skio Posted September 8, 2009 Share #1 Posted September 8, 2009 Picked this jacket up in a trade today from a fellow yard seller hunter. I am not into USN flight jackets so my knowledge is limited and would like anyones thoughts. Here is what I do know: USN leather G-1 flight jacket that belonged to a LCDR John E Hart.Nice local made name tag with gold bulliuon pilot wings and border. Right sleeve has a 5" embroidered VS-27 Sea Wolves patch,left sleeve has a Chairborne USN embroidered on twill and a embroidered VS-32 patch. USN stencil under pile collar and zipper marked YKK. Tag reads: Bureau of Aeronautics,USN Flight Jacket Intermediate,G-1 Specification Mil-J-7823(AER) A. Pritzker & Sons Inc Contract No. N3835-319A Size 40 The following was gathered from his obituary John Hart was born on Mar 8th 1922 in Linton Indiana and at some time before 1945 attended Perdue Univ for one year,joined the Naval Reserve and attended radio school.He was assigned to the USS Yorktown as a radio operator. He was recomended to the USNA Prep Class,was appointed and graduated the Acadamy in 1945. In 1945 he was assigned to the USS West Virginia. In 1946 he was assigned as a navigator on a minesweeper and shortly there after was given command of a minesweeper. In 1948, he completed basic flight training at Pensacola and advanced flight training at Corpus Christi where he earned his pilot wings. He went back to Annapolis to attend Grad School and graduated in 1953 with a MS in Engineering Electronics. From there he did a 4 year tour with a carrier squadron in Norfolk Va. He then was selected to be an Aeronautical Engineering Duty Officer in Wash DC,assigned to duty in Japan from 1958-1961 and then to the Navy Lab in PA. He retired in 1964. I believe the jacket is from the mid to late 1950s. I do not know if he actually flew while in the Navy, what he might have flew (S-2F Tracker?), and where the Chairborne patch is from (DC assignment?). Sorry for the glare on the leather from the flash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skio Posted September 8, 2009 Author Share #2 Posted September 8, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skio Posted September 8, 2009 Author Share #3 Posted September 8, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skio Posted September 8, 2009 Author Share #4 Posted September 8, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonG Posted September 8, 2009 Share #5 Posted September 8, 2009 WOW!! :bravo: Beautiful Jacket! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skio Posted September 8, 2009 Author Share #6 Posted September 8, 2009 WOW!! :bravo: Beautiful Jacket! Thank you sir! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oddmod Posted September 8, 2009 Share #7 Posted September 8, 2009 Thank you sir! CHAIRBORNE, that is great ! Nice jacket. I can tell you this, the zipper has been replaced, and it looks like the ribbing might also probably been replaced (probably with 50/50 blend). Lucky the liner and tag are still there. If it where my jacket, I'd find a vintage TALON or CONMAR zipper and some quality wool ribbing and have a skilled tailor put them..... it will cost you a bit, but I think it would be worth it. JC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ekclete Posted September 8, 2009 Share #8 Posted September 8, 2009 Where you able to track down any information on this guy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skio Posted September 8, 2009 Author Share #9 Posted September 8, 2009 JC The YKK zipper was a negative factor as were the condition of the waist and cuffs. I do know a guy who has replaced these items on Navy flight jackets and does good work and will give him a call and see what he can do to restore it. Thanks for the tips! Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skio Posted September 8, 2009 Author Share #10 Posted September 8, 2009 Where you able to track down any information on this guy? ekclete, I have not done any research yet, only what I found in the obit. I do not subscribe to any of the paid for research sites that contain records because I am a cheap skate by nature. I may need to rethink that! Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Keith Posted September 8, 2009 Share #11 Posted September 8, 2009 CHAIRBORNE, that is great ! Nice jacket. I can tell you this, the zipper has been replaced, and it looks like the ribbing might also probably been replaced (probably with 50/50 blend). Lucky the liner and tag are still there. If it where my jacket, I'd find a vintage TALON or CONMAR zipper and some quality wool ribbing and have a skilled tailor put them..... it will cost you a bit, but I think it would be worth it. JC Personally, I would not alter this "as found" flight jacket, the zipper may have been replaced while the original veteran owned it, my thought is better to leave it alone and err on the side of caution. If his has evidence of alteration, we immediately suspect fraud. We have an early WW II A2 USAAF jacket that the veteran wore through out his career (it is "well loved") into the mid 1960's, I wouldn't try to restore it to it's 1940's look. He was involved in "ivory soap". BKW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juvatwad Posted September 8, 2009 Share #12 Posted September 8, 2009 Personally, I would not alter this "as found" flight jacket, the zipper may have been replaced while the original veteran owned it, my thought is better to leave it alone and err on the side of caution. If his has evidence of alteration, we immediately suspect fraud. We have an early WW II A2 USAAF jacket that the veteran wore through out his career (it is "well loved") into the mid 1960's, I wouldn't try to restore it to it's 1940's look. He was involved in "ivory soap".BKW I agree. These were functional and prone to wear, especially the cuffs, waist, and zipper. I don't see a need to try to undo what's been properly done. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
el taco grande Posted September 8, 2009 Share #13 Posted September 8, 2009 Very impressive find. Very nice, indeed. :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kammo-man Posted September 8, 2009 Share #14 Posted September 8, 2009 Awsome jacket !!!! I love the chair patch . I would leave the replaced zipper alone . That shows honest wear . Do not show this one to richard Johnson owen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerry_k Posted September 8, 2009 Share #15 Posted September 8, 2009 Do not show this one to richard Johnson owen hehehe :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffro Posted September 10, 2009 Share #16 Posted September 10, 2009 Picked this jacket up in a trade today from a fellow yard seller hunter. I am not into USN flight jackets so my knowledge is limited and would like anyones thoughts. Skio, I'm into them! My thought is that you should send it to me! Seriously, what do you collect....perhaps a trade? PM if interested. Great jacket find. Jeffro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEAST Posted September 13, 2009 Share #17 Posted September 13, 2009 Steve, I pm'd some information to you about Hart. Let me know if got it or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1st Sgt CES Posted September 13, 2009 Share #18 Posted September 13, 2009 Great name tag ! Blue Skies 1st Sgt CES Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEAST Posted September 24, 2009 Share #19 Posted September 24, 2009 Steve,I pm'd some information to you about Hart. Let me know if got it or not. Steve? :think: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Der Finn Posted September 24, 2009 Share #20 Posted September 24, 2009 The memory is fading fast but I saw this jacket within the past month or so. eBay? Military Vehicle Show? Brimfield Flea Market? Help me out please. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Der Finn Posted September 25, 2009 Share #21 Posted September 25, 2009 Duh! I guess I saw it here, must have an advanced case of CRS! Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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