The Most Iconic Piece of Gear in WWII | American Artifact Episode 137
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 ก.ย. 2024
- Let's face it. There are few things that look cooler than the A-2 flying jacket that was issued to the airmen who fought in the skies in WWII. They were cool looking even before Steve McQueen wore one in The Great Escape. The only thing that adds to them is how the guys who wore them added their own personal flair with squadron patches and artwork. In this episode of American Artifact, we're checking out a few A-2 jackets from the collection at The Gettysburg Museum of History and seeing what they can teach us about the history of WWII.
This episode was produced in partnership with The Gettysburg Museum of History. See how you can support history education & artifact preservation by visiting their website & store at www.gettysburg...
Support the effort to expand history education on PATREON: / historyunderground
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Wow! Thanks for posting! I'm the guy that loaned Lt. Layn's A-2 Jacket. He was a copilot in the 91st Bomb Group. He won the silver star and was a POW for over a year in Stalag Luft I. Thanks again for including his jacket JD and Erik!
Oh wow! Thanks!
Hey Wes, I’m also curious if Lt. Layn’s A2 was with him while in the POW camp or did he reacquire it after being freed? Thanks for loaning jacket and your story.
@@Ordo76 Hi! As far as i know it was with him in the camp. He lost his first jacket on the first Schweinfurt Raid. Long story, but it flew out of his plane after they were shot up really bad. He acquired this one from another pilot who I believe sold it to him before my great uncle was shot down.
My dad was in WW2 in the army in Algeria and Italy
When he described chicken parts he called the legs infantry and the wings air corps
So the wasps would fly the targets 20 feet behind the aircraft? Talk about balls… oh wait!
🍻
Those jackets are priceless......
This was great! I'm so glad that he was able to come to the museum! The jackets are just stunning! God Bless you guys for continuing to honor our vets!!
Thank you so much!
While watching this episode, I noticed a portrait of George Washington on the wall. This brought back to my memory of being in the 8th grade at Fr. Benning, Ga. many, many years ago. One day we were doing oral book reports (remember them?) and one of the girls in the class gave her on George Washington. At her closing she reported to us that she was the great great great great granddaughter of George Wasington. Immediately I looked at her and then his famous unfinished portrait up on the wall. Believe it or not, you could immediately see that she was his descendant. Just a little history in my life. I wish I could remember her name. ALL TRUE!!!
I had one of these. My father's best friend was a fighter/bomber pilot (not sure which) in WWII. He wore his jacket until the mid 70's until I was able to talk him out of it!! I had a local dry cleaners put new wrist bands as well as around the bottom of the jacket. A new car would not have made me prouder than when I was wearing that jacket. I had it about 3-4 years and then it was stolen from the back of a chair in a night club that I had gone to in Lexington, Ky. Would sure like to still have it.
Iconic..Perfect title. Everytime I think of pilots during WW2 my brain automatically sees a young man wearing one of these. Such a unique time in history as the branches would never let you alter your uniform present day. Each one of these tells such a unique story. Thank you for sharing brother
Thanks!
Somebody could make a fortune recreating these jackets for retail with the artwork on them.
A fortune, yeah. Have you seen the prices on American-made leather flight jackets at the Cockpit Shops?
3:30 That dandy carrying a bomb under his arm is, I believe, Jiggs from the comic strip “Bringing Up Father”.
As to the Peartroopers jacket the Picture of him getting to see Son, that was born While he was away fighting in WWII worms my heart almost more then the jacket did Because the fact that he got to see His son and didn't get killed as a paratrooper is a miracle in itself.
I'm so glad that someone is keeping the jacket art alive and preserved. I have a bombers and A2 jacket but I don't think they are from WWII. But talk about WARM!
I once found my great-uncle's A-2 jacket, "Mac's Goldbricks," on an auction site. Never did figure out where that thing went or why it didn't stay in the family.
That's a heartbreaking story. God bless your great-uncle!
My dad had one but I don't know what happened to it.
I had a Airborne musettebag with Art work in my collection.
There was a jumpwing painted on it.
It's now in a Belgium ww2 museum.
RAF Duxford in the UK has a superb collection of these in their US hanger display, some great art works and those jacket 👌🏻
My great-uncle was a USAAF sign painter and of course made a lot of side money painting these for aircrews. I always planned to have him do one for me but I delayed too long 😢 RIP Uncle Joe.
Thanks!
Wow! Thanks so much!
I hope to get my grandfather's bomber jacket from my uncle. He had no children, and I'm the only grandson who never had another living grandfather. My grandfather was in 5th AAF 380th BG 531st Bomb squadron.
Sad Sack
In 1960, I bought a WW II sheepskin fleece jacket and pants at the army surplus store in Boulder, Colorado, for $20, perfect for riding my motorcycle to work in winter. Wish I still had them. No insignia or paint, though.
If you read Katherine Sharp Landdeck's book, Women With Silver Wings, the women were subjected to flying planes of all sorts for target practice! Give it a read!
Great video on a bit of lost history. I'm sure you know, however, at least in ETO, they carried 10 pieces of gold in their jackets to use has bargaining if they were shot down and lucky enough to find locals to help them.. Be sure to check the pockets. Also depending on the mission, most of these jackets would have been stored in their foot locker and changed out for high altitude gear. Their crew mates would typically go through the locker if they were KIA or MIA and then send them home. If you ever find one from a B24 crew from Three Feathers I could really send you some history.Her last crew , wanted to fly her home, but she was classified unfit to fly, so the crew was assigned to fly the " Strawberry Bitch" to Wright Patterson back, including their pet dog who lived into the 50's, and had three litters of puppies so many blood lines were passed on by one crew.
Very cool. But sad thing is there are MANY fake paint jobs on tese jackets. Worse than a minefield...
Dang, those jackets are incredible. I love the ones with the art work. Can't wait to see them. Great video.
Those are such cool, typical American flying jackets. I see now why my late mother went out with a US airman during the war! They had style! uk
@@sbishop6450 😅👍🏻
Eric do you have anyi jackets from the bloody 100th
I have a dad and two uncles who served with the air corp in ww2. Very interesting video!
JD do you know who JD Sumner was? He was a very exceptional man.
He was an amazing man.
Kind of surprised you did not mention the Disney patches from the war.
That's really cool!
My old man buys, restores and resells these. His collection is crazy
Great video, amazing collection
Hi JD great video thanks
I have a cool A2 story for ya. Back in high school one of my teachers who I spent alot of time with was a tail gunner on the William Dashells crew in the 303rd BG. George Morrison was the "inhouse suspension" teacher and like I said I spent a good bit of time there being a troubled kid. One day in class I see this kid next to me with a photo of George and his crew in front of a B-17 and he was attempting to draw the art work on Georges A2 jacket from the photo. Instead of telling the kid what the artwork actually was I drew it and presented it to George. He said "Yes thats exactly it now draw a triangle C with 500lbers leaning on it" taking the photo from the kid and handing it to me. Long story short is George had me draw all the artwork and he then had it transfered to his replacement A2. I was friends with George until he passed away in 97 his grandson inheriting the jacket with my artwork on it. I have since done up another A2 for myself with the same artwork.
Really interesting episode guys
In 1987 a great USAF Colonel and Fighter Pilot visited the USAF Museum in Dayton and loved the display of WWII A-2s. They sold reproductions in their gift shop and he bought one, had a name tag made, and got someone to sew on the appropriate patches. He displayed it to the Commander of 9th Air Force - another great Fighter Pilot and MiG Killer - and got permission for his staff to wear them as 'an experiment.' Aviators loved them. So this got kicked up to the Pentagon where the powers-that-be did the right thing for the wrong reason, as usual. They approved limited issue of the jacket 'To increase aircrew retention' - really? The first joke was Delta is matching the Air Force and issuing leather jackets too! All they had to do was call it a return to our history - which it was. And, of course, they limited issue to 'current aircrew' only. At the time, I could (and did) point out that at least one holder of the Air Force Cross and one ACE were not eligible for the jacket as they were in staff jobs (as was I) and this omission was insulting. I suggested that aviators no longer in the cockpit be, at least, allowed to purchase their own and wear them. Disapproved! A few months later I saw an Airman 1st Class (Tanker Boom Operator) wearing an A-2. That was the last straw. I went and bought my own and started wearing it and dared anyone to say anything about it!! A few months after that, the USAF reneged and issued the jackets to all aviators - as they should have to begin with! Now, I'm certain they are not an issue item. The new 'Flight Jacket' I see the jocks sporting is something akin to a sweater jacket. As a retired General and another great Fighter Pilot said 'That's the Gayest damn thing I ever saw! Nobody is ever gonna get laid wearing that thing!' It ain't my Air Force anymore.
JD, you should make a trip out to Tucson and the Pima Air and Space museum. One of the exhibits is an entire building for the 390th Bombardment Group. The have a restored B-17 inside and at least 100 original A2 jackets on display. Every Thursday they have actual bomber crew veterans from WW2 come and answer questions.
See .... Again awesome background music! ❤
Glad you like it!
These A2 jackets are simply amazing! I look forward to seeing these in person at the Gettysburg Museum of History. The greatest collection of these that I have seen thus far was at the National Museum of the U. S. Air Force in Riverside, Ohio.
They had to be bad ass to where them jackets awesome videos
Great bomber jackets. From WW2 Thank you Erik and JD. 💯👊👍💕
I enjoy seeing these artifacts. They are such a special part of history. Thanks much.
I picked up a plain A2 jacket at Goodwill, but I'm pretty sure it's post WWII. I love looking at all the different decorations. It would be neat to find the matching nose art.
I'm so happy that Ed visited you guys at the GMOH recently and that he remembers the Butcher Boys. I'm totally amazed at the artwork on all of these jackets!! OMG, I hope that Ed feels better soon so that he can return to the GMOH and the GMOH annex for the grand opening of the GMOH annex when it's finished!! Eric and JD, keep up the good work on everything you guys do for the GMOH and its annex!! I really and truly loved this video for sure!! Thanks for everything that you guys do to keep history alive, keep the GMOH running, and I hope that the GMOH annex is almost done so that it can have its grand opening soon!!!! I so love this channel because it's the best history channel ever - especially when you guys do your videos at the GMOH and the GMOH annex or on location across the world (loved the Rte. 66 series!!)!!
Thank you !!!
Great video , iconic jackets iconic style from WW2
Very cool!
I like the A2 jackets, wear a new one in winter.
Towing a target 20' from the aircraft is THE definition of "danger close"!!
@@Stoney_AKA_James crazy.
These jackets are awesome!! Really liked hearing the stories with them also
These jackets are very cool!
I loved the enthusiasm from Erik in these Artifact Episodes! It's contagious, almost like walking into a candy store and being introduced to the newest item.
The sub-title person needs to do their job or be replaced
@@earlshaner4441 - That would be the auto captions from TH-cam. 🙂
@@TheHistoryUnderground well they failed at their job brother
Speaking of hauling targets and getting shot at theres a thing in the military called nic at night i dont know what it was called before but its where enlisted trainese literally dodge bullets from machineguns firing over their heads crawling under barbed wire in the mud and jumping and running along boards and back to crawling under barbed wire in the mud.
I still think to this day, the A-2 jacket is one of the best looking jackets ever produced. Timeless, classic and cool.
The post WWII hot rodders (most of them being Vets) brought their A-2 jackets to the Salt Flats to race in