WW2 Aviation Green Uniform - Looking for ID

[VMI88]

I picked up this lieutenant's aviation working green uniform today.  It has a really nice bullion wing sewn on the chest but the ribbons have been removed.  There's also an aviation green cap with Lieutenant (jg) insignia and a combination cap cover.  If I can ID the original owner I may try to restore the uniform with the correct decorations.

 

 

The only clue to his identity is the name "Lafferty" inked inside the trousers.  So far I've located two candidates but any help would be appreciated.

 

I found an obituary for a Charles Q. Lafferty who died in Venice, Florida, in 2006.  The obituary only says he was originally from Pittsburgh and was a decorated pilot who flew in the Pacific Theater during World War 2.

 

The other candidate is John C. Lafferty, who is a really interesting character. He was born in 1907, and in 1940 was assigned to VPB-74 as a Leading Aviation Chief.  In June 1942 he was commissioned Lietenant (jg) in the squadron, then spent time in the Mediteranean, Azores, and Norfolk, and in April 1945 returned to VPB-74 as Executive Officer.  In August 1945 he was named squadron commander.  The squadron was based in Norfolk and nearby Elizabeth City, North Carolina, for much of the war but I haven't been able to discover any other local connection.  CDR Lafferty died in Pensacola in 1973 and is buried at the air station.  Maybe a child living in Virginia had his uniforms (if he's even the correct original owner)?  They supposedly came from an estate sale in the Richmond area a few months ago but so far that's all I've been able to find.

[KurtA]

Really nice.  Based on how high the wings were placed, he probably had a couple of rows of fat USN ribbons on there.

[Old Crow 1986]

Took this opportunity to work on my research skills.

 

First, Charles Q. Lafferty (Pittsburgh):

 

Draft registration (Front)

 

Draft Registration (Back)

 

VA Graves Registration 

 

 

Amateur detective work follows (VERY amateur BTW)

- Based on birthdate, Pittsburgh Lafferty is buried in Sarasota FL

- Pittsburgh Lafferty was aged 19-24 during the war years - the likely age of a pilot candidate and the age range of someone who would top out at full lieutenant by wars end

 

 

 

[Old Crow 1986]

Just noticed that the garrison cap indicates Lt (jg) rank while the jacket sports full lieutenant rank.  Hmmmm, another piece of the puzzle, but I'd bet on full lieutenant. 

[Old Crow 1986]

Now what I've found on John C. Lafferty (Old Salt)

 

Aboard Pcola Air Station as early as April 1939...see line(s) 21 

 

 

John C Lafferty, Aircraft Machinist Mate, serial number 392 83 57 - aboard Pensacola NA as early as Apr 1939, previously assigned to USS Yorktown

 

Still aboard Pcola NAS Oct 1939

 

Note lines 6 AND 7...looks like John C Lafferty was designated a NAP and detailed to VP 53, Norfolk VA. 

- GUESSING that NAP = Naval Aviator - Pilot, need confirmation from a source that speaks fluent Navy

 

[Old Crow 1986]

None of this answers the basic "whose uniform is this" question, but it does give you and any other sleuths a couple of clues to work with (not the least of which is John C. Lafferty's enlisted serial number). 

 

I'm going to follow the thread to see if anybody else digs up anything.  I could always use a few research pointers.

[VMI88]

Thanks for the research assistance, Old Crow!  It may not definitively answer the question of whose uniform it is, but it's more pieces of the puzzle.

 

I looked in the 1944 Register of Warrant and Commissioned Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps and found one additional lead.  There was a Lt (jg) William Joseph Lafferty listed, but he was born in 1902 and there's no indication he was an aviator.  There were a handful of other Laffertys who could be positively eliminated because they were pay clerks or machinists.  Charles Q. wasn't in the registry at all.  I'll try other years but it's possible the obituary was somehow in error - stranger things have happened.  So far John C.  is the only Lafferty who can be confirmed to be an aviator and there was at least a wartime connection with Virginia.  I'll keep you posted!

 

By the way, the Navy Registers are a great resource.

[Justin B.]

8 hours ago, Old Crow 1986 said:

- GUESSING that NAP = Naval Aviator - Pilot, need confirmation from a source that speaks fluent Navy

 

Naval Aviation Pilot, the enlisted version of Naval Aviator.

 

6 hours ago, VMI88 said:

Thanks for the research assistance, Old Crow!  It may not definitively answer the question of whose uniform it is, but it's more pieces of the puzzle.

 

I looked in the 1944 Register of Warrant and Commissioned Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps and found one additional lead.  There was a Lt (jg) William Joseph Lafferty listed, but he was born in 1902 and there's no indication he was an aviator.  There were a handful of other Laffertys who could be positively eliminated because they were pay clerks or machinists.  Charles Q. wasn't in the registry at all.  I'll try other years but it's possible the obituary was somehow in error - stranger things have happened.  So far John C.  is the only Lafferty who can be confirmed to be an aviator and there was at least a wartime connection with Virginia.  I'll keep you posted!

 

By the way, the Navy Registers are a great resource.

 

For the WW2 period, the are about four reservists for every one regular navy. The 1944 USNR Register gives a couple more possibilities:

 

 

[VMI88]

Thanks - I didn't realize there was a separate register for reservists. That explains why i couldn't find Charles Q in the regular register.

[VMI88]

All right, I was able to get some additional uniform items from the seller and found from markings in another coat that the officer was named Louis F. Lafferty.  I was able to locate him in the 1965 USNR Register, but that just raises some more questions.

 

 

If I'm interpreting this correctly, in 1965 Rafferty's current rank was LT, with a date of rank of 5 July 1951.  His Pay Entry Base Date was 12 November 1942.  Maybe some of the Navy veterans or historians can help me understand this.  Isn't 14 years a long time to be a lieutenant?  He doesn't appear in any of the wartime registers so how do we explain the PEBD of 1942 - would he have been an enlisted man in World War 2?

 

The 1978 Register of Retired Commissioned and Warrant Officers shows that he retired in January 1966, still a LT.

 

 

So it appears this isn't a World War 2 uniform at all, but potentially a Korean War uniform, and possibly even as late as 1966.  Is there any way to interpret the nature of his service from these register entries?  I don't see how he could have remained a lieutenant from 1951 to 1966 unless he was in some kind of inactive status.  Again, thanks for all the assistance!

[Justin B.]

 

14 hours ago, VMI88 said:

He doesn't appear in any of the wartime registers so how do we explain the PEBD of 1942 - would he have been an enlisted man in World War 2?

 

Aviation cadet seems most likely. They were not commissioned so don't show in those registers.

Louis F. Lafferty is in the 1949 Reserve Register as a JG with d.o.r. of 01 Jan 1946. So that would fit for completing training and commission as ensign in '44, pretty standard timing.

 

 

 

14 hours ago, VMI88 said:

So it appears this isn't a World War 2 uniform at all, but potentially a Korean War uniform, and possibly even as late as 1966.  Is there any way to interpret the nature of his service from these register entries?  I don't see how he could have remained a lieutenant from 1951 to 1966 unless he was in some kind of inactive status.  Again, thanks for all the assistance!

I don't think it was that unusual at the time. There were really massive numbers of reservist officers after WW2 and not that many spots to promote them to. There were categories of reserve that were basically inactive, too.

 

I'd say this is probably a WW2 uniform. Korean War period greens are more likely to have a green background for the embroidered wings, though not always.

 

 

[VMI88]

Thanks for the additional information - very helpful!