Hi all,
Some time ago I posted about an original Star Sportswear A2 I was lucky enough to find on eBay. It's in absolutely beautiful, strong condition for its age and fits me perfectly.
The original listing mentioned the name tag 'R. H. Porter' when in actuality, while difficult to read, it's 'F. H. Porter'. I've trolled through the enlistment records of all 828 personnel with a second name Porter and have managed to identify the jackets original owner - Fred Handley Porter was born in West Virginia in 1918, enlisted with the Army Air Corps as an aviation cadet on 25th April 1941, became a fighter pilot in Panama with the 6th AF on P39D's with 15th Fighter Squadron, 53d Fighter Group at La Chorrera Army Field, later moving back to the states as an instructor on Mustangs and Thunderbolts. There's 2 records of incidents which I'm trying to obtain; one on 30th May 1942 when he bailed out of an Airacobra after 'structural failure' and one on 08th August 1944 when he nosed over in an AT-6F at Greenville AFB.
I've located his family tree on Ancestry and found his second cousin (only living relative) who's pleased as punch Freds A2 is still clocking up flying time; just last weekend it received another 30 minutes Stearman time!! Fred sadly died age 51 on 30th Jan 1969 without kids.
I'm trying hard to find any photographs of Fred but it's tough - does anyone have a group photo of either the flight instructors at Dale Mabry AFB where he was based for a while late war or either 15th fighter/pursuit squadron or 53d group??
Or alternatively any further leads you may have in being able to trace a photo of Fred down?
Thanks again all!
Tom
Some time ago I posted about an original Star Sportswear A2 I was lucky enough to find on eBay. It's in absolutely beautiful, strong condition for its age and fits me perfectly.
The original listing mentioned the name tag 'R. H. Porter' when in actuality, while difficult to read, it's 'F. H. Porter'. I've trolled through the enlistment records of all 828 personnel with a second name Porter and have managed to identify the jackets original owner - Fred Handley Porter was born in West Virginia in 1918, enlisted with the Army Air Corps as an aviation cadet on 25th April 1941, became a fighter pilot in Panama with the 6th AF on P39D's with 15th Fighter Squadron, 53d Fighter Group at La Chorrera Army Field, later moving back to the states as an instructor on Mustangs and Thunderbolts. There's 2 records of incidents which I'm trying to obtain; one on 30th May 1942 when he bailed out of an Airacobra after 'structural failure' and one on 08th August 1944 when he nosed over in an AT-6F at Greenville AFB.
I've located his family tree on Ancestry and found his second cousin (only living relative) who's pleased as punch Freds A2 is still clocking up flying time; just last weekend it received another 30 minutes Stearman time!! Fred sadly died age 51 on 30th Jan 1969 without kids.
I'm trying hard to find any photographs of Fred but it's tough - does anyone have a group photo of either the flight instructors at Dale Mabry AFB where he was based for a while late war or either 15th fighter/pursuit squadron or 53d group??
Or alternatively any further leads you may have in being able to trace a photo of Fred down?
Thanks again all!
Tom
