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LOT 3352
Grouping of Uniform Items from a
World War II Army Air Force Pilot - Per
consignor statements, the contents of this
lot were all the property of a “Brown” (first
name not given) of the 9th Air Force of
the United States Army. Research shows a
Captain Benjamin F. Brown of Port Huron,
Michigan, who joined up with the Army
Air Force in 1942, was commissioned in
1943, and spent 21 months overseas,
passing through Africa, Sicily, Italy, Iceland
and Greenland before being rotated
back to the U.S. on the “point” system
in the summer of 1945. Records note
that he served as a troop transport pilot
with the 9th, which would be consistent
with the combination of pilot wings and “AIRBORNE” rocker seen on the included uniforms. 1) U.S.
M1 combat helmet, early pattern with front brim seam, fixed bales, and fiberboard inner liner. The
exterior of the shell is textured, with netting applied to break up the profile. 2) Three military caps,
one tan “crusher” style cap, a tan overseas cap and a green overseas cap. The tan overseas cap is
marked “Brown” on the interior. 3) Uniform jacket and trousers, the latter hand-marked “Brown”
and the jacket fitted with an “AIRBORNE” rocker over a 9th Air Force patch. 4) “Ike” jacket with shirt
and tie, the jacket outfitted for a 1st Lieutenant in the 9th Air Force, with Simpson tailor label and
American Defense Service and European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign ribbon bars. 5) Uniform
jacket, shirt, tie and trousers, the trousers hand-marked “Brown” and the jacket outfitted for an
honorably discharged 1st Lieutenant with the 9th Air Force, with “AIRBORNE” rocker, silver pilot
wings, stitched-on “ruptured duck” honorable discharge lozenge, and ribbon bars for Army Good
Conduct, American Defense Service and European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign
(one star) medals.
Provenance: The Putnam Green/Sycamore Collection.
Estimate: 3,500 - 6,500
LOT 3351
Fine Women Airforce Service Pilot
Uniform - Active from August 1943 to
December 1944, the Women Airforce Service
Pilots (WASP) was a civil service organization
that provided trained and qualified lady
pilots to support the Army in non-combat
aviation roles. Their most important role
was in ferrying new aircraft from points
of manufacture to the end users, up to
and including long-haul flights across the
Atlantic, as well as performing test flights
on new and repaired aircraft, hauling test
targets for aerial gunnery practice, and other
activities. The grouping consists of a green
twill officer-style jacket, tan shirt, and tan
twill slacks. The jacket has “U.S.” and Army Air
Corps pins on the lapels, metal Air Transport
Command insignia on the shoulder straps,
and a metal “lozenge” WASP variant aviator
wings over a set of three ribbons on the left
breast (Army Good Conduct Medal, American
Defense Ribbon, and an unidentified ribbon
with silver star). No identifying markings
have been found.
CONDITION: Fine overall, with minor wear.
Provenance: The Putnam Green/Sycamore
Collection.
Estimate: 2,500 - 4,000