Page 351 - 87-BOOK2

LOT 1492
Historic Documented
and Identified World War
II USAAF 8th Air Force
Veteran’s “Hell’s Angels”
Painted Leather A-2 Jacket
- This privately purchased
commercial leather jacket (no
label, Talon zipper) displays
a large painted design of a
Hell’s Angels on the back, 8th
Air Force insignia painted on the left shoulder and USAAF Far East Air Force Command insignia painted on the right shoulder. An embossed named tag is affixed to the chest above the left pocket. The tag has the name “MILLARD WILKERSON” along with embossed USAAF air crew wings. Wilkerson was a very talented artist. He painted this jacket, which
is pictured in Maguire and Conway’s “American Flight Jackets” on page 266 along with several
other jackets Wilkerson painted and owned. The publication also includes a short bio: “Sgt Millard Wilkerson was a flight engineer/gunner who
served in the 715th Squadron of the 448th Bomb Group, Eighth Air Force. He went to England
in January 1944, completed 35 missions, and returned to the states in the autumn of that
year. He was attached to several Air Force units
in the states, but in April 1945, with flight
engineers in short supply, he was reassigned
to Air Sea Rescue service. His assignment
was to the 6th Emergency Air Service Rescue squadron, ironically an Eighth Air Force unit
now in the Pacific searching for downed
B-29 crews.” Considering the Far East Air
Forces insignia this jacket was likely painted
when Wilkerson was serving with the 6th Emergency Air Service Rescue squadron. CONDITION: Very good displaying the honest
wear and tear of a beloved article of clothing
with some missing stitching on the right
sleeve. The “nose art” retains much of the
vivid paint while the shoulder insignias
show minimal loss. This jacket certainly has
the look of a personalized art piece worn
by an identified World War II veteran who
captured his war experience in paint
and leather.
Provenance: The Putnam Green/Sycamore Collection.
Estimate: 8,500 - 15,000
AS PICTURED AND DESCRIBED IN THE BOOK AMERICAN FLIGHT JACKETS BY MAGUIRE & CONWAY
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