mackinturk Posted April 9, 2010 Share #1 Posted April 9, 2010 Our guys picked these up at the Show of Shows this year. Two custom flight crew caps from the Korean War. Each one is personalized for the owner, with crew position on the front, name/nickname on back, and usually home state on the bill. These two both came from the 98th Bomb Group stationed at Yokota, Japan. One is from the 345th, the other from the 343rd Bomb Squadron. I believe I may have identified the owner of the 343rd cap, but I'm still in the process of tracking down information and verifying this. Anyway, does anybody have any info on this type of cap? I've seen a couple of period photos that show them in wear, but it doesn't seem to be an official practice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackinturk Posted April 9, 2010 Author Share #2 Posted April 9, 2010 right sides notice the "fifth" of whiskey in place of the number 5 in 345 also, the 343rd cap has oxygen mask attachment points sewn on, you can see the snaps below the 343 in this photo and the hook in the first photo above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackinturk Posted April 9, 2010 Author Share #3 Posted April 9, 2010 backs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted April 9, 2010 Share #4 Posted April 9, 2010 Whoooa! They are uber-cool caps!! I envy you those! Sabrejet :w00t: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JGC Posted April 9, 2010 Share #5 Posted April 9, 2010 Very unique items, thanks for sharing. Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwb123 Posted April 10, 2010 Share #6 Posted April 10, 2010 I have seen period photos of these type of caps being worn by fighter personnel during that period. Judging by the quality, I'd guess they were both locally made in Japan. They would have been quite expensive if made in the USA, while things would have been a lot less expensive in Japan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saskatoon Light Infantry Posted April 10, 2010 Share #7 Posted April 10, 2010 Our guys picked these up at the Show of Shows this year. Two custom flight crew caps from the Korean War. Each one is personalized for the owner, with crew position on the front, name/nickname on back, and usually home state on the bill. These two both came from the 98th Bomb Group stationed at Yokota, Japan. One is from the 345th, the other from the 343rd Bomb Squadron. I believe I may have identified the owner of the 343rd cap, but I'm still in the process of tracking down information and verifying this. Anyway, does anybody have any info on this type of cap? I've seen a couple of period photos that show them in wear, but it doesn't seem to be an official practice. mackinturk: Might it be possible to see photographs showing the inside of the caps and a close up of the patch on the top of the 343rd cap? These are great examples of Korean War headgear! ! ! Thanks for sharing them with us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobrahistorian Posted April 10, 2010 Share #8 Posted April 10, 2010 Those are absolutely incredible finds Jon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HerbG Posted April 10, 2010 Share #9 Posted April 10, 2010 Here are a few links where you might find some veterans of the 98th who could add some information about the caps: http://home.att.net/~sallyann2/b29-3.html http://www.pyramidiers.com/history.shtml http://www.koreanwar.org/html/units/usaf/98bg.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackinturk Posted April 10, 2010 Author Share #10 Posted April 10, 2010 Saskatoon - I should be able to get some more photos at work on Monday, I'll put them up then. There really isn't much on the inside of the caps though, no maker tags and no names. I guess since each one was made individually, with the owners name on the outside, there wasn't much need to write your name inside. Herb - I asked about these on the forums on the pyramidiers site, were you the one that I was talking to on there? I tried to order Vol. II of the 98th Veterans Group's book, but the library sent Vol. I instead, so I have to reorder the right volume. I'm trying to find someone on Capt. Lyle Stockton's crew, because I believe the 343rd cap may have belonged to Frederick Cushman, a TSgt at the time, who was the flight engineer. Cushman enlisted in 1943 and joined the Air Corps; according to NARA he had a background in aircraft building. I'm not sure what he did after the war, the only thing I've been able to find is that he passed away in 2001 in Bangor, Maine. Yeah, sometimes, just sometimes, I really love my job. Whenever we get something like this that has so much personality and history it's just amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bebel Posted April 16, 2010 Share #11 Posted April 16, 2010 Wonderful stuffs! I had a dream: I found such Korean war era caps crews! :thumbsup:This one is from 13th BS "Grim Reapers" (Japan made). Another one from the 46th FIS from the East coast ADC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackinturk Posted April 19, 2010 Author Share #12 Posted April 19, 2010 So, with some help from Herb Harper, the 98th BG Veteran's Association Historian, I got in touch with Gerald Hoffman. Gerald was the CFC gunner on Capt. Lyle Stockton's crew during the Korean War, while the 343rd and the rest of the 98th were flying out of Yokota AB Japan. He confirmed that the black and orange cap did belong to Frederick Cushman. Cushman was the oldest member of the crew, having served in WWII. He was actually a replacement for their Flight Engineer, who got sick shortly before they deployed to Yokota. Before Korea, Cushman was an instructor at Randolph AB, Texas. Apparently, everyone had these caps made in Japan. They wore them instead of the leather flight helmets. The snaps and hoods were so they could don an oxygen mask in the event of pressure loss. Since the planes were pressurized, they only lost pressure if they took a hit from flak or an enemy plane. Hoffman said that he tried to wear his cap after he came back stateside, but wasn't allowed to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackinturk Posted April 19, 2010 Author Share #13 Posted April 19, 2010 343rd patch photo: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackinturk Posted April 19, 2010 Author Share #14 Posted April 19, 2010 inside: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmackie Posted June 23, 2010 Share #15 Posted June 23, 2010 inside: Hello...sent you an email a while back about using this in an upcoming publication. Would you consider parting with these? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VP_Association Posted November 10, 2010 Share #16 Posted November 10, 2010 Caps like these were purchased by aircrewmen while they were stationed in Japan. The Japanese were, and to an extent still are, known for the custom tailoring and embroidery shops near the U.S. military bases. Typically, a crew would pool their money and would all buy the same type of cap, which whey wore only while they were in their flight gear. The caps would feature the squadron's colors and insignia and would be customized with the crewman's name, rank, and position on the aircraft. I flew with the Navy during the 1980s and 1990s and a lot of our guys who had spent time in Japan had similar types of things (caps and jackets). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VP_Association Posted November 10, 2010 Share #17 Posted November 10, 2010 One more thing. I saw something in a Japanese guide book to replica flight jackets and other flight gear a few years ago that suggested that some company over there reproduced these things. I'd sure like to get my hands on one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierce343rd Posted May 15, 2013 Share #18 Posted May 15, 2013 I set this up for my Dad. He is 81 and not too computer literate. My dad was the Rt Gunner on the Freshly Maid with Stockton and Cushman. He would love to have that cap if you were willing to part with it. In his old age, his military days are all he talks about. He can give you every name, dates, It is amazing how much he remembers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierce343rd Posted May 15, 2013 Share #19 Posted May 15, 2013 Also, I used to have an email address for Hoffman. If he is still around Tmackie I would love to get some contact info for him.<br /> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrimReaperOscar13th Posted February 27, 2014 Share #20 Posted February 27, 2014 Thank you for sharing these pics; they are some of the clearest images which I have seen of 98th Bomb Group B-29, theater-produced caps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDK Posted February 27, 2014 Share #21 Posted February 27, 2014 Great Caps everyone!! JD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrimReaperOscar13th Posted March 12, 2014 Share #22 Posted March 12, 2014 i am recently, the proud owner of a Late Veteran's former USAF 90th Bomb Squadron-Light, Night Intruder, fifty misson ball cap. It was made in Japan originally, and the Veteran glued on felt, white bomb emblems along the top inside of its brim. I shall post a photo of it, when I am able to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrimReaperOscar13th Posted March 19, 2014 Share #23 Posted March 19, 2014 Ok--update: I shall post my digital photos of the cap, when the Militaria Forum allows me to do so. My apologies for the delay; it seems that function is not permitted for me, now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uplandmod Posted March 19, 2014 Share #24 Posted March 19, 2014 Wow never seen anything like these before. Well done! LF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrimReaperOscar13th Posted March 20, 2014 Share #25 Posted March 20, 2014 Here is a picture, of my '50 missions' 90thBomb Squadron (Light-Night Intruder) original ball cap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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