Jump to content

Squadron of AAC uniforms, and some USMC stuff


shrapneldude
 Share

Recommended Posts

shrapneldude

Try as I might to stop collecting uniforms that are non-Marine, I've gotten some nicer non-Marine uniforms.

 

This crop came from Charlie aka Bank Vault -- a great dude to trade with.

 

post-1424-1239337439.jpg

post-1424-1239337447.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

shrapneldude

post-1424-1239337485.jpg

 

These I'm not sure about. Kinda look like the late 50's early 60's camo pattern, and are definitely cut in the same style pockets and wasit tabs as the OG-107 uniforms of the day. Can anyone help me on these pants?

post-1424-1239337510.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow, Dan, nice card! Christmas '44 was a tough time for the men over in the ETO with the horrible winter, and the Battle of the Bulge raging. With most of England socked in by fog the pilots of the USAAF were left with nothing to do but sit around and think of home.

 

Capt. Dexter Freeman, 20th Fighter Group Public Relations Officer, described the general mood at King's Cliffe:

 

"This has been a period of derangement and uncertainty. A period shrouded with heavy mists and impenetrate fogs clinging to the planes and perimeter like a heavy cloak.

 

"An overflowing surplus of energies and enthusiasm has been built up amongst the men and their equipment. In spite of their hopes for a mission a day, but fifteen of the thirty were sufficiently clear for operations against the enemy.

 

"Occasionally a motor could be heard being tested somewhere on the field which in turn only tended to stir up additional wrath among the men and pilots for now they realized how desperately our ground forces were in need of support. Their exclamations varied from prayers to volatile expressions of indignation but all in vain for the weather clung like an octopus suckling the hopes from the men and enveloping the planes in an ever increasing and tighter cloak of torpid despair."

 

My dear friend Capt. Art Heiden, who had just come home from a full tour with the 79th Fighter Squadron and was in the ZOI as a flight instructor, remembered:

 

"Christmas '44 was a very disturbing time with the disaster in the Ardennes. We were asked to not emphasize this in our mail home. So that card (seen below) was to relieve any undue worries our parents may have had. Actually, I wasn't in Hollywood at that time, just making folks feel that things were well.

 

"Just before Christmas Day, '44, at Tallahassee, we all were aware of the problems going on in Europe. On or about, December 22-23, the advanced fighter trainees received emergency orders to ship-out to the ETO. We instructors were given TDY Orders to the Fifth Ferrying Group at Long Beach, CA and told to pack and return to Base Operations as soon as possible. About dark we boarded a C-47 and headed west.

 

"All I could think of was, Boy, this doesn't make sense its just like the Military, just all backwards. Why weren't they sending us experienced instructors to the emergency in Europe, not the green trainees? They could handle the ferrying of P-51's from the NAA Factory at Mines Field to Newark, NJ for shipment or give us drop tanks and we could fly them to Europe, but then the weather was bad in Europe and all across the US."

 

Didn't mean to hijack your thread here, I just wanted to point out how such a seemingly insignificant item can evoke some powerful memories in some vets.

 

Cheers!

Syd thumbsup.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

shrapneldude
Didn't mean to hijack your thread here, I just wanted to point out how such a seemingly insignificant item can evoke some powerful memories in some vets.

 

Cheers!

Syd thumbsup.gif

 

 

No worries brother! That's so true though. A collector would look at that and not see much, but someone with personal connection, it's a whole different story. I'll have to dig up my post about the two-seater folding latrine and post some of the stories I've gotten from vets who remember not being able to use them in Vietnam haha

Link to comment
Share on other sites

shrapneldude
Oh brother. I hope you aren't married.

 

-Ski

I am...and she's the most tolerant woman on the planet.

 

The sad part is...when I hit over 800, I decided to sell and trade a bunch of them off. Just can't pass up the chance to buy more. pinch.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You got 6-8 more on the way man. As soon as I get them packaged and sent. They aren't as nice buttttt, you can sucker some guy into them I am sure.

 

Charlie

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...