USAAF in the Aleutian Islands

[tda003]

I'm posting this photo as it's an excellent sampling of jackets worn by the men stationed on a USAAF base in Alaska during WWII. Looks like examples of A-2, D-1 and B-3 jackets and B-2 caps. I think the canvas are 2 B-9's or possibly one is an M41.

 

[Grant]

Cool photo! Check out that extra large fitting B-6!

 

[tda003]

I was watching a documentary about the war in the Pacific and there was a segment on the Aleutians and the air war there. Other than pilots, almost every soldier working at an airfield was wearing a D-1 including one poor lad who took a tumble through the ice. The narrative didn't mention how warm the wet fleece kept him.

 

[Grant]

Have you ever seen John Huston's documentary REPORT FROM THE ALEUTIANS? Tons of great footage of flight kit.

 

[tda003]

Just finished watching it. Great film. Thanks for your post.

 

[jack31916]

I'm posting this photo as it's an excellent sampling of jackets worn by the men stationed on a USAAF base in Alaska during WWII. Looks like examples of A-2, D-1 and B-3 jackets and B-2 caps. I think the canvas are 2 B-9's or possibly one is an M41.View attachment 64703

The 2 guys on the left are wearing the Artic Field Jacket, a winter jacket based on the M-38 / M-41 jackets.

See link for more info: M-41 JACKET | YankReenactment (scroll down)

 

[tda003]

Thanks for updating me.

 

[ausreenactor]

Thanks for updating me.

This place is here for that very reason...

 

[Lord Flashheart]

That's a fascinating documentary. And an airfield quite against the odds that nature offered. Thanks for sharing Grant.

 

[tda003]

The entire Aleutian campaign is largely overlooked. Likely an embarrassment at the time that Japan took over US territory. Army ground troops, Canadian troops (generally conscripts, Canadian term for draftees, USAAF, Navy all took part. There was even a Marine aboard a Navy ship. Fighting not withstanding, it was a brutal campaign because of the weather, especially for the black troops, most of whom were from the South and the other southern troops.

 

[Flightengineer]

Have you ever seen John Huston's documentary REPORT FROM THE ALEUTIANS? Tons of great footage of flight kit.

Thank you, watched with great interest.
Incredible footage of takeoffs and landings with such fountains on wet RWY, I can imagine what the crews felt ...

 

[dbtk44]

Back in the 80s, I got to chatting with my dad's neighbor, pretty cool gentleman named Britton Smith. Somehow, the conversation turned to flying, and....turns out he flew P-51s in the Aleutian Islands during WW2. Asked him a bunch of questions at the time, and wish I'd tape recorded it because for some reason I'm having a hard time remembering the exact details of our conversation 34yrs ago...
Anyway, hadn't thought about Brit in a long time....but this thread jogged the memory.