bazelot
Well-Known Member
Beautiful M-422A named to Donald G. Clarke who saw action with VMF-524 in 1944 in the South pacific. His service number was 020960. By April 1945 he was overseas with "Headquarters Squadron 23, Marine Aircraft Group 23, Fourth Marine Aircraft Wing.
In July 1945 he's with "Marine Fighting Squadron-324, Marine Aircraft Group-23, 3Rd Marine Aircraft Wing, Fleet Marine Force.
He's on the reserve rolls until Oct. 1951 when he is at "Hmr-262 Airfmflant, Usmcas Cherry Point NC".
He was certified as a helicopter pilot in January 1952, and was with HMX-1, Quantico.
In July 52 he was deployed overseas with "Hmr-161 1Stmaw, C/O Fpo Sfran California" and was still with them in the October 52 muster roll.
After becoming the first helicopter squadron to deploy troops into combat, HMR-161 successfully flew from the USS Sicily (CVE-118) to test new concept of combining vertical envelopment with amphibious assault during Operation "Marlex-5" off the coast of Inchon on September 1, 1952. While not the first ever ship to shore helicopter flight with Marines aboard, that having been done by HMR-162 during Operation Lex Baker off the coast of Southern California in February, 1952, it was the first on foreign shores. During the course of the Korean War, HMR-161 flew 16,538 hours during 18,607 sorties eventually accounting for over 60,000 troop movements and moving 7.5 million pounds of cargo.[4][5] The Greyhawks then participated in the defense of the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) from July 1953 to March 1955. The Squadron then relocated that month to Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, and attached to Marine Aircraft Group 13 (MAG 13). While in Hawaii, HMR-161 was redesignated on December 31, 1956 as Marine Helicopter Transport Squadron (Light) 161 (HMR(L)-161), MAG 13, 1st MAW. In May 1960, the Squadron received the new Sikorsky H-34 Seahorse.
By Jan. 1953 he was a major and with "Hqsq-12 Mag-12 1Stmaw Fmf, Korea." He was still with that unit in April 53.
By Oct. 53 he was back stateside as Executive Officer with "Hmr-261 Mag(Hr)-26 2Dmaw Afmfl Mcas, Cherry Point NC".
I love the history on this one. I had the fur collar and the cuffs replaced on the jacket. Once again my seamstress did a stellar job and she even fixed the lining at the collar (the lining at the bottom is a different color from the rest but is original to the jacket and was made liker that. I knew that W&G had mismatched leather but I did not know they also used mismatched material for the lining). I am usually against fixing named jackets but the collar was just falling apart and the knits were just shreds so this one really needed it and i can't complain about the rest.
There is also a nice USNR stamped on the back on the jacket.
In July 1945 he's with "Marine Fighting Squadron-324, Marine Aircraft Group-23, 3Rd Marine Aircraft Wing, Fleet Marine Force.
He's on the reserve rolls until Oct. 1951 when he is at "Hmr-262 Airfmflant, Usmcas Cherry Point NC".
He was certified as a helicopter pilot in January 1952, and was with HMX-1, Quantico.
In July 52 he was deployed overseas with "Hmr-161 1Stmaw, C/O Fpo Sfran California" and was still with them in the October 52 muster roll.
After becoming the first helicopter squadron to deploy troops into combat, HMR-161 successfully flew from the USS Sicily (CVE-118) to test new concept of combining vertical envelopment with amphibious assault during Operation "Marlex-5" off the coast of Inchon on September 1, 1952. While not the first ever ship to shore helicopter flight with Marines aboard, that having been done by HMR-162 during Operation Lex Baker off the coast of Southern California in February, 1952, it was the first on foreign shores. During the course of the Korean War, HMR-161 flew 16,538 hours during 18,607 sorties eventually accounting for over 60,000 troop movements and moving 7.5 million pounds of cargo.[4][5] The Greyhawks then participated in the defense of the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) from July 1953 to March 1955. The Squadron then relocated that month to Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, and attached to Marine Aircraft Group 13 (MAG 13). While in Hawaii, HMR-161 was redesignated on December 31, 1956 as Marine Helicopter Transport Squadron (Light) 161 (HMR(L)-161), MAG 13, 1st MAW. In May 1960, the Squadron received the new Sikorsky H-34 Seahorse.
By Jan. 1953 he was a major and with "Hqsq-12 Mag-12 1Stmaw Fmf, Korea." He was still with that unit in April 53.
By Oct. 53 he was back stateside as Executive Officer with "Hmr-261 Mag(Hr)-26 2Dmaw Afmfl Mcas, Cherry Point NC".
I love the history on this one. I had the fur collar and the cuffs replaced on the jacket. Once again my seamstress did a stellar job and she even fixed the lining at the collar (the lining at the bottom is a different color from the rest but is original to the jacket and was made liker that. I knew that W&G had mismatched leather but I did not know they also used mismatched material for the lining). I am usually against fixing named jackets but the collar was just falling apart and the knits were just shreds so this one really needed it and i can't complain about the rest.
There is also a nice USNR stamped on the back on the jacket.
