he was a civilian instructor for the Army.

 

In 1942, he tried to obtain a commission in either the Navy or Army Air Corps. Due to lack of instructors after the war began, he was frozen in his instructor position for three years.

Then, in March 1944, he was classified 1A and, after much red tape, he was finally able to obtain an appointment to Ensign, Aviation Training A. V. T., Corpus Christi, TX.

 

I think he was fortunate to be stuck in the states, but it was not what he preferred.

 

Thank you Dave for your reply,

His daughter JoAnne

 

 

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Thanks so much for the story. That's what many guys got for being the first and being good teachers. Yet, think of the pilots he trained and what they achieved by relying on good training! Thanks for keeping his contribution and story alive.

I think this gives a pretty concise dating and provenance(per se) to this kind of suit.

Very cool!

Dave

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