Object Record
Images
Metadata
Catalog Number |
2018.89.1 |
Object Name |
Jacket |
Collection |
HISTORY |
Year Range from |
1943 |
Year Range to |
1946 |
Description |
A tan jacket from the 15th Air Force, part of the United States Army, in World War Two. The jacket has two pockets on the front chest of the jacket. Both pockets have a flap which can be bottoned to over the opening. On both arms of the sleeves is the rank insignia which indicates the wearer was a Sergeant First Class or enlisted rank 7. There is a circular insignia on the left shoulder which has a white star with red dot in the middle of it, coming from both right and left of the star are golden wings that stretch upward. The star and wings are infront of a blue background and a gold border surrounds all of it. This patch represents the 15th Air Force. There is a patch above the right breast pocket that depicts an eagle inside of a ring. Both the eagle and ring are gold and the patch itself is diamond in shape. The owner of the jacket was Lyle Hayes. He was a radio operator in a B24 and flew his 26 missions with the 454 Bombardment Group. The eagle patch was known as the "Ruptured Eagle". The purpose of the patch was to permit Honorably Discharged military personnel to wear their uniform for a period of time after they left military service due to their inability to afford civilian clothes, while at the same time identify themselves as no longer active duty personnel. The patch was also intended to replace and supersede all previous Honorable Discharge devices. The Army Air Force was established in 1941 and ended in 1947. The 15th Air Force was established in 1943, was disbanded in 1945 but then reenlisted in 1946 and lasted until 2012. |
People |
Hayes, Lyle |
Search Terms |
Military Army Air Force United States Army Air Force veteran |
Subjects |
War World War II Armies Air forces United States Army Air Force |
Height (in) |
31.500 |
Width (in) |
17.500 |