WWII USN Aviator Questions

[USMC_COLLECTOR]

Hey! This is my Great-Grandfather, just have a series of questions for things I can't seem to figure out quite yet.

What life vest model is this?

What model of helmet?

And would he be wearing navy, or usmc boondockers?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Scarecrow]

Hi USMC_Collector,

 

The vest your great grandfather is wearing is an earlier war USN MK I life vest. In the photo the goggles he is wearing look like USN MKII goggles. They may however be AN-6530 goggles.  A closer view may be able to determine which ones.  Knowing that he is wearing the earlier MKI vest, my money would be on a bet that the goggles are MKII's. I'll let the more more experienced forum members answer the helmet question.  

 

Can you give us a little more information about your grandfather?  Such as the unit(s) he flew with.

[USMC_COLLECTOR]

Sure, It says here in a commendation paper, that he was with Air Group 9 at Tarawa connected to Torpedo Squadron 9. He was stationed as a rear gunner for the Avenger Torpedo Bomber on the USS Essex. I believe he was awarded the Air Medal, as well as the Essex receiving a Presidential Citation.

 

19 minutes ago, Scarecrow said:

Hi USMC_Collector,

 

The vest your great grandfather is wearing is an earlier war USN MK I life vest. In the photo the goggles he is wearing look like USN MKII goggles. They may however be AN-6530 goggles.  A closer view may be able to determine which ones.  Knowing that he is wearing the earlier MKI vest, my money would be on a bet that the goggles are MKII's. I'll let the more more experienced forum members answer the helmet question.  

 

Can you give us a little more information about your grandfather?  Such as the unit(s) he flew with.

 

[USMC_COLLECTOR]

Here's a closer photo

 

[USMC_COLLECTOR]

He also served over Tarawa, Wake Island, and Iwo Jima.

[USMC_COLLECTOR]

Here are also some silk maps...

Where would these go? Inside of jacket?

[jerry_k]

Great images and story! 

 

Your Great-Grandfather is wearing as Paul wrote a 23P6 (collector name is MKI) early war life vest,  probably summer M450 helmet (hard to say in 100%) from photo and AN6530 goggle. Similar to MKII but I guess they are AN6530 from the second photo:

 

He can use a wide variety of shoes: boondockers, gym shoes, brown dress shoes or Jodhpurs boots. A lot of possibilities here.

 

Looks like his side arm is .45 1911 colt with custom made lanyard and double magazine pouch:

 

The silk maps are interesting. They looks more like standard paper targets maps stored in a plotting board. First time I ever seen examples made from silk?

 

take care,

Jerry

 

[jerry_k]

Small correction in my previous post about footwear. I missed a point that he was  a rear gunner. For enlisted man the black deck shoes were more accurate vs  brown dress shoes or Jodhpurs boots which were reserved for officers.

 

My bad :)

 

Jerry

[USMC_COLLECTOR]

I couldn't find anymore photos in his flight gear, but I have one in his dungarees, and on when he was apart of the civilian air patrol.

9 hours ago, jerry_k said:

Small correction in my previous post about footwear. I missed a point that he was  a rear gunner. For enlisted man the black deck shoes were more accurate vs  brown dress shoes or Jodhpurs boots which were reserved for officers.

 

My bad :)

 

Jerry