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A Very Special A2
This jacket belonged to Captain Harry F Engel. Harry was a captain of the 304th Squadron of the 442nd TCG during WW2.
The 442nd TCG pilots commandeered the Douglas C-47A-15-DK Skytrain, and was tasked with dropping off troops in enemy territory. The best part is, this jacket saw D-Day, and Operation Market Garden respectively. It is rare to see a jacket with this provenance due to the limited amount of surviving glider pilots, as casualty rates as high as 40% were common for missions. This is really a true piece of American history. If clothes spoke…
The jacket itself has a wonderfully field-replaced hand sewn liner. Based off of construction I believe this was done in theatre. The jacket itself has plenty of wear. It was professionally patched and bonded with era-correct horsehide, but the leather is still certainly sensitive. Zipper works very well!
The second to last photo is of Harry F Engel, and the last is of the 303rd pilots, who mostly perished during D-Day.
Measurements:
Pit to pit: 22”
Shoulder to hem: 26”
Sleeve length: 25”
Titles of Distinction