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Post-WWII 1950's & 1960's US Air Force uniform photos


Bob Hudson
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Thanks flyboy, then this sort of thing had no metal finial? Certainly has the clover leaf configuration on the rear shoulder, a signature of French made fourragère's, I think there are some solid types in the Shoulder Cords Fourragère topic in main Uniforms forum, for reference, let me look around and see.

Found a mention of this in this very topic. see poat 607 with ID by Lee Ragan post 613.

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/5846-post-wwii-50s-60s-us-air-force-uniform-photos/page-25&do=findComment&comment=2100044

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Thanks flyboy, then this sort of thing had no metal finial? Certainly has the clover leaf configuration on the rear shoulder, a signature of French made fourragère's, I think there are some solid types in the Shoulder Cords Fourragère topic in main Uniforms forum, for reference, let me look around and see.

 

 

Actually, it did -- brass as I recall.

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  • 3 months later...

A pair of photos from the National Guardsman magazines of 1956 with one Captain Norma Parsons. Parsons, a CBI vet, was apparently the first woman officer in the Air National Guard from any state.

 

post-34986-0-38573900-1531622807.jpgpost-34986-0-50626900-1531622829.jpg

 

And this online period find of her, haven't found an OBIT of her, even using her apparent married name, Erb, could she still be around!!

 

post-34986-0-90822000-1531622921.jpg

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...
blau-und-weiss

Wondering what type field uniforms my Dad wore in the Korean War as a medic in 1952? I have a few pics of him but I'm unable to tell what type OD's he is wearing...

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Wondering what type field uniforms my Dad wore in the Korean War as a medic in 1952? I have a few pics of him but I'm unable to tell what type OD's he is wearing...

He probably wore your standard Army HBT fatiques and Field Jacket and or Parka, either the M43 or M47 Herringbone Twills, sometime they even wore Army HBT overalls.

 

 

post-34986-0-65841100-1533653784.jpg

Here's two Airman at Naha Okinawa Air Base just before shipping out to Korea in late June 1950,

 

And this page on a Airman who fought in the Trenches in 52-53 as a Forward Observer, probably an, Assistant F/O.

 

https://donmooreswartales.com/2010/12/17/tim-bryant/

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blau-und-weiss

Awesome...thanks!! In one pic it looks like he has a one piece hbt coveralls...in another it appears he had a field jacket, maybe an M43?

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blau-und-weiss

Not sure if the above link is valid or not, but it shows a couple of pics that I'm inquiring about

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  • 3 weeks later...

Tan (or is it khaki?) Ike

post-1761-0-36283400-1535458893.jpg

 

Blue Ike with embroidered, possibly bullion, enlisted collar discs

post-1761-0-14669300-1535458936_thumb.jpg

 

These appear to be gold cut-out collar discs and hat device with the new Air Force chevrons and a combat patch on the right sleeve. The combat patch looks like either IX Corps or 106th Infantry Division to me. Plus he's wearing an unidentified SSI on the left sleeve. It also looks like he has a few knots on his Good Conduct ribbon.

post-1761-0-67320800-1535463387.jpg

 

Mixture of uniforms including an NCO second from right who appears to be wearing the bush jacket. Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.

post-1761-0-80675900-1535464457_thumb.jpg

 

Khaki shorts worn by an NCO of an explosive ordnance disposal unit in the Philippines

post-1761-0-53390700-1535464524_thumb.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...

attachicon.gif5.jpg

Nicely patched up fatique shirt on a Tech Sgt of an unknown unit, numbered 526 (any ideas on unit you Flyboys?) foto from the late 60's lets say.

526th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

 

I was thinking more 1970's, but close examination shows what appears to be a green-colored F-102 patch on his shoulder. Somewhat odd, because the colors of the 526th were usually red, black, or both. Perhaps the maintenance guys wore green(?) Also, the squadron patch above his name, though blurry, looks to be the Interceptor version and not the later Tactical Fighter. The 526th flew the 102 until 1968.

Great photo!

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Found this:

"......The first aircraft crash at the base occurred early Saturday, November 28, 1953. The Beechcraft AT-11 (C-45) twin engine monoplane bound for Ft. Sill, Oklahoma, was piloted by Captain Francis N. Satterlee, Public Information Officer for the base. Satterlee was seriously injured receiving a broken left leg below the knee, cuts and contusions. The three passengers received minor injuries. The aircraft crashed approximately 75 yards off the runway after going out of control following liftoff. It was Satterlee's first crash. He was a veteran RCAF and USAF pilot with combat experience in Korea........"

So his other wings are Canadian, not actually British, which I thought on first looking at pic.

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No other info so far on him other than the caption.

 

attachicon.gif1954PIOs.jpg

 

Found this:
"......The first aircraft crash at the base occurred early Saturday, November 28, 1953. The Beechcraft AT-11 (C-45) twin engine monoplane bound for Ft. Sill, Oklahoma, was piloted by Captain Francis N. Satterlee, Public Information Officer for the base. Satterlee was seriously injured receiving a broken left leg below the knee, cuts and contusions. The three passengers received minor injuries. The aircraft crashed approximately 75 yards off the runway after going out of control following liftoff. It was Satterlee's first crash. He was a veteran RCAF and USAF pilot with combat experience in Korea........"
So his other wings are Canadian, not actually British, which I thought on first looking at pic.
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  • 2 weeks later...

A pair of photos from the National Guardsman magazines of 1956 with one Captain Norma Parsons. Parsons, a CBI vet, was apparently the first woman officer in the Air National Guard from any state.

 

attachicon.giftcbi0001.jpgattachicon.gift106th_tac_hosp_nyag0002.jpg

 

And this online period find of her, haven't found an OBIT of her, even using her apparent married name, Erb, could she still be around!!

 

attachicon.gif120817-Z-JV725-012.JPG

 

 

Unfortunately, Ms. Norma Parsons Erb passed away on 18 Oct, 1991 age 76. She was born on 9 Oct, 1915. She is buried in Calverton National Cemetery Section 5 Site 4961, Calverton, New York.

 

Fortunately, before she passed away she was interviewed and her recollections of service were recorded in an oral history record currently available at the Air Force Historical Agency, Maxwell AFB, Alabama. The link to her interview record is at the following website; I'm including the abstract of the interview record which provides a summary of her life.

 

http://airforcehistoryindex.org/display.php?irisnum=1105664

 

IRISNUM= 01105664

CLASS= UNCLASSIFIED

BEG_DATE= 01-01-1943

END_DATE= 12-12-1968

MAIN= ERB, NORMA PARSONS

RECTYPE= ORAL HISTORY INTERVIEW

CALL= K239.0512-2030 C. 1

REEL= 44393

FRAME= 783

FRAMELST= 838

INDEXID= 48

REL_DATE= 11-22-1995

ABSTRACT= COL NORMA PARSONS ERB WAS BORN IN CARIBOU, ME; EARNED A NURSING DEGREE FROM CARY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL SCHOOL OF NURSING IN 1936; ENTERED UNITED STATES ARMY AIR FORCES IN 1941; SERVED AS A FLIGHT NURSE DURING WORLD WAR II AND THE KOREAN WAR; SHE SERVED IN NEW YORK AIR NATIONAL GUARD (NYANG) IN 1955.

 

INTEVIEW DISCUSSES NURSES TRAINING; ARMY TRAINING; ATTENDED FLIGHT SCHOOL WITH FIRST ASSIGNMENT IN ITALY. PARTICIPATED IN AIR EVACUATION OF WOUNDED SOLDIERS FROM NORTH AFRICA, SICILY, FRANCE, AND CHINA-BURMA THEATER; FLEW IN C-46 AND C-47 AIRCRAFT. MET ARCHBISHOP SPELLMAN. CLARIFIED ISSUE OF RANK FOR NURSES IN WORLD WAR II. DESIGNED MEDICAL KIT FOR FLIGHT NURSES. NURSES ALLOWED TO WEAR SLACKS ON DUTY IN INDIA. ACQUIRED IRONING BOARD FROM MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL. MET LILY PONDS IN IRAQ. SAW PRESIDENT FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT AND PRIME MINISTER WINSTON CHURCHILL IN CASABLANCA. LEFT ARMY AIR CORPS AFTER WORLD WAR II ENDED TO CARE FOR GRANDMOTHER.

 

REJOINED ACTIVE SERVICE WITH OUTBREAK OF KOREAN WAR. SERVED WITH 801 AIR EVACUATION SQUADRON; FLEW IN C-54 AND C-119 AIRCRAFT DURING KOREAN WAR. AIR EVACUATION OF POLIO PATIENT. LEFT ACTIVE DUTY; SERVED AS DIRECTOR OF NURSES AT BAYSIDE CHILDRENS HOSPITAL IN NEW YORK. BECAME FIRST FEMALE IN THE NEW YORK AIR NATIONAL GUARD. SERVED AS CHIEF NURSE OF 106 AIR TRANSPORT MEDICAL GROUP. STATUS OF NURSES IN 1990S; VISIT TO TAJ MAHAL; COL SLATTERY AS MENTOR.

 

ADMIN= OHIST1

TITLE_AE= UNITED STATES AIR FORCE MEDICAL SERVICE ORAL HISTORY PROGRAM

DNOTES= TRANSCRIPT OF ORAL HISTORY INTERVIEW OF COL NORMA PARSONS ERB. INTERVIEW

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  • 4 weeks later...

Thought these would be a nice addition to the topic, (these from member louie's Rag House Pick Ups).

 

A double patched Trans IKE, since it's Trans would believe the 15th AF is the combat patch.

post-34986-0-31363500-1540007332.jpgpost-34986-0-02586200-1540007308.jpg

 

Two diffeent AF Blue coats, the ETO patch worn in the manner of the AF as a combat patch, or in this case a Former Wartime Service patch, maybe the 1st AF too, though it could very well be a organizational patch, as the 1st AF as we know didn't not fight overseas, weird way of wearing these eh.

 

post-34986-0-00027600-1540007516.jpgpost-34986-0-30820900-1540007545.jpg

 

And this last Trans, 8th AF.

 

post-34986-0-79770800-1540007791.jpg

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  • 1 month later...

Question: Does the WAF 1967 white top female officer’s cap have the same size eagle as the male visor cap? I don’t think so but I wanted to ask. In addition...is the female WAF eagle a clutch-back type? Thanks

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Question: Does the WAF 1967 white top female officer’s cap have the same size eagle as the male visor cap? I don’t think so but I wanted to ask. In addition...is the female WAF eagle a clutch-back type? Thanks

The female officers cap device is smaller then the male version worn on their visor cap, The female type were held in place by two clutchback fasteners.

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The female officers cap device is smaller then the male version worn on their visor cap, The female type were held in place by two clutchback fasteners.

 

THANK You.... I wanted to check. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

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Ed, if you have a chance to look at my book: Into the Blue on pages 205/206 there are photos of the comparative sizes of male and female officer's cap pieces. The interesting thing not usually pointed out is that the size of the female cap eagle is the same as the enlisted eagle with the surrounding circle missing. This is one of the reasons that the USAFUB (Uniform Board) felt that a smaller EM device was not needed. Also, as to attachment there are female devices with 2, 3 clutches and one with a jeweler's. The caption below is incorrect as it should be under the fourth photo. Opps, sorry guys.

 

Still trying to get volume 3 "fatigue Uniforms" but Schiffer's doesn't think there would be much of a market. I disagree and think it would be the best of the three for the market. Dave Shultz and I are looking at self publishing. Will, let you know when it happens.

 

Marry Christmas and a healthy (important to us old guys) New Year.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Photo from a January 1950 issue of Stars & Stripes showing an Air Force master sergeant in a live drad Ike jacket along with Army NCO's sporting the pre and post-1948 enlisted chevrons.

post-1761-0-53481400-1546977258_thumb.jpg

 

From a 1953 issue of Stars & Stripes

post-1761-0-90749400-1546977446_thumb.jpg

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