Aviator's flight jacket

I collect old USAF, USN, and USMC squadron patches from the 1940's to the end of the Vietnam War. I have been collecting since the mid 1990's. I spent months on and off trying to find an old VA-195 (Attack Squadron 195) Dambusters patch from the Korean War. I wrote several people and spoke to a few on the telephone. It ain't easy to locate an original example.

Most people who are almost 90 years old or older will not move boxes and look in the attic for an example. Quite often the patch is passed along to family members. I also wrote an aviator who flew the F9F-5 with VF-101. He called me on the telephone and we spoke for a while. The retired aviator who lives in E. Alabama meets a widow from Pensacola quite often. Her late husband flew with VA-195 during the K.W. He would let me know, if she might have an old example from VA-195. Months passed by and I did not hear anything.

Approximately 6 weeks ago I again wrote the same aviator who flew with VF-101 and asked about the Grim Reaper sq patch and if he had contacted the widow about the VA-195 patch. I did not hear back from him. At approximately the same time, I located the name of another aviator (on-line) who flew the Able Dog with VA-195 during the K.W.

I wrote the aviator about the patch. I immediately received a letter from his widow. She did not have a spare patch but did have a jacket with the patch. I wrote her back a letter. I asked if I could work out something for the jacket, reproduce the patch for her, and keep the original.

I drove to Pensacola and showed her my USN collection and three other flight jackets from a long time ago. We hooked up at the base of the pier off of Palafax Street in Pensacola. We spoke for a while and she looked at my Navy patch collection. I showed her several salty squadron patches. Just before we parted company she told me that I know a friend of hers. It is a small world. About a year ago she fell and he visited her daily while she was in rehab. She said he put 600 miles on his car while she was in rehab. This is what friends are for.

______________


The former VA-195 aviator is a hero. He brought in his shot up Able Dog with 1/2 of the prop shot off. He was diverted to a fixed airfield in S.K. When he returned to the boat, he was honored by sitting in the Captain's Chair on board the Princeton. I did not ask a lot about which missions he flew.

I do know he completed two combat tours on the Princeton from 1950-1951. At the time, the squadron covered the Marine retreat at the Chosin Reservoir and took out the N.K. Hwachon Dam with torpedoes.

When I returned home I showed my family the jacket. The Tiger straddling the rocket is the VA-195 squadron patch. The patch was changed in 1956. At one point, the squadron had a live tiger as a mascot. The totem pole patch is from CVG-19. VF-191, VF-192, VF-193, and VA-195 were the main squadrons attached to CVG-19 during the USS Princeton K.W. Cruise.

My kids were floored with the history surrounding the jacket. We all decided to soon donate all four leather flight jackets to the National Flight Museum in Pensacola. It must be displayed.
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Thanks Will,


Enclosed are a few additional pics.

41st FIS - F-80C - a 'wild' bowling shirt. The silk Japanese made shirt was fabricated by a real artisan.

The late Kenneth Schuppe - 41st FIS.




I recently picked up two nice original patches.

326th FIS - Fairfax Field Kansas. The unit stood up in 1953 with the F-86E and later updated to the Dog Sabre and re-designed the patch - Skywolves. The 326th soon relocated to Richards Gebaur AFB, MO.

39th FIS - F-86F Korean War. At the time, the 39th was attached to the 51st FIW. The late COL F. Gabreski USAF Ret., was one of the notable 51st FIW K.W. commanders.



Enjoy the Viper.
Ralph
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login