Original Item. One-of-a-Kind. This is the outstanding A-2 Flight Jacket of Staff Sergeant / Technical Sergeant Louis Francis Napoli (ASN 33193665), 338th Bombardment Squadron, 96th Bombardment Group, 8th Air Force, who were based at the RAF Snetterton Heath in Norfolk (aka Station 138) in South West England. Napoli served as a crew member aboard the B-17 “Mission Belle” for 10 months, between August 1944 to May 1945. During his time aboard the B-17 “Mission Belle”, Napoli flew 30 combat missions and was awarded the Air Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters.

The 338th Bombardment Squadron was one of the four squadrons that made up the 96th Bombardment Group, part of the 8th Air Force during World War II. Activated in 1942, the squadron trained on Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses in the United States before deploying to England in the spring of 1943. After arriving, they were stationed primarily at RAF Snetterton Heath in Norfolk, from where they began combat operations over Europe. As part of the 8th Air Force’s strategic bombing campaign, the 338th flew deep-penetration missions against German industry, transportation networks, oil facilities, aircraft factories, and military installations across occupied Europe. They faced fierce opposition from flak and Luftwaffe fighters, especially in the early years before long-range escort fighters were widely available. The squadron participated in major operations including the Regensburg raid on 17 August 1943—for which the 96th Bomb Group earned a Distinguished Unit Citation—and later the 9 April 1944 raid over Poland, earning a second citation. Beyond strategic bombing, they also conducted tactical missions that supported ground forces, such as striking coastal defenses and infrastructure before and after D-Day, assisting in the breakout at Saint-Lô, disrupting German supply lines during the Battle of the Bulge, and even dropping supplies to resistance fighters. After Germany’s surrender, the squadron assisted with humanitarian flights and troop transport until returning home and being inactivated in late 1945. Throughout the war, the 338th earned a reputation for its resilience, heavy losses, and significant contribution to the Allied air effort in Europe.

Napoli's A-2 flight jacket is wonderfully painted in fine detail. The front with his Squadron insignia under his nickname, “Nap”, and 338th. The reverse it is hand painted with a beautiful motif of a B-17 flying behind a European Cathedral church. Around this are thirty painted bombs, which denote the number of combat missions he flew. Napoli was awarded the Air Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters. He can be found on the American Air Museum in Britain research archive website at this link. 

The interior retains the original data tag:

TYPE A-2
DWG. NO. 301415
CONT. NO. W535-AC-23377
PERRY SPORTSWEAR INC.
NEWBURGH, N.Y.
PROPERTY
AIR FORCES, U.S. ARMY
40

Below this is the number 3665, used as a laundry number. Napoli’s serial number is 33193665. Over the hanging loop is the name NAPOLI. 

The front of the jacket bears the stylized name “Nap”, Napoli’s nickname, over the painted squadron insignia of the 338th Bombardment Squadron, which was approved on December 28th, 1942. This depicts “over and through a blue disc, border white, an orange aerial bomb dropping into the open head of a barrel proper.” Under this painted insignia is 338th. 

The back of the jacket is expertly painted in high detail with a B-17 bomber flying from behind a Church or Cathedral in Europe, with the name of this aircraft Mission Belle painted below it. Surrounding the motif are thirty (30) black bombs, which denote the number of combat missions Napoli flew on. There is expected wear to the paint as shown, and no paint on the jacket shows luminescence under UV light (blacklight) indicating that this is the original WWII paint which has not been touched post war. 

This is certainly appears to be jacket worn on many of his 30 missions. The knit cuffs & waistband are original and in good condition with minor tearing and damage. There is some tearing and material loss in the cuffs, but the waistband is in much better shape. The interior lining is also the original. The zipper is functional and the correctly marked CROWN. Attached to the zipper is a period British Air Ministry marked whistle marked on the side:

A.M.
(CROWN)
23/230

And on the other side:

293/14/
L1795

This denotes it as a British Air Ministry-issued whistle, certainly original to the jacket.

Louis Francis Napoli was born in Washington, D.C. on August 23rd, 1920. He first enlisted in the Army Air Forces on July 27th, 1942 in Fort Myer, Virginia. He was assigned to the 338th Bombardment Squadron, 96th Bombardment Group, 8th Air Force in August of 1944. During his time aboard the B-17 “Mission Belle”, Napoli flew 30 combat missions and was awarded the Air Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters. Napoli spent about 10 months overseas and returned to the U.S. in May of 1945. After the war, he worked as a Property Custodian, and passed away on October 20th, 1996 at the age of 76.

This is an outstanding painted A-2 flight jacket, ready for further research and display!