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Vietnam Period GENTEX Pilot Helmet & 1938 American Legion H.S. Medal I.D'd.


mds308
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Got these items earlier this week.  Apparently, there were no other items pertaining to this officers estate other than the few things I received.  I do have the O2 mask and an H.H. gold filled smaller set of USN wings.  His name was John David Warner.  The intereting American Legion ROTC Medal is dated 1938 and has his name.  I'm guessing he was born around 1925.  Any thoughts or comments?  Thanks.

 

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Very nice early named APH-5 indeed, which seems well-preserved with a splendid -and intact- USN decal, plus a 50-60's era boom mic.

These early USN models (with metal-railed visor / visor housing + leather tabs mask retentions) are very often seen in gold color, it's good to see a white example from time to time. Great score on this one !

 

Although it doesn't alter the quality of this set, I would have just one small doubt about the visor knob that might have been changed over time, for it's an USAF type, not Navy (as a matter of fact, I had the very same "issue" on my own golden APH-5, and chose to replace the knob by a blue USN one).

 

    I'm curious to see it with the mask (MS-22001 no doubt) and its retention set, if you could provide a picture 🙂.

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During WWII he flew a Catalina PBY and was credited with sinking Japanese freighter/cargo ships.  He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

 

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Thanks for the new pics, as I thought it's a MS-22001 early retention set with metal Y-yoke, same configuration as mine (see below).

It would be great to know in which USN aircraft he flew after WW2, perhaps in the anti-submarine warfare squadrons given his former war experience (S-2 Trackers ?).

The boom microphone on the helmet might suggest a crew of 2 -or more.

 

Very complete and preserved white set, with a fine pilot history and ID, congrats !

 

-Gauthier

 

APH5 (1).jpg

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Oh you're right, I didn't even try to read it but in contains indeed valuable informations.

If it can be of help, I got very close to the screen and managed to read the following content 😁 (regarding the post war career) :

 

Quote

 

- Naval air instruments flight school - starting 22 [?] 1948

- Airborne electronics and anti-submarine warfare  - starting 21 June 1949

- Anti-submarine warfare school - starting 30 September 1949

- Ground control approach school - starting 06 August 1950

- Helicopter flight training - starting 14 January [?] 1953

- [?] watch officers [?] course - starting [?] April 1953

- Coordinated A/S operations command course - starting 30 [?] 1953

- Instructor school - starting 17 May 1954

 

- General line school - starting 30 January 1956

- [?][?] development institute - starting 21 January 1962

- [?] relations institute - starting 13 September 1963

- ADP orientation (executive managment) course - starting 20 September 1968

 

 

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