Today at the mall...

[Scuffy]

With my photo studio being in the local mall and having a glass facade I tend to look out on many odd and interesting people as the day goes by. Today was a treat though. I happened to be chatting with a customer and caught a glimpse of an A2 heading my way... The gentleman that wore it (proudly none the less!) was definitely a weathered, tried and true vet from the war. Unfortunately I didn't get to closely admire the jacket or talk with him because of the business already at hand. :cry: But from what I could tell, the jacket was original or at least many many many years old but well taken care of. There was a recent anniversary "Navy" patch about the size of a dinner plate on the back which looked a bit out of place being so new. The guy even had on a white silk scarf and the ball cap style hat with the name of the ship he was stationed on across the face but I couldn't quite read it.

Despite the lack of info I got out of the whole ordeal I'll cut to the chase. It brought chills to me to see this guy as old as he was, walking down the concourse as tall and proud as could be. Wish I could have gotten the chance to talk to him... grrrr...

So yeah, not a big news story or anything, just voicing my admiration!

 

[Baggers]

Too bad you couldn't, he might have had some interesting stories to tell.

But if he was a Navy veteran as your description of the patches suggest, that might not have been an A-2 he was wearing. As far as I know, no self-respecting Naval or Marine Aviator would be caught dead wearing an Army jacket. It might have been a G-1. Do you recall if it had a mouton fur collar? If it did, then it was probably a G-1.

Still, it sounds like it was a cool moment.

Cheers!

 

[Scuffy]

Hmmmm.... it did look look an A2 to me. That little fact just might shoot my theories all to hell! lol Then again, on a low but still admirable note it could have been just an older gent who like many here enjoy the history and are proud to wear something of the sort. It did not have the collar you speak of Baggers. Oh well.

Hey, this just gives me more of an excuse to read a few more books and brush up on my history some more. With my knowledge being a bit more limited than I'd like- I was not aware of the the Navy and the G-1 jacket. Thanks for the heads up!

That's going to bother me now. The jacket was definitely older and well worn (and still very well maintained). It just had that... patina to it. Something that would be hard to get artificially, especially the aged look of the patches. All except for that back piece. That was bright blue and silver (or very light grey) and all I caught was the word Navy on it. Could it have been a commemorative patch or something that might have been put out fairly recently??

Damn! Wish I'd been able to step aside and get to talk to him! It's not every day that you see someone in an aviator style jacket (of one type or another! ) and a white scarf walking around in my town! I'll have to keep my eyes peeled for him. Hopefully he'll be around again!!!!

 

[StraightRazor]

Shores of Lake Erie eh? Which mall are we talking about and where? (I'm from Toledo)

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

Scuffy, did it look like this?

ANJ3,.....or is it ANJ4,....er,....ANJ2? Oh, whatever! It's kind of a cross between the A2 and the G1. Like a navy G1 without the mouton collar.

 

[Scuffy]

Maj- Yep, it looked very much like that one! A bit darker brown, maybe not quite as red (from age and wear?) but that looks like it to me!

I still wonder what that large patch was on his back though. Quite large and very new compared to the rest which were worn and faded.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

This is actually a medium brown, a bit darker.

I still have not got the hang of the digital photography thing yet. The colors and exposures always come out differantly than what I would expect from a film camera. But you get the idea. This style was the military's attempt at standardizing flight jackets across the board for all branches of the service. They took features from both styles and combined the 2 together. Apparently it didn't take off. (If anyone knows more of the history here, please enlighten us)

As to the patch,.....? Anyone's guess. Could have been a specially commissioned piece. :cheers1:

 

[shoeshineboy]

TODAY AT THE BARBER SHOP....

Today was a fun day for my, my barber, my friend Bob called me a told me to come in because he had a cancellation. Instead of going in tomorrow, i could visit with him today. I use to shine shoes for Bob for 4 years and it is always a great memory.

Well the next victim,(customer) was an elderly man who was wearing a Pearl Harbor survivor hat. I saw this and as he took it off, he told me that it was real. Mr Williams, was introduced to me and I had only a few minutes to chat. However he is the last survivor that lives in the southeast missouri area. At 88 he gets around pretty good with a cane, still drives and told me he feels that he could live another 20 years....

He told me that he spent time in the Phillipines prior to Japanese occupacy, also in China and got to know some of the Flying Tigers bunch.

I spoke with a newspaper editor also today and told them of this man. She agreed that this would make a wonderful story. One in which when it happens, I will share with all of you.

Best Regards,

Mark Easter

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

Yes, definately,.....

Today was a fun day for my, my barber, my friend Bob called me a told me to come in because he had a cancellation. Instead of going in tomorrow, i could visit with him today. I use to shine shoes for Bob for 4 years and it is always a great memory.

Well the next victim,(customer) was an elderly man who was wearing a Pearl Harbor survivor hat. I saw this and as he took it off, he told me that it was real. Mr Williams, was introduced to me and I had only a few minutes to chat. However he is the last survivor that lives in the southeast missouri area. At 88 he gets around pretty good with a cane, still drives and told me he feels that he could live another 20 years....

He told me that he spent time in the Phillipines prior to Japanese occupacy, also in China and got to know some of the Flying Tigers bunch.

I spoke with a newspaper editor also today and told them of this man. She agreed that this would make a wonderful story. One in which when it happens, I will share with all of you.

Best Regards,

Mark Easter

Please do. There are not many of the old vets left now and their stories are all the more precious to us as soon they will all be gone. :cry: