Squirl Collection: WWII Aviation (U.S.A.)

Flying Cadets of the Air Corps booklet

Thu, 14 Dec 2006 19:44:31 +0000

A pre-WWII recruiting booklet, designed for aspiring Air Corps cadets. This was printed in 1929, before the Air Corps became the Army Air Forces. It's got some moisture damage, and is well dog-eared, but it is still in one piece. The original price for a copy of this booklet, as printed inside the cover, was 25 cents! Not exactly cheap, in 1929 dollars.

Keep 'Em Flying! recruiting pamphlet

Thu, 14 Dec 2006 19:44:31 +0000

WWII aviation cadet recruiting pamphlet, with address of the Army Air Forces' Director of Personnel on a slip of paper, inside.

WWII Stars & Stripes newspaper: "We're in Rome!"

Thu, 14 Dec 2006 19:44:31 +0000

This is a nifty service-issued newspaper, telling the informed soldier of all the latest battle developments. There are actually two separate issues of this paper, but someone had taped them together, seemingly decades ago, and I can't separate them without damaging at least one paper. So I just shot the cover of the one on top, for this entry.

WWII Soldier's Tour Guide: France

Thu, 14 Dec 2006 19:44:31 +0000

Looks like someone also got to go to France! ;P This is an AAF Air Transport Command flight ticket (even stamped SECRET!), attached to a handbook of English-French and French-English conversation.

WWII Soldier's Tourism: Venice, Naples, Rome...and a liberty pass for Tampa, FL!

Thu, 14 Dec 2006 19:44:31 +0000

More WWII soldiers' tourism stuff. The Venice guide book has a pull-out section loaded with photos. The tickets are for tours of various places around the area. For the heck of it, I threw in Roy's 1943 liberty pass for Tampa, FL. I assume that's where his training took place.

WWII Soldier's Tour Books: Venice and Pompey

Thu, 14 Dec 2006 19:44:31 +0000

Tour books from Venice and Pompey, circa 1945. The Venice book has a fold-out map of the area, pictured below the two booklets. The 5 Lire ticket at the bottom was for the Pompey tour, presumably. It's stamped 22 April, 1945, and has an earlier number on it than the one attached to the guide, which has an illegible date stamp.

Service Pins, Medal, Patches, Theatre Ribbons, dogtags

Thu, 14 Dec 2006 19:44:31 +0000

A mish-mash of pieces I've not finished identifying, yet. Includes AAF and MAAF patches, U.S. uniform pins, theatre service ribbons, a Good Conduct medal and dog tags belonging to Pvt. Roy Davenport. Roy was the late husband of my dear friend Houlgate (now also deceased), and many of the small, non-aviation items belonged to him. One of the round pins has a castle on it, which I think was a symbol for the Corps of Engineers. Roy was a Technical Sgt, by 1945, and had served mostly in the Mediterranean theatre.

USAAF Sterling silver pilot wings

Thu, 14 Dec 2006 19:36:43 +0000

These are the real deal, but they're not among the best examples of wartime sterling wings that I've seen. They're lacking a maker's mark, and have a simple pin clasp in back. I've another set that is much finer, but I haven't pulled it out, yet. This one has been on my A-2 flight jacket for years.

USAAF 8th AF shoulder patch, WWII

Thu, 14 Dec 2006 19:36:43 +0000

I don't believe this patch to be of authentic WWII-era manufacture, though the guy who sold it to me (very cheaply!) claimed it was. It looked too new, to me, but even if it's not antique, its design and coloration are accurate. The 8th AF operated in the European theatre, from 1942 through the end of the war in 1945, and carried out daytime bombing runs in western Europe from airfields in eastern England. I've been wearing the patch on the sleeve of my own A-2 flight jacket (a replica, sadly!), since I got it.