The Rooster Posted June 21, 2020 Share #1 Posted June 21, 2020 Meet Mr William Thomas of Alquippa Pennsylvannia. He was a Pilot in the Air Corps until he was injured in a crash. He became a instructor in the CAA War Training Service training pilots for the war. We would not know anything about Mr Thomas except that the seller who sold me the wing below mentioned that it ws his great uncles. I asked if he wouldnt mind telling me his great uncles name. He told me and gave me a brief history and these photos along with the wing. He says he has some letters to Mr Thomas from Pilots that he is going to send to me. So, for the first time ever, I have a wing with solid provenance. The first and only for me. I'l be its caretaker along with Mr Thomas memory. Happy Fathers Day ! Rooster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwnorma Posted June 21, 2020 Share #2 Posted June 21, 2020 Top shelf! This is the sort of thing that really makes this hobby worthwhile! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BILL THE PATCH Posted June 21, 2020 Share #3 Posted June 21, 2020 And if you didn't ask it would be lost to history. I always ask when buying off eBay if they have any info on what im buying. Believe me it pays off soon or later. Thanks for showingSent from my moto g(7) play using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted June 22, 2020 Share #4 Posted June 22, 2020 Nice pick-up Rooster! If those two included photographs are any indication of William Thomas' affiliation with both the War Training Service and war-time era Civil Air Patrol, you've landed a grouping with very nice historical aviation significance! Especially if that particular CAP unit was actively involved in aerial shore patrol and German sub-hunting along the North Carolina coast in early 1942. The airplane identifier on the tail of the CAP aircraft would be a good place to continue your information search. Both the C.A.P. and W.T.S. played very different but vital roles in the early days of our involvement in WWII. Thanks for sharing your find with us! I look forward to hearing about where your research takes you... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Rooster Posted June 22, 2020 Author Share #5 Posted June 22, 2020 Thank you guys I appreciate all the kind comments. This is a special wing, a first for me. Im honored to have it. The following is what the seller wrote me about this wing. I hope to find out much more about William Thomas. And will share what I can find out. Thank you for the clues about the tail numbers. "So, here is the story as I understand it with the wings. The gentleman who earned the wings was William Thomas, from Aliquippa, PA. (great uncle) He was a pilot before WWII and was in the Army Air core I believe leading up to the war. I’m unclear as to the type of aircraft he flew but he was injured in a crash, his back was injured to where combat piloting was no longer an option for him. After his injury he stayed in the states and trained other pilots to fly during war time. He passed away in 1962 I believe, after retiring to Seminole FL. We have some letters written back to Bill from pilots that he trained. They were very interesting and when we find them again I will send them to you so you can keep with the wings." Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Rooster Posted June 24, 2020 Author Share #6 Posted June 24, 2020 Greetings all. Today I recieved the most wonderful Email kindly sent by the seller of this beautiful wing. I can today add more detail to Mr Thomas story and the role he played during WW2. We have a head shot of Mr Thomas and a full length shot of Mr Thomas in his flying uniform. Also remarkably, a letter from a combat P-38 pilot in the pacific to Mr William Thomas. He may have been a student but appears to be a close friend of Bills ? The letter is fascinating!!! Read it for your self. Its a unique glimpse into a fighter pilots life in the pacific during WW2. Sadly he was killed. Enjoy and I hope to post more in the near future. Many thanks to the seller of this remarkable piece of history which has opened into a world we seldom get an intimate glimpse of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huntssurplus Posted June 25, 2020 Share #7 Posted June 25, 2020 Wow that's awesome! RIP to Lt. Nelson though, killed very late in the war, June 23rd 1945... Hunt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Rooster Posted June 25, 2020 Author Share #8 Posted June 25, 2020 CAA Hat Badge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Rooster Posted June 25, 2020 Author Share #9 Posted June 25, 2020 Apparently this aircraft was sold off to someone in Alaska. The tail number came up with the folowing info... Thank you Matt ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Rooster Posted June 26, 2020 Author Share #10 Posted June 26, 2020 Ernest Nelson is on the body not recovered list for WW2 air force personel NELSON, ERNEST F2D LTO-758840 6/23/1945 12:00:00 AM 67 FIGHTER SQUADRON 347 FIGHTER GROUP PENNSYLVANIA PHILIPPINES https://www.dpaa.mil/Portals/85/Documents/WWIIAccounting/united_states_army_air_forces.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Rooster Posted June 27, 2020 Author Share #11 Posted June 27, 2020 A brief article on the history of the CAA https://www.faa.gov/about/history/milestones/media/The_CAA_Helps_America_Prepare_for_World_WarII.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aznation Posted June 27, 2020 Share #12 Posted June 27, 2020 4 hours ago, rooster77 said: A brief article on the history of the CAA https://www.faa.gov/about/history/milestones/media/The_CAA_Helps_America_Prepare_for_World_WarII.pdf Thanks for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Rooster Posted June 29, 2020 Author Share #13 Posted June 29, 2020 The importance of training.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQienerwC2Q Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Rooster Posted July 3, 2020 Author Share #14 Posted July 3, 2020 Scans of the letter. If you like flying, It worth a read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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