Original U.S. WWII 31st Bomb Squadron Painted A2 Flight Jacket of Staff Sergeant Morris M. Goldberg, Recipient of Air Medal with 5 OLCs
In stock
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Original Item. One-of-a-Kind. This is the great combat-worn & painted A-2 Flight Jacket of Staff Sergeant Morris M. Goldberg, 31st Bombardment Squadron, serving in the Pacific Theater of Operations. He was awarded the Air Medal with Five Oak Leaf Clusters according to his WWII Jewish Serviceman card. The jacket is painted to the front left breast with the insignia of the 31st Bombardment Squadron, a black triangle with a white border containing a Skull and Crossbones wearing a pair of angel wings, with 31st above it and KIAI O KALEWA on the scroll along the bottom, although it is now impossible to read. There is another scroll above the insignia that likely had Goldberg’s name or nickname, but it is now too worn to read.
There is no other painted insignia anywhere on the jacket. There is moderate wear across the leather, and the knit cuffs are now heavily frayed with some material loss. The knit waist has fared better but still has some minor fraying and nicks. The exterior leather around the shoulders is tearing a bit as shown. The pocket snaps work well and the TALON zipper is retained with some loss of stitching and heavy wear. We would not recommend using the zipper.
The interior is named in several places, both inscribed and stenciled, with M.M. GOLDBERG and his serial number, 11081734. The interior retains the original data tag:
TYPE A-2
DRAWING NO. 30-1415
A.C. NO. 42-18776-P
PROPERTY
AIR FORCE U.S. ARMY
I. SPIEWAK & SONS
NORTH BERGEN, N.J.
42
The interior lining has some holes and tearing as shown but it is certainly the original lining worn in combat. The leather hanging loop is retained though the lining around it is a bit torn. We were unable to find a lot of information about Goldberg, but we did find that he was born around 1921 in Massachusetts and enlisted on January 16th, 1943. He served in the Pacific Theater of Operations with the 31st Bombardment Squadron and received the Air Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters.
The combination of the painted 31st Bombardment Squadron insignia, repeated M.M. GOLDBERG identification, matching serial number 11081734, original 1942 I. Spiewak & Sons contract label, Air Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters attribution, and extensive genuine wear makes this a particularly significant surviving combat flight jacket. The damaged knits, weakened lining, worn paint, and distressed leather are all integral parts of its wartime history and preserve the character of a jacket that was clearly worn rather than retained as an unused souvenir.
Approximate Measurements:
Collar to shoulder: 11"
Shoulder to sleeve: 24.5"
Shoulder to shoulder: 19"
Chest width: 20"
Waist: 20"
Hip: 20"
Front length: 28"
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