Page 304 - 4094-BOOK2

LOT 1324
Grouping of Uniforms, Documents, Photos and Artifacts from a
Distinguished Service Cross Winning American Pilot/Observer
Pair of World War I - Many of the items in the lot are related to Wilbert
E. Kinsley and W.O. Lowe, two American officers who served as a Pilot/
Observer pair with the Ninetieth Observation Squadron, Third Observation
Group of the American Expeditionary Force in World War I. The pair
survived multiple contacts with German aviators, with one incident in the
Verdun Sector in 1918 netting both men the Distinguished Service Cross
for shooting their way out of an 8 vs 1 engagement with German Fokkers,
with a final score of one German shot down, another forced down behind
German lines, and Kinsley & Lowe successfully completing their scheduled
patrol. Records for both men are limited, but it appears that Lowe left
the service at the rank of Captain and returned to civilian life as a lawyer
after the war while Kinsley remained in the service as late as World War II,
reaching a rank of Lieutenant Colonel. The contents are primarily related
to Kinsley, consisting of his personal effects. Four uniforms are included:
1) an unlabeled twill tunic and trouser set, no labels or markings, the tunic
fitted with (heavily worn) DSC and WWI Victory ribbon bars, 2) a Kinsley &
Blake (Boston) twill tunic and trouser set, the trousers labeled for Kinsley
as a Lieutenant and dated “Feb. 18”, and the tunic outfitted for a second
lieutenant with the U.S. Reserve with DSC and WWI Victory ribbon bars,
3) Kinsley & Blake high collar tunic and trouser set, the pants labeled to
Kinsley and the tunic outfitted for a U.S. Army second lieutenant with
aviator wings, silver 90th Squadron pin, bullion aviator wings, ribbons for
the DSC, WWI Victory (with four stars), and Silver Star ribbon bars, and WWI
Victory Medal with five campaign bars (note: a very similar tunic can be
seen in one of the pictures of Kinsley included with the lot), 4) WWII-era
uniform tunic with two tan overseas caps, the caps decorated for a Major
and the tunic for a Lieutenant Colonel with the 9th Air Force, decorated
with silver and bullion aviator wings, a WWI commemorative medal
engraved to Kinsley, and ribbon bars for the DSC, Silver Star, WWI Victory
(four stars), Army of Occupation of Germany, American Defense Service,
American Campaign, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign (four
stars) and an unidentified ribbon. Also included, but not attached to any
of the included uniforms, is a framed Distinguished Service Cross labeled
as Kinsley’s, as well as a foot locker marked for Kinsley and bearing “rolled
dice” decoration following the pattern of the 90th Squadron. Also included
with the lot is a 1917-1918 dated war diary identified as Kinsley’s, history
book of the 90th Aero Squadron signed by Kinsley, the book “Winchester
War Records”, pictures of Kinsley and Lowe in uniform (appropriate aviation
wing and DSC visible in some pics), multiple service documents for Kinsley,
wartime unit and aviation photos (including squadron photos with Kinsley
and Lowe identified, and pics of what appear to be Kinsley and Lowe with
their biplane), reunion photos, a collection of lead slugs and bullet jackets
labeled as having been pulled from Kinsley’s plane following a Verdun
engagement, pocketwatch in vintage wristband holder, vintage uniform
leather gear, an artillery shell casing reshaped into a vase,
and other small items.
CONDITION: Good overall, showing wear and staining appropriate to
wear. Many parts of the lot show evidence of having been glued into a
scrapbook, with some parts stuck to now-loose pages. The watch has
not been tested.
Provenance: The Putnam Green/Sycamore Collection.
Estimate: 9,500 - 16,000
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