Korean War A-2 jacket

[rayfel]

Actually Dave, I'm impressed that all of you have so much information about various aspects of the A-2 Jacket. I appreciate all your advice. Thanks Tim for your offer to paint my squadron insignia on a new jacket. About 10 years ago I bought a jacket from AVIREX LIMITED, which I was told is current issue to the Air Force. It seems accurate in all details, no hand warmer pockets, and appears to be seal brown horsehide. It appears to be very good quality. I was able to obtain an embroidered patch from an association of former "mosquitos" and had it sewn on the jacket. It's not quite original as they added the group designation, Korea and 5th Air Force, which was not on the original. Still, it looks pretty flashy! I'll attach a photo. Since you have expressed interest in hearing more about my outfit, I'm attaching some photos not directly concerned with A-2 jackets. We mostly flew T-6 aircraft for observation and directing strikes against ground target. We also had 3 L-19's, with which I TDY'd to the 3rd Infantry Division forward airstrip. The L-19 was much more suitable for the observation role since it was high wing, but was also more susceptible to small arms fire. I like the photo I took of the flight of L-19's. I have it framed. That's a young me at the controls of an L-19. We also had 3 C-47's which were converted to airborne radio relay and control aircraft. They would loiter over central Korea for up to 8 hours and relay radio transmissions from way north near the Yalu and provide flight control for aircraft to and from their home base. I'll answer any questions as long as my memory serves, it's getting a bit shaky!
Ray

 

[Weasel_Loader]

This is the stuff I love to hear about. Thanks again for your service Ray and glad to have you on the forum.

 

[rayfel]

I moved the original photo of my jacket to a different photobucket folder and it automatically deleted the photo from my first post. I'm posting it here since I was unable to restore it to that post.
Ray

 

[Grant]

Thanks for posting the photos Ray. Just curious, when did you get your A-2? Was it issued to you or did you acquire it another way? Did you actually wear it during missions?

It's always great to hear from vets and thanks for your service.

 

[rayfel]

It was issued to me in April 1951 along with the rest of my flight gear. Of course I had to pay a statement of charges for the "lost" gear, which include the jacket, flight helmet, oxygen mask and capeskin gloves when I returned to CONUS. Much of the equipment was left over from WWII, hence the "Air Force U.S. Army" on the label. I did wear it on missions (160, many were milk runs) except during cold weather when I wore a winter jacket. I can't remember (I said my memory is getting shaky) which one it was, but I seem to recall it had fur trim. Another thing that was accountable and which I somehow was able to retain was my blood chit, which I attach as a photo. We never sewed them on or in our jackets but carried them folded in our jacket flap pocket.

 

[dmar836]

Great stuff! We mostly hear about how things were done by other "experts" who weren't there either. To hear from onw who was is rare. Thanks!
Congrats on being so young and flying a taildragger. Today, they look at you like you are either a daredevil or have a death wish!
Dave
P.S. If you are inclined, and possibly not too far from the midwest, I have some "bust" mannequins. I'm modifying a few and a 38 fits if you need one. I have an excess.

 

[oose]

Hi,

Great stuff, thought this might be of interest... were you there Ray?



stu

 

[HackerF15E]

Congrats on being so young and flying a taildragger.

Nobody knew any different at the time!

 

[tom james]

It's funny that would show that picture of Marilyn Monroe. After a friend of mine was killed by a drunk driver while doing a road test on a 1931 Harley-Davidson single, friends( he was a widower with no children) started sorting his papers. Among them were pictures of Marilyn, Van Johnson, Rita Hayworth and others from various USO tours he "chauferred" during WW2 and Korea. He was a "silver eagle", one of the few enlisted navy pilots who earned their wings in the late 30's- early 40's. Cliff Pease started Navy life in 1939 as a radioman. flew off the Langley, Hornet and Yorktown before going to flight school, earning his wings and flying PBYs out of the Aleutians for six months. He spent most of the rest of the war as a ferry pilot. He flew until 1958 or 1959, flying bigwigs on Pacific nuclear tests, the Berlin Airlift, as well as the aforementioned USO tours. An amazing guy that NEVER shared any of his postwar experiences with anyone, other than other "Silver Eagles". I knew him through motorcycles, having bought his 1941 EL & sidecar after his wife died.

 

[rayfel]

I was there when Marilyn performed but not nearly as close. It was a mob scene and she was surrounded when she was off stage. I viewed her performance from the rear of the open air venue, it was as close as I could get.
Ray

 

[Miles_Archer]

To hear this stuff first hand is great.
My grandfather, who turns 100 on January 5th, recently told me about shaking Charles Lindbergh's hand in 1928. Sent chills down my spine. His first car was a Model T. He still drives.

 

[HackerF15E]

I viewed her performance from the rear

Probably nothing wrong with that!

 

[rayfel]

Hi Ray,
Welcome to the forum! Always good to hear from a Korean War vet.
My father flew night combat in B-26 Invaders with the 13BS out of K-8 Kunsan.

Hi Grant
Is your father OK? I hope so, a lot of us are going fast. I'm barely on the sunny side of 80. He might appreciate the image of the airfield ID which contains critical info about all the Korean fields, including your father's K-8. Attached to it is a detailed map and approach info for K-6. If the scanned image doesn't print well, I could mail you a printed hard copy. Let me know.
Ray

 

[Grant]

Hi Ray,
You're certainly right about Korean War vets going fast. A few years ago my dad received a call from a vets hospital on Christmas day from his old crew chief. The guy was dying from cancer and just wanted to call my dad after all those years to talk about their time together with the 13th.
My did is 79 but has advanced Parkinson's and is pretty much confined to a wheel chair these days. His memory of his service in Korea comes and goes but every once in a while it comes back like he was there yesterday. I mentioned to him that you flew T-6's and L-19's and he certainly perked up. Like you, he remembers well being issued WWII surplus gear but (unfortunately for me) was never issued an A-2. Because they flew night interdiction in cold weather they opted for warmer gear. Here's a photo of my dad and me taken back in better times when he could still walk. Like you, he has an old Avirex. The 13th BS patch was painted by a buddy of mine.

If you could email me a larger file of the airfield ID I'd love to print out a larger copy and send it to him. I'm sure that'd spark some more memories from him. Here's my personal email address: [email protected]

Regards, Grant

 

[rayfel]

Hi Grant
Thanks for the photo of you and your dad. I'm sorry to hear of his condition. Declining health goes hand- in- hand with advancing years. I have a few issues myself but I'm hanging in there! Give your dad very best wishes from one old vet to another.

I'll rescan the airfield ID at a really hi res and send the file directly to your email address. I suggest you print it on high quality glossy photo paper, that's how it was issued to me.
Best Regards
Ray

 

[arclight]

Hello Grant;

That is certainly a great picture of you and your Dad........something to always cherish.
Your Dad's Avirex looks very spiffy there.
Thank you for posting.

arclight

 

[dmar836]

Ray,

Sorry for the delay. I still need to powdercoat the hardware but this is how it "stands".

I was a little embarrassed carrying the discarded lower part of the torso out to the trash this am!

Have you ordered anything (Pecards, etc.) for the jacket yet?

Dave
KC

 

[rayfel]

Dave
It looks great, about as trim as I looked 60 years ago! Check out the blood chit ID. I recently found and scanned it. The chit shows a head shot of me at that time. Not a wrinkle in sight. I don't have my hair in a pompadour these days.

I did get the Pecards and made an application. It sure darkened the sections of very dry leather that looked pale beige. It also seemed to make the leather more supple. I mailed it off to Jerome Urbaniak this morning. He did Grant's father's jacket. Grant put him in touch with me and he will paint the patch with an appearance appropriate to its age. Tim also offered to paint the insignia on the Jacket. Since he lives in the UK, international shipping and custom forms would be a hassle. Instead he's painted a couple of leather mosquito patches and is mailing them to me. I'll post pictures of everything when they are in hand.

Did your neighbors think you were a sadistic serial killer? :lol:

How do I cover your expenses for the terrific effort on your part for me? Check? Let me know.
Ray

 

[dmar836]

Ray,
You covered it back in Korea.... and by sharing your experiences here.
We all appreciate it.
Love the ID!
Dave

 

[rayfel]

Thanks so much Dave, I really appreciate it. When I get the jacket back I’ll display it proudly on your mannequin. It’s strange that I never paid much attention to all these things associated with my distant past. As I get older and the end approaches, I’ve become somewhat nostalgic about my youth and the time when I seemed immortal and the future stretched endlessly in front of me.
Best regards
Ray