"I swear, Sarge, this little Italian kid..."

[MauldinFan]

Over the weekend I encountered a vet who had flown Jugs and Mustangs in the MTO. He came up to me as I was wearing my ATF 'tanker' winter combat jacket and we talked for a brief time.
He said he kept his A2 even though supply said they couldn't leave with them at the end of the war. He said nobody was going to take it, but nobody was budging. The line for turn in was not moving because each pilot was refusing to give his A2 back. He said before long, word started being passed back, "Tell them an Italian kid stole yours and you're willing to pay the five bucks for a lost jacket, pass it back.."
By the time he got there, the weary SGT said, "Let me guess, sir, an Italian kid stole your jacket this morning?"
He said his grandson was a USAF B-52 pilot and he had the vet's original A2, so it was still in the family.
I bet this happened lots of times at the end of the war with men who weren't going to part with something they'd considered part of them by then. I've talked with infantry vets who said it was heartbreaking to part with their M-1 rifles when it was all over.

 

[Otter]

40252294. My L1a1 serial number during training, never let me down once. Some things you never forget.

 

[Dany McDonald]

Very interesting anecdote, thank you for sharing. I always wonder how it was to return a piece of kit that was there with you for the good and bad times, soaked with your fear and joy...

D

 

[MauldinFan]

I assume this isn't that uncommon.
Heck, when I left active duty, they were NOT getting my Kevlar helmet back. I'd been through too much wearing the thing and I'm pretty sure it saved my life once. Also, it was a XL sized one, so rare that many people will tell you they never were made them that size. I won some bar bets over that.
Anyway, I went down to the local surplus places and bought the cheapest complete k-pot I could find and ripped the sweatband out of it. It was a medium and I was worried about if they'd take that one back The Korean GS lady at the CIF desk looked at the code on my sheet, looked at me said in a thick accent, "Extra rarge? That not right!"
I gave a full innocent act. "Extra large? Do they even make them that big?" I asked. I should have gotten an award for that acting.
"Oh no," she said, and scribbled over it with the medium code. Inside I was doing my happy dance. I would have paid the full amount for the replacement cost if I'd had to. They were not getting it back, full stop, thanks for playing.
It now sits atop my book case in the room with my model railroad, fittingly right underneath a helmet worn in the movie, "Saving Private Ryan". Note is still has the NVG strap which I also saved.

40252294. My L1a1 serial number during training, never let me down once. Some things you never forget.

Yeah, several years ago I bought an AR-15 which was configured exactly like my issued M-16A2. I even got a basic GI issued web sling for it. I've even been looking for a old school label maker so I can put the buttstock number of 153 on it to match my issued one.
And yes, I still remember it's serial #. Now that the army has transitioned to M4s, I assume it has since been ground up into slag at Anniston...
The funny thing is that we had .50 caliber MGs that had WW2 production serial #s on them (my armorer CWO looked them up). Two of our tripods had WW2 dates stamped on them!

 

[B-Man2]

There were others who were a little more inventive and resourceful. My friends father was a ground crew member in the original Flying Tigers . Rather than turn in his A2 , he had his mother send him a well know department store label and he removed the original issued A2 label and had the department store label sewn into the jacket .
When it came time to turn in the jacket he held to his guns that he purchased the jacket commercially and the jacket was his . He won the argument :

 

[MauldinFan]

Rather than turn in his A2 , he had his mother send him a well know department store label and he removed the original issued A2 label and had the department store label sewn into the jacket .
When it came time to turn in the jacket he held to his guns that he purchased the jacket commercially and the jacket was his . He won the argument

That was genius!

 

[ausreenactor]

Over the weekend I encountered a vet who had flown Jugs and Mustangs in the MTO. He came up to me as I was wearing my ATF 'tanker' winter combat jacket and we talked for a brief time.
He said he kept his A2 even though supply said they couldn't leave with them at the end of the war. He said nobody was going to take it, but nobody was budging. The line for turn in was not moving because each pilot was refusing to give his A2 back. He said before long, word started being passed back, "Tell them an Italian kid stole yours and you're willing to pay the five bucks for a lost jacket, pass it back.."
By the time he got there, the weary SGT said, "Let me guess, sir, an Italian kid stole your jacket this morning?"
He said his grandson was a USAF B-52 pilot and he had the vet's original A2, so it was still in the family.
I bet this happened lots of times at the end of the war with men who weren't going to part with something they'd considered part of them by then. I've talked with infantry vets who said it was heartbreaking to part with their M-1 rifles when it was all over.

Dog tags and my Commando beret. Everything else is just kit.

 

[Flightengineer]

Interesting story. However, if everything is more or less clear to me with jackets and other parts of the kit, then with weapons...
I kept my military camo jacket for a memory when I was young and ran through the mountains like a young deer.
But never wanted to keep my machine gun with which I served even if it were possible. Moreover, when it all ended, I never once had a desire to take up any weapon in hands. War is terrible shit. Enough for me.

 

[Lorenzo_l]

Over the weekend I encountered a vet who had flown Jugs and Mustangs in the MTO. He came up to me as I was wearing my ATF 'tanker' winter combat jacket and we talked for a brief time.
He said he kept his A2 even though supply said they couldn't leave with them at the end of the war. He said nobody was going to take it, but nobody was budging. The line for turn in was not moving because each pilot was refusing to give his A2 back. He said before long, word started being passed back, "Tell them an Italian kid stole yours and you're willing to pay the five bucks for a lost jacket, pass it back.."
By the time he got there, the weary SGT said, "Let me guess, sir, an Italian kid stole your jacket this morning?"
He said his grandson was a USAF B-52 pilot and he had the vet's original A2, so it was still in the family.
I bet this happened lots of times at the end of the war with men who weren't going to part with something they'd considered part of them by then. I've talked with infantry vets who said it was heartbreaking to part with their M-1 rifles when it was all over.

That's a great anecdote, thanks for sharing. Interesting how aircrews got so attached to their flight jackets - more than just a piece of work-wear, these jackets became a symbol and a very cherished one at that.

 

[Lorenzo_l]

There were others who were a little more inventive and resourceful. My friends father was a ground crew member in the original Flying Tigers . Rather than turn in his A2 , he had his mother send him a well know department store label and he removed the original issued A2 label and had the department store label sewn into the jacket .
When it came time to turn in the jacket he held to his guns that he purchased the jacket commercially and the jacket was his . He won the argument :View attachment 74338View attachment 74339View attachment 74340View attachment 74341

What a gem, Burt. Do you know what contract it is from? From here it looks like one of Perry's second contract, i.e 42-16175P

 

[Flightengineer]

That's a great anecdote, thanks for sharing. Interesting how aircrews got so attached to their flight jackets - more than just a piece of work-wear, these jackets became a symbol and a very cherished one at that.

Sure, it would be terrible if all these jackets that survived with the owner and especially with the painted art would simply disappear, be redyed and disposed of, otherwise they brought us the stories of the crews that survived in the WW2 grinder.

 

[Brettafett]

Id say thats a 1756 or a Perry.

 

[Otter]

MauldinFan, you need a Booba Fett helmet in that collection!

 

[Brettafett]

Anyone been watching 'ol Fett in his ripe old age on Disney+
Lost his edge a bit I'd say.

 

[Otter]

Mellowed out a bit, I still liked the way he took out the speeder bike gang.

 

[Otter]

Forgot to add , you mean Bobba Fat ?

 

[WBOONE]

Why let the men that fought in them keep them? What were they going to do with the ones turned back in, throw them away. Most couldn’t be refurb as they were going to nylon anyway. What about MacArthur and Eisenhower? They had A2 jackets too. Anybody tell them to turn them in also?

 

[ES335]

Why let the men that fought in them keep them? What were they going to do with the ones turned back in, throw them away. Most couldn’t be refurb as they were going to nylon anyway. What about MacArthur and Eisenhower? They had A2 jackets too. Anybody tell them to turn them in also?

I sincerely doubt it. I suspect rank is everything, my grandfather brought home a Schmeiser MP40 with no difficulty...

 

[ausreenactor]

That was genius!

Did that with a WWII helmet liner into the issued M1 helmet to keep a 'good one' when I discharged... FOOL!

 

[B-Man2]

What a gem, Burt. Do you know what contract it is from? From here it looks like one of Perry's second contract, i.e 42-16175P

You nailed it Lorenzol . Definitely a Perry with a Conmar zip.