Item:
ONJR21141

Original U.S. Sole Survivor of Rescue Boat Crash USAAF Mae West B-5 Aviator Pneumatic Life Vest by General Tire & Rubber Company

Item Description

Original Item: Only One Available. Beautifully hand-painted on the upper portion of this vest by the veteran:
Upper Right Side:
A.N. DUFFIELD  CPL
P.695
Upper Left Side:
SUNK 7mi EAST OF
MITO, JAPAN
JUNE 9, 1949
 
On June 9, 1949, 7 U.S. Airmen and 1 Japanese male who was the pilot of the boat, were six miles off the coast of Sendai, north of Tokyo, when their 63-foot rescue boat caught fire. The flames cut off access to the emergency equipment onboard and the whole crew had to abandon ship in rough waters. Corporal Albert Duffield managed to swim the six miles back to shore. Only four bodies were recovered, leaving the other Airman and the pilot missing at sea and ultimately presumed dead, leaving Cpl. Duffield the only survivor of his crew. During WWII Duffield served two tours of duty in the Pacific Theatre of Operation, once with the United States Coast Guard aboard the USS Cambria and then with the United States Army. During World War II the U.S. aviators and the Royal Air Force servicemen had available to them a vital piece of American-made equipment for emergencies that had only been in use for a few years: an inflatable (Mae West) life preserver. There were several different versions, and the most common seen during WWII is the B-4. However at the end of the war, a new version B-5 was introduced, which then was used well into the 1950s.
 
There were a number of changes in the design, which now used a rubber inner chamber, which was zipped into a fabric outer enclosure. It also had small snap pockets for holding extra CO2 canisters.  The manual inflation valves are also now push activated, so unscrewing the valve was no longer required. This very example is complete, and the markings on the vest are mostly clear:
 
PRESERVER, PNEUMATIC LIFE VEST
TYPE B-5
MFGR’S SERIAL NO. 14735
A A F STOCK NO. 8300-667 760
ORDER. NO.  W - 33 - 038 - ac 8348
DATE OF MANUFACTURE MAY(?) 1945(?)
GENERAL TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY
PROPERTY AF, U.S. ARMY
SPECIFICATION NO. 3240
 
This example is in very nice condition, with all parts and straps intact. It does show wear, and there
are some markings on the right rubber pad but are unreadable. It is the USAAF version, in a yellow-tan color. It has all of the original tie down straps, and the original CO2 inflation valves and retainers are present.
 
Any collector out there would be honored to have this vest in their showcase.
  • This product is available for international shipping.
  • Eligible for all payments - Visa, Mastercard, Discover, AMEX, Paypal & Sezzle

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

Cash For Collectibles