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Original Dubow - help required!

johnwayne

Well-Known Member
I've owned my original Dubow for some years now but never really tried to trace its provenance! It retains its original lining in which is stamped the name Frank L Scott and the number 0.900302 and to date I've not been able to trace the name and wondered if anyone can suggest the best site to try? With internet searching from this side of the pond seemingly as easy as if I was Stateside I've only once found the name but didn't note it and now can't find again. My searches regularly showing Robert Scott the famed 23rd FG Flying Tigers pilot, pity it's not him!! Appreciate in advance any suggestions please?
 

unclegrumpy

Well-Known Member
One of the problems is Frank L Scott is a common name. I did a quick look, and found a number of possibilities. Luckily, you have his service number, so you can get the correct guy.

Silver Surfer is correct...your next step is the National Archives.

However, in this case, I would not contact them....but instead use a researcher that goes there instead. The problem is the National Archives had a fire in 1973 that burned 80% of the Army files, and the "S" names are in a range that were almost totally destroyed. They have ways of piecing some information together, but most of it is worthless. The issue is NARA charges by the number of pages, and you can pay $75 for a "file" of basically nothing, because they copy everything.

A researcher on the other hand will know what you are looking for. In this case the guy's years of service, his units, and what awards he might have gotten. Below is a link to a researcher that I have used. There are others, but she is very good...and fair with her pricing. I would guess depending on what she finds and how long it takes this still could be in the $25 to $50 range. She scans the documents, so you would not be adding postage to that.

https://www.redbirdresearch.com
 

johnwayne

Well-Known Member
Cheers Guys, thank you and an initial glance has shown several names but just one apparently in the Army Air Corps! The number showing being quite different to that I quoted showing in the jacket!! Bit more investigation needed. I did buy the Dubow A2 from a member here (Roughwear) who's been keeping a low profile of late but maybe I need to track him down as he's very into his collection and provenance sourcing!!!
 

oose

Active Member
There was also Captain Frank L. Scott, thaken from the The Michigan Alumnus, Volume 50

Screenshot 2019-01-03 at 23.35.53 copy.jpg
 

unclegrumpy

Well-Known Member
Geoff at Golden Arrow Research may also be able to help: https://www.goldenarrowresearch.com/

Golden Arrow and Redbird are both very good choices...I have experience with both.

As I mentioned before, there are a number of guys...all officers...with this exact same name. To get the correct person, you need to mate the name up to the service number...which if you did not have, you would never be able to get the right individual....but luckily you have the number.

As far as the WW II LTC....I doubt it is him, because he would have had a low pre war service number. The number you have is fairly high...these don't track by date, but this is a later war number. One thing to consider, is most of these guys did not get their Officer numbers until they became pilots, navigators or bombardiers...and many had over a year in before they actually became officers.

Silver Surfer had the right answer...NARA is where to start....but using a researcher will be cheaper and they have the experience to look deeper than the NARA people that do the copies will. They just copy...they don't think.
 

johnwayne

Well-Known Member
I wasn't even sure if the number was a service number! It's a Dubow 27798 which puts it at 1942 and the name is neatly stamped on the inner right front panel - the jacket was also patched at some point in its life and with a name tag plus, has had epaulet rank insignia. On close inspection its looks like it's had the AAF decal removed although I'm not certain of that and wonder why anyone would need to, except maybe once it hit civi street!! The left breast patch might determine something as I've noticed it was approx 2.5 square with a separately stitched arc/h above - I'm just about to get out my various book to search for said poss patch but thank once again guys for your input. Regards to all.
 

foster

Well-Known Member
It retains its original lining in which is stamped the name Frank L Scott and the number 0.900302
Officers had a different series of numbers, beginning with O for Officer. Officer numbers are not found on the NARA database for enlistments, because they are not enlisted. The usual format for his number would be either O-900302 or O900302.
 

unclegrumpy

Well-Known Member
I wasn't even sure if the number was a service number! It's a Dubow 27798 which puts it at 1942 and the name is neatly stamped on the inner right front panel - the jacket was also patched at some point in its life and with a name tag plus, has had epaulet rank insignia. On close inspection its looks like it's had the AAF decal removed although I'm not certain of that and wonder why anyone would need to, except maybe once it hit civi street!! The left breast patch might determine something as I've noticed it was approx 2.5 square with a separately stitched arc/h above - I'm just about to get out my various book to search for said poss patch but thank once again guys for your input. Regards to all.

You are adding too many elements to this...what was once on the jacket versus who owned it....two separate journeys...that may or may not meet. Jackets got reissued...the owners switched units...or were later in the hands of collectors that added to them or took things away.

The number in your jacket is as Foster just said, is a WW II Officers service number. Below is an example of another Frank L Scott with a very similar number:

SCOTT, FRANK LESTER O-909611

Your best clue to the jacket's owner is the 0.900302 number. That number will match up to somebody, and you can research that person from there. Without seeing photos of the naming and number, I am working in the dark. I say that because it is not uncommon to see more than one name or number in things. That means there is a possibility that Frank L Scott and 0.900302 are not the same guy. Likely they are, but you have to check that.

Sometimes you get lucky with internet searches and can confirm or find names to match service numbers. But with common names that is really hard...as exampled above....because once you start digging around, you can't tell which of the multiple individuals is your guy....in this case, I see at least 10 different individuals that are possibilities....and that is out of maybe 30 more with the same name.

The only way to make headway on this is to tap into the NARA computer...which you cannot do without either paying their Staff or having a researcher make the request for you.
 
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