bombs away
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Hello guys,
Just wanted to share this recent buy in the collection, a very nice goatskin A-2 identified from a fighter pilot of the 64th Fighter Squadron, 57th Fighter Group, 12th AF.
These guys flew the P-40 through North Africa to Italy. They lived incredible adventures and are unfairly less known than fighter pilots from the European Theater.
This jacket belonged to Lt (then Capt) Everette L. MARCUM.
Here is a brief bio from the P47pilots site:
COLONEL EVERETTE LANCE "MARC" MARCUM was born January 24th, 1921 in Ranger, West Virginia. He attended Hamlin High School, Hamlin, W.Va., and Marshall College, Huntington, W.Va., prior to enlisting in the Army Air Corps, August 20, 1940. He became a rated pilot on Sept. 6, 1942 as a staff sergeant and was commissioned 2nd Lt. on August 1,1943.
Marc flew nearly every military plane that sported a propeller from the pt-13 through the spitfire, plus being jet qualified in the F-86, F-84, and T-33. He was a Command Pilot with over 4,200 flying hours.
His WWII combat flying (172 missions) was mostly in the P-40 and P-47 in the North African and Italian campaigns. He also was in the initial group to fly the Berlin Airlift. His decorations include the Legion of Merit, DFC, Air Medal (901c), French Croix de Guerre (Gold Palm), Netherlands order of Orange-Nassau with Swords and AFCM (2).
Marc's Air Force career spanned a wide variety of assignments, such as: MAAG - Italy 1951-1954; Commander 1st Cadet Group, USAF Academy 1958.1961; Air Attache, U.S. Embassy, The Hague, Netherlands 1966-1969; Base Commander, Luke AFB, Arizona 1969.1971.
His last assignment was Base Commander, Nakhon Phanom AFB, Thailand. While serving here in 1971, as one of the last active duty "flying Sergeants" in the Air Force.
Col. Marcum suffered a stroke and died May 21st, 1973.
Now let's see the jacket, I know it's the most interesting for you guys
The jacket has seen action, but I love the patina of the goatskin.
Jacket is a size 36, fighter pilots were often small guys !
2 interesting details :
- the zipper has been sewn by someone who had some troubles with straight lines...
- the patch is really thick !
but as can be seen here on this picture of another pilot from the same squadron, these patches were made this way :shock:
Tim
Just wanted to share this recent buy in the collection, a very nice goatskin A-2 identified from a fighter pilot of the 64th Fighter Squadron, 57th Fighter Group, 12th AF.
These guys flew the P-40 through North Africa to Italy. They lived incredible adventures and are unfairly less known than fighter pilots from the European Theater.
This jacket belonged to Lt (then Capt) Everette L. MARCUM.
Here is a brief bio from the P47pilots site:
COLONEL EVERETTE LANCE "MARC" MARCUM was born January 24th, 1921 in Ranger, West Virginia. He attended Hamlin High School, Hamlin, W.Va., and Marshall College, Huntington, W.Va., prior to enlisting in the Army Air Corps, August 20, 1940. He became a rated pilot on Sept. 6, 1942 as a staff sergeant and was commissioned 2nd Lt. on August 1,1943.
Marc flew nearly every military plane that sported a propeller from the pt-13 through the spitfire, plus being jet qualified in the F-86, F-84, and T-33. He was a Command Pilot with over 4,200 flying hours.
His WWII combat flying (172 missions) was mostly in the P-40 and P-47 in the North African and Italian campaigns. He also was in the initial group to fly the Berlin Airlift. His decorations include the Legion of Merit, DFC, Air Medal (901c), French Croix de Guerre (Gold Palm), Netherlands order of Orange-Nassau with Swords and AFCM (2).
Marc's Air Force career spanned a wide variety of assignments, such as: MAAG - Italy 1951-1954; Commander 1st Cadet Group, USAF Academy 1958.1961; Air Attache, U.S. Embassy, The Hague, Netherlands 1966-1969; Base Commander, Luke AFB, Arizona 1969.1971.
His last assignment was Base Commander, Nakhon Phanom AFB, Thailand. While serving here in 1971, as one of the last active duty "flying Sergeants" in the Air Force.
Col. Marcum suffered a stroke and died May 21st, 1973.
Now let's see the jacket, I know it's the most interesting for you guys
The jacket has seen action, but I love the patina of the goatskin.
Jacket is a size 36, fighter pilots were often small guys !
2 interesting details :
- the zipper has been sewn by someone who had some troubles with straight lines...
- the patch is really thick !
but as can be seen here on this picture of another pilot from the same squadron, these patches were made this way :shock:
Tim
