GEARING UP

[unclegrumpy]

The numbers are "rack" or equipment numbers. There are a lot of variables to their use (meaning branch of service, time frame, theatre of operations, and so on), but it was common for crew to be issued flight gear for each mission and return it after. This was especially true while training, and common for enlisted men...often bomber crews. They make sense to see in these publicity pictures.

The flight helmet with the name tag and rack number is interesting, because it is contradictory. If you were issued a flight helmet, it would be noted in your file or sometimes logbook, and you would be responsible for it. Again depending on time frame, theatre of operations, and so on...you sometimes see all of the gear issued to someone with leather name tags added...jackets, flight suits, helmets...and so on.

But if your name is on it, and you don't turn it in why the number?

I suspect the answer is the fellow who was originally issued the flight helmet, had his name tag put on it, turned it in. The helmet was still serviceable, but maybe not good enough to reissue to someone. Instead, it got put into the pool of gear that was checked out...hence the rack number. I think the oddity is the quartermasters did not take the time to take the former owner's name tag off. But maybe the life expectancy of this was so short it was not worth bothering with.

What is interesting with these pictures, is the numbers. You actually do not see them often today on AAF gear. I think that is because a lot of the gear was on it's second or third use, and was worn out and thrown away. The most common item you still see rack numbers on are 1950's to early 1970's G-1s....often they are stenciled on the back.

 

[B-Man2]

Grant
Nice posting ! Really gives some perspective to what these guys had to endure at high altitudes and what they had to wear just to arrive at the war and begin the fight. Just think about having all of that gear on and just sitting in the plane for an hour or so waiting for your plane to move into position for take off. They must have been dripping in sweat which became a problem at high attitudes. Great post!

 

[jeremiah]

But.......where's the A2 under all that?

 

[unclegrumpy]

Looked at the pictures again and did some further internet looking....

The name tag on the helmet is this guy's....Frank T Lusic (F.T. Lusic)

I still stand by my previous comments about rack numbers. However, this is a really neat example of how different squadrons/groups did things. I bet somewhere Lusic had those numbers all noted. I also suspect that he had all of this hung up in locker or on a peg where they suited up....not kept in his barracks.

That would be a really neat flight helmet to find...I have never seen one that you could attribute to one guy...many guys yes, one no. Very cool!

 

[dmar836]

Yeah. These guys were training day in, day out. It wouldn’t surprise me a bit if they kept numbered items out of stores just to simplify the daily process. Perhaps training crews started adding name tags while on training bases just as the crews were doing overseas - irrespective of the fact they had to turn them back in.
I wonder how it all worked. Crews trained, may have ferried planes while training, or have been transferred(as a crew)to other parts of the country for additional training. Surely, such flight gear made it’s way elsewhere. In winter months would they have been issued different gear for a ferry flight only to turn it in once arrived? “Sgt. Ship this crew’s numbered items back to Nebraska...”

Dave

 

[Carl]

Each squadron/ group had its own "drying room" so i guess the idea of numbers and name tags woukd work to save any gear being mixed up .
There is mention in a letter i have about "bins" being used for garments to be re-issued

 

[STEVE S.]

I think those goggles used in the photo shoot were a little defective too.

Somewhere in the boxes of stuff that I have not unpacked yet is a helmet with the name tag sewn on the side right above the assembly seam.

 

[Carl]

I think those goggles used in the photo shoot were a little defective too.

Somewhere in the boxes of stuff that I have not unpacked yet is a helmet with the name tag sewn on the side right above the assembly seam.

Which goggles Steve ???

 

[unclegrumpy]

Look at the lenses on the pair on his head...one is broken.

 

[STEVE S.]

 

[Edward]

must have grabbed them for the shoot not looking closely. this was a common problem on missions. there were many reports of eye injuries due to the goggles having real glass and shattering if they hit their head... a nice nod to this issue is in the B-24 mission at the beginning of the film Unbroken. the left waist gunner gets shot and he lurches forward and his right lens in his goggles shatter before he falls to the floor.

 

[Edward]

here are 3 screen caps from Unbroken. the waist gunner... then getting hit by a round and smacking his head on the frame on the plane and shattering his lens, then he is pushing them up before he falls to the floor after getting hit again by multiple rounds from the backside. Intense scene!

 

[unclegrumpy]

Yeah. These guys were training day in, day out. It wouldn’t surprise me a bit if they kept numbered items out of stores just to simplify the daily process. Perhaps training crews started adding name tags while on training bases just as the crews were doing overseas - irrespective of the fact they had to turn them back in.
I wonder how it all worked. Crews trained, may have ferried planes while training, or have been transferred(as a crew)to other parts of the country for additional training. Surely, such flight gear made it’s way elsewhere. In winter months would they have been issued different gear for a ferry flight only to turn it in once arrived? “Sgt. Ship this crew’s numbered items back to Nebraska...”

Dave

Great points!

I think a lot of this depends on what was specifically assigned to someone. Enlisted men often drew things from stores and then turned them back in. I think the item mattered as well, with more flight specific items more likely to be turned in, and then checked out. Officers, pilots in particular, were personally issued more things, because they had to be ready to fly at a moments notice. That is one reason you find more complete groupings to them today....sometimes still the parachute bag they stored them in.

Getting back to these photos...I think there also is a bit of a chicken and egg question here....meaning, which came first...the rack number or the name tag?

Given we know the photos are from May of 1943, which was fairly early on, I suspect the name tag came first, because you more typically see them used earlier in the war...but not exclusively so. The number was probably added later to help account for items....it is also interesting that the numbers are different...and there does not appear to be name tags on anything else...

 

[unclegrumpy]

View attachment 8497

Dave...this might be your guy:

http://www.456bg.org/berne-edwin-b0201-456bg.cfm

 

[Carl]

View attachment 8510

Lol !! i was too busy looking at the chute !!

 

[ausreenactor]

There are many tasks carried out by a variety of support personnel for any aircraft that departs on a task. Today our 'Life support fitters' from Army and the RAAF fit, inspect, repair, replace, modify and certify a variety of flight gear. Vests, helmets and goggles all use a variety of connections for the technical and survival systems on the aircraft. Inspection requirements can be as frequently as daily checks in an operational environment. The vests carry oxygen systems and radios as well.

'The rack' system has not changed that much.

Then there are any maintenance and cleaning requirements for the weapons!

Parading four hours before departure time for each sortie is our SOP.

It was the US Army. And every item had to be accounted for back then. There would have been supply guys running around in the background as well, making it just a little bit more frustrating for the guys putting their lives on the line each day.

 

[zoomer]

electric bunny suit under the B-3 & A-3? I'd've been roasting till I got up to altitude...

 

[Technonut2112]

But.......where's the A2 under all that?

 

[jeremiah]

Look at dem bee U tee full creases boys.

 

[Carl]

electric bunny suit under the B-3 & A-3? I'd've been roasting till I got up to altitude...

Hence the reason why the used their aviator kit bags , to put all the stuff in until it was time to use