Id'd 505th Bg, 484th Bs Sgt's A-2 Flying Jacket, Khaki Shirt, And Sterling Wings For Sale

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Id'd 505th BG, 484th BS SGT's A-2 flying jacket, khaki shirt, and sterling wings

Offered is an A-2 flying jacket, khaki shirt, and sterling wings, belonging to SGT. Ralph L. Berry, service #15338100, who served as an crew member aboard Flying Fortresses with the 484th Bombardment Squadron, 505th Bombardment Group. Khaki shirt show size 15x34, with his laundry stamp "B8100" in the collar. Has sergeant chevrons and full machine embroidered AAF shoulder patch. All buttons present. Has post fastener sterling aircrew wings as shown. Shirt has had the wings on so long that a shadow of them has formed on the front, and stained indentations from the sterling clutches on the inside. Comes with khaki tie as shown. A-2 leather jacket has full contract label, showing size 38. Jacket has full lining and original, functional "TALON" zipper. Waist band is an old replacement; hard to tell without examining the stitching. He must have been left handed, as the left cuff is frayed and coming unattached - see photos. Right cuff has minor holes/separation to the underside; nothing that materially detracts. Jacket has a wear spot to the left shoulder/chest area, below the epaulette, as shown. His leather nametape is sewn to the left front. It appears to me as though there may have been a painted patch on the right chest area - see photos - that has since worn off. Accompanying the uniform items are six photocopied pictures of Berry, one showing him wearing the A-2. Nice grouping - see photos.

The unit was established in early 1944 at Dalhart Army Air Field, Texas, being formed as a B-29 Superfortress Very Heavy bombardment Group. Thu unit was formed with four bomb squadrons, being a mixture of both new and reassigned units. The 482d, 484th and 485th having World War I origins and the 483d being a newly-constituted unit.

Due to a shortage of B-29s, the group was equipped with former II Bomber Command B-17 Flying Fortressess previously used for training heavy bomber replacement personnel. The group was eventually equipped with newly-manufactured B-29 Superfortresses at Harvard Army Airfield, Nebraska during the summer of 1944. In May shortages in aircraft and equipment led to the 485th Bomb Squadron being inactivated, with its personnel being consolidated into other group squadrons and the 505th becoming a three squadron group (the 485th would be reactivated a month later as part of the 501st Bombardment Group).

The 505th was deployed to Pacific Theater of Operations (PTO) in late 1944, being assigned to the XXI Bomber Command 313th Bombardment Wing in the Northern Mariana Islands; being stationed at North Field, Tinian. It entered combat in February 1945 with strikes on Iwo Jima and the Truk Islands. It then began flying very long range strategic bombardment missions over the Japanese Home Islands, attacking military, industrial and transportation targets. Switched to night incendiary raids attacking major Japanese cities in the spring of 1945, causing massive destruction of urbanized areas.

The 505th Bomb Group received a Distinguished Unit Citation for a strike against the Nakajima aircraft factory at Ota in February 1945. Conducted incendiary raids on area targets in Japan, carrying out these missions at night and at low altitude. Bombed in support of the Allied assault on Okinawa in April 1945. Engaged in mining operations against Japanese shipping, receiving second DUC for mining the Shimonoseki Strait and harbors of the Inland sea, June–July 1945. The group continued strategic bombing raids and incendiary attacks until the Japanese Capitulation in August 1945.

After V-J Day, the 505th dropped supplies to Allied prisoners, participated in show-of-force missions, and flew over Japan to evaluate bombardment damage. In the fall of 1945, the group largely demobilized as part of the "Sunset Project", with some aircraft being sent reclamation on Tinian; others being returned to the United States for storage at aircraft depots in the southwest. By Christmas, the group fleet was reduced to 30 or less planes Many of the remaining veterans signed for "any conditions of travel" to get home, arriving three weeks later in Oakland, California, where troop trains scattered them for points of discharge close to their homes.

The unit was largely a paper organization when it was reassigned to Clark Field in the Philippines in March 1946, and assigned to Thirteenth Air Force. At Clark its remaining aircraft and personnel were consolidated into other units, and it was inactivated in June.

Payment expected within 4 days of sale closing, including overseas international buyers: any item that exceeds $50.00 in value will be sent via US postal service insured, priority mail. This is the least expensive, protective method of shipping for international packages. Also, do not ask me to undervalue your items on the customs form - what the final offer amount is the amount that will be shown on the customs statement.

This item has been shown 544 times. Id'd 505th Bg, 484th Bs Sgt's A-2 Flying Jacket, Khaki Shirt, And Sterling Wings: $407