December 7th Militaria and Aviation Auction
Lot 304:
Description
Army Air Forces A-2 Leather Flight Jacket of highly decorated combat veteran Captain Harold George DeKay of the 5th Air Force, with service confirmed in the 345th Bomb Group flying B-25 Mitchell bombers. This archive is unique for its direct provenance, linking the jacket and patches to multiple contemporary newspaper clippings detailing DeKay s combat service and awards.
The core of the ensemble is an original TYPE A-2 Leather Flight Jacket, constructed by the highly regarded J.A. ZUBOW MFG. CO. of Chicago, IL, as confirmed by the clear collar specification tag. The leather exhibits a deep, rich brown patina and wear consistent with service in the Southwest Pacific Theater. The jacket is heavily personalized, featuring a leather name tag hand-stamped H. G. DEKAY above a faded Pilot Wing decal or painted insignia. The lower pocket is adorned with a large, beautifully embroidered -Black Panther- Squadron Patch on a blue field with a yellow crescent moon. This patch is the insignia for the 501st Bomb Squadron, a unit within the 345th Bomb Group The Air Apaches. The left shoulder is affixed with the distinctive 5th Air Force Patch, an organization that led the air campaign in the Southwest Pacific.
The unparalleled provenance is provided by the accompanying archive of original newspaper clippings dating from 1944. These clippings confirm key details: Captain DeKay is identified as a navigator for the 5th Air Force stationed in New Guinea, part of a mission where his pilot, Jack Manders, drove his crippled bomber into a Japanese warship, an incident that ties directly to the 345th BG s low-level -skip bombing- tactics. Clippings explicitly state Capt. Harold G. DeKay will receive the Air Medal with bronze cluster, and mentions his wedding and rank advancement. The articles link him directly to the -Blue Panthers- of the 5th Air Force, tying the narrative directly to the rare 501st Bomb Squadron patch on the jacket.
This complete, named, and fully documented A-2 groupingÑlinking the pilot s uniform, combat unit patches, and his detailed wartime history via contemporaneous newspaper articlesÑis a pinnacle piece for the advanced collector of WWII aviation history.
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