Item Description
Original Items: Only One Set Available. Lieutenant Jack J. Linard of Buffalo, New York earned his pilot wings in January 1944 and was sent to Italy as a Co-Pilot on a B-24 Liberator Heavy Bomber as a member of the 15th Air Force, 460th Bomb Group, 761st Bombardment Squadron. While in Italy he flew an astounding 29 missions. His first was on October 10th, 1944 over Vienna, Austria and his last was on April 25th, 1945 over Linz, Austria. He flew missions over Italy, Yugoslavia, German Austria and Czechoslovakia. In service he earned an Air Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters and a Purple heart.
Activated as the 761st Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) in mid-1943; assigned to II Bomber Command for training with B-24 Liberators. Primarily trained in New Mexico and Utah. Received deployment orders for the Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO) in August 1943. Moved to Georgia and Virginia where the squadron flew coastal patrol missions over the Southeast, October 1943-January 1944 while station in Italy was being constructed.
Deployed to Southern Italy in January 1944; entered combat in January 1944, being assigned to Fifteenth Air Force 55th Bombardment Wing. Engaged in very long range strategic bombing missions to enemy military, industrial and transportation targets in Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania, and Yugoslavia, bombing railroad marshaling yards, oil refineries, airdrome installations, heavy industry, and other strategic objectives. The squadron flew its last World War II combat mission on 26 April 1945.
Included in the incredible grouping are the following:
Class A service tunic with 15th Air Force shoulder patch, lieutenants bars, collar wings, collar U.S. tabs. The tunic is named to Linnard on the inner pocket in ink.
Original fine incredibly rare Italian made leather patch of the 460th Black Panther smoking a cigar with a bottle of wine, he is wearing medal ribbons underneath him reads 460th BG 761 BSQ.
Original fine rare leather patch of the 460th Black Panther with claw raised.
Original Post card of 460th Black Panther smoking a cigar with a bottle of wine with caption that reads The Black Panther at Home 406th BOMB GROUP (H)
Original period photo of Linnard and his crew standing in front of a B-24.
Original newspaper clipping from the BUFFALO EVENING NEWS from Tuesday, January 11, 1944. Article is titled ARMY GIVES TEN BUFFALO AREA FLIERS THIER WINGS. Kind is pictured and mentioned.
Original 761st Bombardment Squadron (H) operations list with Awards. Stamped by Russel G. Anderson, Captain, Air Corps, Operations Officer. This document outlines every mission Linnard flew in WWII.
The 460th Bomb Group, was stationed in Spinazzola, Italy from January 1944, to June of '45. Flew the B-24 Liberator throughout its career in WWII Europe. This bomb group was a highly decorated group, and was involved in the many "hard targets" during the war and lead a lot of those missions. This grouping is from one of its most successful and well decorated pilots. Amazing!
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