United States. An Army Air Forces Flying Officer's Uniform, to Technical Sergeant Dana Wayne Winsett, 306th Bombardment Group, c.1945

Includes five pieces: tunic, pants, tie, visor cap and garrison cap. 

 

1. The jacket is fabricated from a fine brownish-green wool, with button down epaulette straps on both shoulders, each of which is secured in place by a small brass button bearing the United States coat-of-arms at the neck end. There is an Eighth Air Force patch sewn in place on the right shoulder and a United States Army Air Forces patch sewn in place on the left shoulder, both badges in red, white, dark yellow and blue embroidery. Below each of the identification patches on the shoulders is a 75 mm (w) x 127 mm (h) Technical Sergeant rank insignia, the stripes in army green felt, on a midnight blue felt base. The front has four pockets, one on each breast which have decorative straps giving them a pleated-look, the other two at the waist are without pleats and are larger and deeper than the breast pockets. All four pockets have fold over button down flaps with reinforced button holes and small brass buttons bearing the United States coat-of-arms. Pinned in place above the right breast pocket is a Presidential Unit Citation, surmounted by a Honorable Discharge (Ruptured Duck) patch in yellow and olive green embroidery, while appearing above the left breast pocket is a sterling silver United States Army Air Forces Aerial Gunner Badge pinned in place (marked "STERLING" on the reverse), with a two-level ribbon bar: level one - Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters; level two - Army Good Conduct Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with two Bronze Stars and World War II Victory Medal, the ribbon bar secured in place via four push pins. There is also a sterling silver Army Marksman Qualification Badge with Carbine Clasp pinned in place to the flap on the left breast pocket (both the badge and clasp marked "STERLING" on their reverses). Both collars have a metal eyelet, along with a collar disk, the right collar with a U.S. Collar Disk, while the left collar has an Army Air Corps Collar Disk, both of which are in brass and held in place by a screwback. The front is completed by a vertical row of three large brass buttons bearing the United States coat-of-arms on the right side, the button in the third position having been lost to time, facing four reinforced button holes on the left side, the large and small brass buttons maker marked "D. EVANS & CO. LTD. / NORTH ATTLEBORO MASS" on their reverses. The forearm on the left sleeve has a single gold-colored overseas bar (stripes, AKA "Hershey Bar") representing six months' overseas service. The interior is lined in an olive green cotton, is designed without pockets and is named in handwritten black ink "D. WINSETT" on the cotton lining just inside the opening on the right side. It is stamped "38" and "M-3150" in the collar on the cotton lining, the tunic measuring 460 mm across the shoulders x 705 mm in length;  

 

2. The pants are fabricated from brownish-green wool, matching that of the tunic, designed with a button down fly, housing four brown plastic buttons on the right side, facing an equal number of reinforced button holes on the left side, the button holes discreetly hidden under a flap. It has five pockets, including: deep side-entry pockets on both sides at the front without buttons, a smaller one between the right side-entry pocket and the waistband, along with two on the rear seat, the left rear one with a brown plastic button and reinforced button hole, the right one designed without a button, each of the pockets lined in a white cotton. The right pant leg has one small hole visible. The exterior has seven belt loops on the waistband, while the waistband inside is in white cotton, stamped in black ink "WAIST 32 INSEAM 31" at the right rear and incorporating seven brown plastic buttons spaced at various intervals around the waist, the white cotton used for the pockets and waistband exhibiting moderate soiling, the pants measuring 720 mm at the waist x 1,020 mm in length; 

  

3. The tie is fabricated from a light khaki wool/cotton blend, marked in handwritten black ink "KUFF / --5563", with the two digits in front of the four numbers undecipherable, measuring 80 mm in width x 1,165 mm in length; 

 

4. The Enlisted Man's Visor Cap is fabricated from a brownish-green wool on the exterior, featuring the classic high peak, the hidden wire frame giving definition to the shape of the cap. There are gray-finished metal eyelets for ventilation placed on either side on the overhang, the front with a 41 mm in diameter brass United States Army cap badge bearing the United States coat-of-arms placed at the top center. The stiff visor is finished in chocolate brown synthetic material, with a reinforcing strip in chocolate brown stitched in place on the edge. There is a two-piece brown leather strap with dual adjustable sliders that runs across the front between the brass buttons on either side, each of the buttons bearing the United States coat-of-arms. The underside of the visor is in a hunter green synthetic material, the interior lined in an olive green cotton/nylon blend. It incorporates a 37 mm wide sweatband in a reddish-brown synthetic material, the underside of which is in an off-white pressed cotton, with a faded manufacturer's tag stapled in place at the rear where the two ends of the sweatband meet, the cap measuring 265 mm in width x 290 mm in depth x 125 mm in height; 

 

5. The Garrison Cap is fabricated from brownish-green wool on the exterior, with the side edges and sloping edges trimmed in orange and blue piping, with a tag inscribed "HIC 124" attached to the sloping edge on the left side, underneath the left panel. Inside, the sweatband is in olive green cotton, the right side of the sweatband stamped in black ink "S-4697" which is crossed out and replaced with "DANA WINSETT" in handwritten black ink, the left side of the sweatband inscribed in handwritten black ink "STANLEY R.E." but is crossed out, with a Lerner Bros. Cap Co. manufacturer's tag, marked "Phil. Q.M. Depot" (Philadelphia Quartermaster Depot) and "Size 7" placed at the right rear, the cap measuring 275 mm (w) x 120 mm (h).

All items are free of mothing, displaying a wonderful texture in the wool, along with quality workmanship and are very clean. Near extremely fine.