Some of my WWII Naval Aviator flight helmets

[bazelot]

i just acquired the flight helmet, pictures, uniform and M-422A jacket of John Edson Kalal who was a VMSB-133 pilot in WWII. Kalal was in the Pacific from September 2nd 1943 to May 16th 1945. The squadron was based at Bougainville starting August 24th 1944. In early 1945 Kalal was part of the Philippine assault operations at least until March 1945.

The helmet:

 

[bazelot]

[bazelot]

 

[bazelot]

Pictures of Kalal on Bougainville:

Top Left:

 

Top Right:

 

Right:

 

[bazelot]

THe Fried Osterman M-422A jacket in great condition. Leather is perfect with wonderful patina:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[bazelot]

The Uniform:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[bazelot]

This helmet is a nice M-450 with added snaps for the oxygen mask hook up. It is named to John Sierchio. He was sixteen when he joined the Marines during WWII. He said he altered his birth certificate to sign up. At the age of seventeen, he became a pilot and for a time flew off of carriers. According t his family he did not talk a lot about his time in the service but did mention that he shot up a lot of supply trains. After the service, he continued his education at Georgia Tech where he earned his first engineering degree. He flew a crop duster to earn some extra money while attending college in Georgia. He became a design engineer for RCA and for a time, worked in China and Iran. Later, after he left RCA, he was involved with the design of the first EKG machines.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jerry_k]

Tom this is something special !!!

 

Helmet is super cool and was very cheap and glad Your over bid our best friend !!!

 

Cheers,

Jerry

[SergeantMajorGray]

Here's a updated photo with the my new goggles. Both of them belonged to Howard C Wagenhals who flew C-46 Commandos in the Pacific.

[SergeantMajorGray]

Howard is in the middle.

[bazelot]

Here's a updated photo with the my new goggles. Both of them belonged to Howard C Wagenhals who flew C-46 Commandos in the Pacific.

flight helmets.jpg

 

Nice goggles. It is always great to get named stuff.

[bazelot]

Latest setup. It is a simple AN series helmet with ANBH1A flat sided receivers. The reason why I got the helmet is that it is named to Harold Butcher who flew with VF-80 in the Pacific and was credited with 2 kills (one Kate and one Zeke) and 2 probable (2 Zekes). I also got from the family a book that Harold Butcher wrote about his life experience and a good chunk of it is devoted to WWII and Korea. He also did 2 tours in Korea flying a total of 45 missions over ennemy territory and 50 CAP. The book he wrote was not published and is only 108 pages but it is one of the most poignant account of a pilot's life I have read. Unfortunately Harold Butcher passed away in October 2008

 

 

 

 

Picture of Harold Butcher on the deck of the USS Ticonderoga:

 

 

[Tiger]

Hi there! Many compliments to all of you! You've wonderful flight helmet collections!!!

 

Here's my M-450 set!

 

The previous owner was a guy named Harold E. Nunnelly. Nunnelly writes his name on the front of the helmet.

 

Below his (and his military career) bio:

 

B: 9 April 1920 Bozeman, Montanna

D: 23 December 1993

Service Number: 368 56 74

SSN: 517-10-0220

Enlisted 27 December 1940

Served 1940 - 1960

Nunnelly spent 20 years in the Navy, retiring as a CPO. I don't know where he was on December 7th, but he joined VB-24 less than 2 weeks after the attack. VB-24 sent a detachment to Midway before the attack there, and they sent a larger detachment to Espiritu Santo right after the start of the Guadalcanal campaign. Nunnelly attended Machine Gunner's School in early 1942, and he may have been involved in a ditching-at-sea in 1943. I'm not sure when he left VB-24, and what squadron he was with in the summer of 1944, but he did get home (to the U.S.), though, after the ditching.

VP-24 is the squadron that Nunnelly belonged to in 1941-2:

VPB-24

Lineage

Established as Patrol Squadron NINE-S (VP-9S) on 7 January 1930.

Redesignated Patrol Squadron NINE-B (VP-9B) on 1 October 1930.

Redesignated Patrol Squadron NINE-F (VP-9F) on 26 October 1931.

Redesignated Patrol Squadron NINE (VP-9) on 1 October 1937.

Redesignated Patrol Squadron TWELVE (VP-12) on 1 July 1939.

Redesignated Patrol Squadron TWENTY FOUR (VP-24) on 1 August 1941.

Redesignated Patrol Bombing Squadron TWENTY FOUR (VPB-24) on 1 October 1944.

Disestablished at NAS San Diego on 20 June 1945.

1 Aug 1941: VP-12 was redesignated VP-24 and relocated to NAS Kaneohe, Hawaii, under PatWing-2.

1 Oct 1941: VP-24 transferred from NAS Kaneohe to NAS Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

7 Dec 1941: The squadron’s six aircraft were among the few spared during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Its planes were conducting joint submarine exercises off the coast of Hawaii when the attack came; the crews were subsequently given sectors by radio to conduct searches for the attacking Japanese forces. Having made no enemy contact, the squadron returned to NAS Ford Island to begin the cleanup and restoration of its devastated facilities.

31 May 1942: VP-24 was directed to send one PBY-5A and three crews in a detachment to Midway Island. The detachment was involved in the Battle of Midway, the next day. The group remained on Midway until 17 July 1942, when it returned to NAS Pearl Harbor.

21 Sep 1942: A three-plane detachment was sent to Espiritu Santo, with tender support by Curtiss (AV 4).

Flew on PBY Catalina, as part of Patrol Bombing Squadron crewmember

VP-24 used the PBY-5 until April 1942 when they transitioned to the PBY-5A.

VPB-24 used the PBY-5A.

Hope you'll enjoy it!!!

Tiger

 

 

[Tiger]

Side!

[SergeantMajorGray]

Hi there! Many compliments to all of you! You've wonderful flight helmet collections!!!

 

Here's my M-450 set!

 

The previous owner was a guy named Harold E. Nunnelly. Nunnelly writes his name on the front of the helmet.

 

Below his (and his military career) bio:

 

B: 9 April 1920 Bozeman, Montanna

D: 23 December 1993

Service Number: 368 56 74

SSN: 517-10-0220

Enlisted 27 December 1940

Served 1940 - 1960

Nunnelly spent 20 years in the Navy, retiring as a CPO. I don't know where he was on December 7th, but he joined VB-24 less than 2 weeks after the attack. VB-24 sent a detachment to Midway before the attack there, and they sent a larger detachment to Espiritu Santo right after the start of the Guadalcanal campaign. Nunnelly attended Machine Gunner's School in early 1942, and he may have been involved in a ditching-at-sea in 1943. I'm not sure when he left VB-24, and what squadron he was with in the summer of 1944, but he did get home (to the U.S.), though, after the ditching.

VP-24 is the squadron that Nunnelly belonged to in 1941-2:

VPB-24

Lineage

Established as Patrol Squadron NINE-S (VP-9S) on 7 January 1930.

Redesignated Patrol Squadron NINE-B (VP-9B) on 1 October 1930.

Redesignated Patrol Squadron NINE-F (VP-9F) on 26 October 1931.

Redesignated Patrol Squadron NINE (VP-9) on 1 October 1937.

Redesignated Patrol Squadron TWELVE (VP-12) on 1 July 1939.

Redesignated Patrol Squadron TWENTY FOUR (VP-24) on 1 August 1941.

Redesignated Patrol Bombing Squadron TWENTY FOUR (VPB-24) on 1 October 1944.

Disestablished at NAS San Diego on 20 June 1945.

1 Aug 1941: VP-12 was redesignated VP-24 and relocated to NAS Kaneohe, Hawaii, under PatWing-2.

1 Oct 1941: VP-24 transferred from NAS Kaneohe to NAS Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

7 Dec 1941: The squadron’s six aircraft were among the few spared during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Its planes were conducting joint submarine exercises off the coast of Hawaii when the attack came; the crews were subsequently given sectors by radio to conduct searches for the attacking Japanese forces. Having made no enemy contact, the squadron returned to NAS Ford Island to begin the cleanup and restoration of its devastated facilities.

31 May 1942: VP-24 was directed to send one PBY-5A and three crews in a detachment to Midway Island. The detachment was involved in the Battle of Midway, the next day. The group remained on Midway until 17 July 1942, when it returned to NAS Pearl Harbor.

21 Sep 1942: A three-plane detachment was sent to Espiritu Santo, with tender support by Curtiss (AV 4).

Flew on PBY Catalina, as part of Patrol Bombing Squadron crewmember

VP-24 used the PBY-5 until April 1942 when they transitioned to the PBY-5A.

VPB-24 used the PBY-5A.

Hope you'll enjoy it!!!

Tiger

 

 

Very nice!

[Tiger]

Hi there!

 

Happy the you like it! Was a really surprised by the web, that help me to found lots of info, after too many years! Or better, thanks to an american friend, that was be able to solve the riddle!

 

Best, Tiger

[bazelot]

Great info on the helmet. Thanks for posting.

[bazelot]

I just received some more stuff for the Kalal helmet from VMSB-133. This really completes the grouping well and I could not be more pleased.

Extra nameplates with ribbons:

Captain's bar:

His original dog tags:

Best of all are his Air Medal original citations for the Air medal and Gold Stars, air medal and bars with stars:

Negatives of pictures when he become 1st Lt

A bus ticket from Apalit to San Fabian in the Philippines. I reallly wish I knew the story behind this one but it was in the pocket of his flight jacket:

[bazelot]

I just acquired a very large grouping from a WWII pilot who won the Navy Cross and the DFC. In his own words: "It was in performing bombing attacks upon the enemy naval forces at Kiska Harbor that I was awarded the Navy Cross, also the DFC in executing a successful attack on an enemy submarine in Nazon Bay". In mid 42 he was on the CASCO a seaplane tender around Kiska in the Aleutians with VP-43. The CASCO was torpedoed while he was on the ship (2 bulkheads away from where he was standing) and the ship was subsequently beached. The next day he took off in his PBY, found the sub and sunk it. His tour in the Aleutians lasted 3 months and then another 6 month tour back in the Aleutians. He was a LT when he got the Navy Cross and DFC and he was promoted to LT Commander in April 1945. According to the vet this was the helmet he was wearing when he sunk the sub and on many missions thereafter. The grouping came with 3 helmets, a M-422 jacket, a M-421A jacket, a M-422A jacket, 2 sets of uniforms, a AL-1 flight jacket, goggles, maps...... I am listing the complete grouping in the grouping section.

 

Helmet and goggles he was wearing in the Aleutians when he sunk the sub. You can see the burned spots on top of the helmet from flak damage as well. I got the information directly from the vet himself so that makes the helmet all the more special:

 

The flight helmet he used in the Philippines campaign:

 

A post war flight helmet that he used while being in the reserves:

[SergeantMajorGray]

I just acquired a very large grouping from a WWII pilot who won the Navy Cross and the DFC. In his own words: "It was in performing bombing attacks upon the enemy naval forces at Kiska Harbor that I was awarded the Navy Cross, also the DFC in executing a successful attack on an enemy submarine in Nazon Bay". In mid 42 he was on the CASCO a seaplane tender around Kiska in the Aleutians with VP-43. The CASCO was torpedoed while he was on the ship (2 bulkheads away from where he was standing) and the ship was subsequently beached. The next day he took off in his PBY, found the sub and sunk it. His tour in the Aleutians lasted 3 months and then another 6 month tour back in the Aleutians. He was a LT when he got the Navy Cross and DFC and he was promoted to LT Commander in April 1945. According to the vet this was the helmet he was wearing when he sunk the sub and on many missions thereafter. The grouping came with 3 helmets, a M-422 jacket, a M-421A jacket, a M-422A jacket, 2 sets of uniforms, a AL-1 flight jacket, goggles, maps...... I am listing the complete grouping in the grouping section.

 

 

Helmet and goggles he was wearing in the Aleutians when he sunk the sub. You can see the burned spots on top of the helmet from flak damage as well. I got the information directly from the vet himself so that makes the helmet all the more special:

 

 

 

 

The flight helmet he used in the Philippines campaign:

 

 

 

 

A post war flight helmet that he used while being in the reserves:

 

 

[url=http://s145.photobucket.com/user/bazelot/media/Helmets/003137_zps875356e4.jpg.html]

Wow that's one of the coolest groupings I've seen

[bazelot]

Wow that's one of the coolest groupings I've seen

 

Thanks. The whole grouping is here: http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/189962-large-grouping-of-wwii-pilot-navy-cross-dfc-winner/&do=findComment&comment=1470894

[bazelot]

Latest setup, early AN6542 helmet with a very odd modification. The only reason why I bought the setup (goggles also came with it) is the oxy snap located behind the earcup. I had never seen it located there. I guess the pilot wanted a way to quickly remove his oxygen mask without having it dangling on the side of his face. The setup is quite unique. Helmet is named to Robert H. Smith who was a carrier pilot in 1944. I am still trying to find out more info.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[flight helmets 522]

Awesome helmet... Love the Volcano cups...

Phil

Latest setup, 1092W helmet with volcano earcups and strip of green material around the cups:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[flight helmets 522]

Another great setup...

Phil

Another one. M-450 helmet with 2nd generation volcano earcups to accomodate the ANBH1 receivers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[KASTAUFFER]

Here are 2 M-450 flight helmets worn by an Aviation Radioman with VT-21 at Guadalcanal in 1943 and VT-11 on the USS Hornet in 1944-45.

 

They literally havent been touched since WWII and the goggles were still attached to the helmets when I got them. The AN-6530 goggles need the pads replaced, but I haven't decided if I should restore them or leave them alone.

 

He earned the DFC and Air Medal with 8 Gold Stars .