How about a story?
Burt was at the air show late in the day and had been over looking at our display. He came over and was talking to our buddy Dan(ball turret gunner). When I overheard he was on a B-24 crew he told us he was also a ball turret gunner flying 30 missions in the 732nd sqdn. His daughter had brought him and he was quite a talker. We were talking more to Deb when I overheard him mentioned to Dan that he had been a professional painter and painted during the war. He said he painted his and also the jackets for the rest of his crew one of which is in the EAA museum at Oshkosh! I was delighted to finally meet a guy who had painted jackets and was still sharp enough to talk about it. He told me he used "just some enamel paints he found" and got $8 per jacket! I asked how long he took for each jacket and just got the, "Oh, it depended....... I did stay up 'til midnight the day before I was shipped home to finish some major's jacket."
Burt said he had his out in the car but it was pretty beat up. I asked him to bring it in, then realizing it was a long walk in 95+ degree heat for an 89 year old. I asked, deadpanned, "Why didn't you just wear it in?" We all laughed a bit and chatted a bit about gear. He went to sign a vet panel for our wing as his daughter came over to the display asking how to best repair the jacket(which she had applied saddle soap to - argh!!). Linda jumped in bragging about some of my repairs/creations. Deb gave me her email address and I offered to give her any advice I could.
Thinking they were gone, 15 minutes later, in walked the 89 yr old with a sqdn history book and a vividly painted A-2! Apparently he enjoyed my interest in his jacket! Here are pics. The Bronco is all but falling apart but the paint is well worth saving. He showed us Chuck Yeager's autograph, who had flown cover for them, and a pic of Jimmie Stewart. I recommended to the daughter some tips to stop the damage rather than ever hope for a wearable jacket. I'll keep in contact with her. I did make him promise to come back to a monthly meeting and give us a lecture.
Dave
Darn it. Out of focus!
Burt was at the air show late in the day and had been over looking at our display. He came over and was talking to our buddy Dan(ball turret gunner). When I overheard he was on a B-24 crew he told us he was also a ball turret gunner flying 30 missions in the 732nd sqdn. His daughter had brought him and he was quite a talker. We were talking more to Deb when I overheard him mentioned to Dan that he had been a professional painter and painted during the war. He said he painted his and also the jackets for the rest of his crew one of which is in the EAA museum at Oshkosh! I was delighted to finally meet a guy who had painted jackets and was still sharp enough to talk about it. He told me he used "just some enamel paints he found" and got $8 per jacket! I asked how long he took for each jacket and just got the, "Oh, it depended....... I did stay up 'til midnight the day before I was shipped home to finish some major's jacket."
Burt said he had his out in the car but it was pretty beat up. I asked him to bring it in, then realizing it was a long walk in 95+ degree heat for an 89 year old. I asked, deadpanned, "Why didn't you just wear it in?" We all laughed a bit and chatted a bit about gear. He went to sign a vet panel for our wing as his daughter came over to the display asking how to best repair the jacket(which she had applied saddle soap to - argh!!). Linda jumped in bragging about some of my repairs/creations. Deb gave me her email address and I offered to give her any advice I could.
Thinking they were gone, 15 minutes later, in walked the 89 yr old with a sqdn history book and a vividly painted A-2! Apparently he enjoyed my interest in his jacket! Here are pics. The Bronco is all but falling apart but the paint is well worth saving. He showed us Chuck Yeager's autograph, who had flown cover for them, and a pic of Jimmie Stewart. I recommended to the daughter some tips to stop the damage rather than ever hope for a wearable jacket. I'll keep in contact with her. I did make him promise to come back to a monthly meeting and give us a lecture.
Dave
