bazelot
Well-Known Member
I just acquired a wonderful modified deck helmet that belonged to VBF-1 pilot Harold Kenneth Lindquist. Lindquist saw action at the end of the war with VBF-1 and was recommended for the DFC and Air Medal. Harold Lindquist got his wings in 1943 and at the end of 1944 was sent to the forward area with VB-100 which was a training unit. On April 17th 1945 he joined VBF-1 on the USS Bennington. VBF-1 then conducted strikes against the Japanese home islands from June 17th to mid August. I managed to find the whole War Diary of VBF-1. There I found pictures of him and the whole squadron.
The helmet is a rare brown deck helmet (with 288s contract tag still attached). Brown deck helmets were used by plane Captain (thanks Paul for the information), I had never seen one before. This one is rigger modified with accoustic earcups, oxy mask snaps, white goggle straps and a white crest that goes from the back of the helmet to the the front for decorative purposes I assume. In the VF-1 book there is a picture of pilots wearing deck helmets with the exact same type of modifications.
VBF-1 squadron, Lindquist is second row from bottom, fifth from left. I forgot to mention that they flew Corsairs.
His combat team:
The helmet is a rare brown deck helmet (with 288s contract tag still attached). Brown deck helmets were used by plane Captain (thanks Paul for the information), I had never seen one before. This one is rigger modified with accoustic earcups, oxy mask snaps, white goggle straps and a white crest that goes from the back of the helmet to the the front for decorative purposes I assume. In the VF-1 book there is a picture of pilots wearing deck helmets with the exact same type of modifications.
VBF-1 squadron, Lindquist is second row from bottom, fifth from left. I forgot to mention that they flew Corsairs.
His combat team:
