Item Description
Painted WWII American A-2 Flight Jackets have realized unprecedented prices in the past year. For example jackets at Rock Island Auctions sold in 2022 for $32,000+ and $23,000+ respectively they can be found at this link and this link. When comparing the Rock Island Auction jackets with the one offered here, one can easily see that our offering is exceptional in comparison and quite a bit more affordable!
Original Item: One-of-a-Kind. This is an incredible A-2 flying jacket with exceptional hand painted art, embroidered patches, exceptional provenance, period photos, and even has a Hollywood connection! Certainly one of the best, if not the very best, A-2 jacket we have ever had the honor of offering.
This is an absolutely stunning World War Two American painted A-2 flight jacket that belonged to Staff Sergeant John J. Sladek, a member of the legendary 535th Bomb Squadron of the 381st Bomb Group, 8th Air Force. During World War II, the 535th Bombardment Squadron engaged in combat in the European Theater of Operations. The 381st Bomb Group operated chiefly against strategic objectives, and received two distinctive Unit Citations for actions over Germany in 1943 and 1944. It also assisted with the airborne assault on Holland and attacked airfields during the battle of the bulge. The 535th Bomber Squadron, (Heavy) engaged in very long range bombardment of enemy military, industrial and transportation targets over NSDAP Germany.
Incredibly this jacket comes with multiple original photos that include a photo of S/Sgt Sladek wearing this very jacket while leaning against the prop of this plane during World War Two. Other photos include Sladek being presented with a purple heart by an officer, his crew posed in front the the B-17 STAGE DOOR CANTEEN and others.
Also included is a hand written letter from Sladek which is undated but based on his comment in the letter (51 years ago) dates from 1995 or 1996. It explains a few of the included photos and reads in part:
Hi Gary, Here are a few picture you may be able to use and make dupes of....One picture shows the 381st Box Group right after "Bombs Away" The Triangle 'L' was the Group insignia. 3 pics of different B-17 names. One of jacket being word but unfinished. An crew picture I am in front row 2nd from right (light jacket) (51 years ago). Good Luck. Regards, John Sladek
The A-2 jacket is in jaw dropping, and service worn condition with fantastic embroidered and hand painted insignia. The front left chest features a large “running red devil” carrying a bomb 535th Bomb Squadron insignia embroidered patch, the right chest bears the slogan of 381st Bomb Group Triumphant We Fly embroidered patch with “Johnny” painted in cusive above it.
But the real show stopper is the reverse of the jacket which features a mulit-colored hand painted B-17 surrounded in flak bursts with “STAGE DOOR CANTEEN” painted above it. The Stage Door Canteen was an actual restaurant and entertainment venue for America Soldiers. It was so successful and popular that a Hollywood film was made about it in 1943, and this bomber was named after it. For more information please see this website: History of the Stage Door Canteen. Below the bomber are 35 bombs, indicating how many combat missions he flew on.
As part of the promotional tour for the film on April 1944, this B-17G bomber 42-31990 of 535th Bomb Squadron, 381st Bomb Group, 8th Air Force, USAAF, was christened “Stage Door Canteen” by Mary Churchill (daughter of the British Prime Minister), Vivien Leigh and Lawrence Olivier! Copies of photos from that day along with captions are included with this set.
The bomber went on to have 76 consecutive non-abortive combat missions and completed 105 missions by the end of World War 2. In addition, it was the first ship in ETO to use parachutes for brakes after its hydraulic system had been shot out on a mission.
Jacket is in size US 38 and has retained all original components including original knit waist band and sleeve cuffs. Also original is the TALON brand zipper which is still functional. As stated, the jacket saw extensive service and the condition reflects that. There is tearing scattered throughout the exterior leather, especially at the shoulders, but is displays beautifully.
The interior lining does have tearing and stitching loss present, so do handle it with care. The top rear back portion of the liner still retains the original tag which reads as:
TYPE A2
DWG No. 30-1415
ORDER NO. W33-038 A.C.-1755(11631)
PROPERTY
AIR FORCE U.S. ARMY
J.A. DUBOW MFG. CO.
38
Also included with the jacket are a following items:
- Small section of Sladek's ball turret that was hit by shrapnel. His turret was struck during a raid over Munster, Germany on October 29, 1944.
- Piece of shrapnel that hit Sladek's ball turret. Interestingly this piece of shrapnel has a hole drilled through it indicating it was worn around his neck as a good luck charm. Carrying small pieces of shrapnel was common for crewmen who's plane got hit in combat.
- Sladek's Ball turret data plate from his ball turret. Its marked GUN TURRET LOWER BALL by the EMERSON ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY with serial #E 452
- Embroidered cloth and sterling silver aerial gunner wings
- Medal ribbon bar that features the Air Medal (4 Clusters), Purple Heart (One Cluster) and EAME with two bronze stars.
- Research and provenance binder with original and copied photos, hand written correspondence, period publications and much more!
This is an incredible A-2 flying jacket with exceptional hand painted art, embroidered patches, exceptional provenance and even has a Hollywood connection! Certainly one of the best, if not the very best A-2 we have ever had the honor of offering.
Approx. Measurements:
Jacket Size: 38
535th Bombardment Squadron
The squadron was first activated on 3 November 1942 at Gowen Field, Idaho as one of the four original squadrons of the 381st Bombardment Group. It gathered its initial cadre at Gowen, but only began training for combat with the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress after moving to Pyote Army Air Field, Texas at the end of the year. On 8 May 1943, the ground echelon began moving to the port of embarkation at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, and boarded the RMS Queen Elizabeth for the European Theater of Operations on 27 May. The air echelon marshalled at Salinas Army Air Field, Kansas and began movement by the North Atlantic Ferry Route on 15 May.
Combat in the European Theater
The air echelon of the squadron arrived at RAF Bovingdon in late May 1943. The following month, the squadron was reunited at RAF Ridgewell, which was to be its combat station for the rest of the war. The squadron entered the strategic bombing campaign against Germany, when it flew its first mission on 21 June, a diversionary attack against Antwerp. Its targets in France included an aircraft assembly plant near Villacoublay, and an engine plant at Le Mans, locks at Saint-Nazaire, and Amiens – Glisy Aerodrome. It also attacked an aircraft plant in Brussels, Belgium. During Blitz Week, it bombed nitrate factories in Heroya, Norway, stopping production for over three months.
The squadron also flew deeper penetration missions into Germany. It hit oil refineries at Gelsenkirchen, submarine pens at Kiel, aircraft plants at Kassel and Leipzig, industrial targets in Münster, marshaling yards at Offenberg, and the ball bearing plants at Schweinfurt. On 8 October 1943, despite heavy enemy interceptor opposition, it accurately struck shipyards at Bremen, for which it was awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC). All squadron bombers that returned from this mission[note 2] received battle damage. It received a second DUC for attacks on aircraft plants in Germany on 11 January 1944. In late February 1944, the unit participated in Big Week, the intensive attacks on the German aircraft industry.
The squadron was occasionally taken off strategic operations to perform air support and interdiction missions. It bombed bridges and airfields near the beachhead to support Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy, in June 1944. The following month, it attacked positions of enemy forces opposing Operation Cobra, the breakout at Saint Lo. It supported Operation Market Garden, the airborne attacks in the Netherlands near Arnhem, in the fall. From December 1944, through January 1945, it attacked lines of communications and airfields near the battle zone during the Battle of the Bulge. It also supported the Allied crossing of the Rhine and push through central Germany in March 1945.
Return to the United States and inactivation
The squadron flew its last mission on 26 April 1945 and the majority of the unit's aircraft departed the theater on 24 May 1945. Ground personnel sailed on the RMS Queen Elizabeth on 24 June, arriving in the US by the end of the month. The squadron was located at Sioux Falls Army Air Field, South Dakota a few days later and was inactivated on 24 August 1945.
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