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 an exceptional value!
Original Grouping. One-of-a-Kind. This is a phenomenal A2 Flight Jacket & Scrapbook grouping of Aerial Gunner Sergeant Manuel Andrade Rego of the B-24J 42-109789 / Mairzy Doats, 579th Bombardment Squadron, 392nd Bombardment Group, 8th Air Force. The grouping was purchased directly from Rego’s son. The grouping includes Rego’s A2 Flight jacket which is painted with his 30 Combat Missions & his B-24’s nose art, “Mairzy Doats”, as well as his framed medals, an extensive scrapbook with over 200 original wartime photos, multiple wartime news articles about REGO, his original DFC & Air Medal citations, and over 10 WARTIME photos of Rego wearing this exact jacket! Rego was the owner of “Sergeant Jackie”, the spaniel mascot of his B-24 who followed him to Europe and back. Rego completed 30 Combat Missions in April and May 1944.
Rego’s DFC citation reads:
“MANUEL A. REGO, 12136588, Staff Sergeant, 392nd Bombardment Group (H), AAF.
For extraordinary achievement, while serving as Waist Gunner on sustained bombardment activity over enemy occupied Continental Europe. Displaying great courage and skill, Sergeant Rego, fighting from his gun position, has warded off many enemy attacks and has materially aided in the success of each of these combat operations. The courage, coolness, and skill displayed by Sergeant Rego on all these occasions reflect the highest credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States.”
The highlight of this group is of course the fantastic A2 Jacket, which is in fantastic but worn shape overall. The grouping contains a plethora of photographs of Rego wearing this exact jacket, from the period of World War II and years directly after the war and into the 1990s. The front of the jacket bears a gorgeous sewn-on patch of the Central Flexible Gunnery School in Laredo, Texas, which features a wolf seated atop a B-24 Liberator wielding a Browning .50 Cal machine gun with his tongue sticking out. This patch was a replacement for when he served as a Gunner School Instructor in 1945 in Texas after his return from Europe. Originally his jacket patch was for the 392nd Bomb Group, which is shows in the wartime photos. Above this is Rego painted in white with a blue shadow. The right breast has a painted Swas above 30 small bombs, signifying Rego’s 30 combat missions. There is an 8th Air Force patch sewn onto the left shoulder. The back of the jacket is painted in red with a black border “Mairzy Doats”, the nickname of his B-24 Liberator. The interior of the jacket retains its original liner, with the tag below the collar reading:
TYPE A-2
DRAWING NO. 30-1415
CONTRACT NO. W535 AC18091
ROUGH WEAR CLOTHING CO.
MIDDLETOWN, PA.
36
There is some wear to the lining in spots, and some tears near and around the collar. The original collar clip is still retained. The zipper still functions well, as do the snaps of the pockets, although there is a bit of verdigris. The leather hanging loop is still intact as well.
The rest of this spectacular grouping consists of the following:
- Rego’s STUNNING Wartime scrapbook with over 200 wartime original photos, including a great photo of him being awarded his Distinguished Service Cross. The front of the scrapbook has his Aerial Gunner Wings & Collar discs affixed, with more of his insignia on the interior cover. There are six original wartime award citations, including his original DFC and five different Air Medal citations, the last of which is dated May 24th, 1944. There are a plethora of original documents, as well as a letter allowing his dog to accompany him to Europe and back. There are multiple wartime newspaper articles about him in both English and Portuguese. There are around 10 photos of Rego wearing the A2 jacket in this group, including one with the caption “Can’t See Maizry Doats” on the back, meaning it was worn, so he had the jacket touched up at the end of the war. There are several scarce original photographs of other B-24 Bomber Nose Art and their crews that Rego took, including Bronko Nagurski, Sweet Chariat, Short Snorter, Our Gal, Black Jackie (who Rego’s dog was the inspiration for), and several photos of Birdie Schmidt A.R.C. with the woman who inspired the nose art in the photo, as well as its crew all turned around with their jacket art visible. There are several crew photos, some currency, photos of his dog, Sergeant Jackie, one of his original IDs from when he was stationed in Idaho, and his graduation photos from Wendover. There are several photos of Rego in Europe, including him and his friends wearing Scottish Highlander attire and wielding Basket Swords, and tons of later photos of him at veteran’s meetings and modern photos of him standing next to a B-24. Also included are his discharge certificates, and a ton of photos of him at the Gunner training camp in Laredo, Texas, with some of him in a sombrero. There’s also his 392nd Bomb Group tour completion certificate. This scrapbook is a phenomenal piece in itself, and is really one of the centerpieces of the group.
- Rego’s medals & insignia in a frame measuring 12½ x 15½” including his Aerial Gunner wings, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with 4 OLCs, New Jersey Distinguished Service Medal, and other medals & insignia, with a plaque bearing his name and serial number. This is a very well-put-together frame!
- Rego’s framed New Jersey Distinguished Service Medal Citation, measuring 14 x 17”.
- A large framed collage of Rego’s service that he had put together himself, with a newspaper article in the scrapbook depicting him standing next to it. The frame measures 20½ x 26½”. There are photos of him and Sergeant Jackie, along with a photo of him and his crew, and his ribbons & wings pasted at the bottom with their descriptions. A really fantastic summary of his service that he put together himself!
- A “Five Year Diary” that Rego sparsely wrote entries in detailing where in Europe he was.
- Small notebook he used during 1944 with places he’s been, promotions, as well as summaries of all 30 of his combat missions!
- Rego’s VFW Life Member cap, with all of his ribbons pinned onto the side along with a mini-set of Aerial Gunner’s wings and enamel 8th AF pin. He wore this for a long time! There is a photograph with the cap of him wearing it and his jacket!
- AAF silk handkerchief.
- Rego’s sunglasses which appear to be gold-plated!
- Rego’s Air Medal in its original presentation case with an AAF patch, two planchets for the medal, and pins for his Air Medal, DFC, and an 8th AF Historical society pin.
- Several folded “Escape & Evasion” silk maps used by Rego overseas.
- One large folded map used overseas.
- A large packet of magazines, veteran’s paperwork, and other similar ephemeral items. Also included is a packet of modern printed photos of Rego as an old man.
Manuel Andrade Rego was born on November 23rd, 1920 in New Bedford, Massachusetts to Portuguese parents. In 1931, when he was 11, Rego was taken to Portugal by his parents. He attended school in Portugal and became a tailor. Before Germany started the global war, Rego said “Lots of Portuguese felt certain that Uncle Sam would eventually get in the war, and turn the tide against Germany.” After Rego returned to the United States in 1940, he thought heavily about what he should do to help. “I looked at myself in the mirror and said Rego, you’re going to be an aerial gunner. You’re the right size for the job.” Standing at 5’1” and 120 pounds, he couldn’t have been more right. Rego enlisted on September 8th, 1942 in Newark, New Jersey, and was taken to Wendover Aerial Gunnery School, where he was awarded his Aerial Gunner’s wings in January 1943. Rego joined the 579th Bombardment Squadron of the 392nd Bombardment Group, 8th Air Force on February 8th, 1944. Accompanying Rego through his training & overseas was his dog, “Sergeant Jackie”, who became the Spaniel mascot of his B-24 Liberator “Mairzy Doats”, earning himself Sergeant’s stripes, dogtags, and crewman’s wings. “Jackie had followed his master overseas, and sweated him out through 30 missions. He watched the four-engined bomber take off with its ridiculous waffle down the runway then curled up in the ground crew’s shack until it returned to its parking area and unloaded the tired crew.” When overseas, Rego served aboard the B-24 Liberator “Mairzy Doats”, and participated in 30 combat missions over Europe. Rego was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the citation for which reads: “For extraordinary achievement, while serving as Waist Gunner on sustained bombardment activity over enemy occupied Continental Europe. Displaying great courage and skill, Sergeant Rego, fighting from his gun position, has warded off many enemy attacks and has materially aided in the success of each of these combat operations. The courage, coolness, and skill displayed by Sergeant Rego on all these occasions reflect the highest credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States.” Rego was also awarded the Air Medal with Four Oak Leaf Clusters, the Distinguished Unit badge, the European African Middle Eastern Service Medal with Three Campaign Stars, the Army Good Conduct Medal with Three Bronze Loops, the Combat Crew Wings, and the New Jersey Distinguished Service Medal. Rego left Europe in the Summer of 1944. When he returned stateside, he was assigned as a trainer to the Central Flexible Gunnery School in Laredo, Texas, which is the patch currently on his A-2 Jacket. After the war, he was employed as a trouble shooter with Union Carbide Corporation many years before retiring. He was a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9503, Berkeley Township, and past member of the Beachwood Senior Citizens. Rego passed away on September 30th, 2009, at the age of 88.
This is a fantastic grouping of a historic Painted A-2 Flight Jacket with unquestionable provenance and documented history! Groupings like this do not turn up often! Ready for further research and display!
- This product is available for international shipping.
- Eligible for all payments - Visa, Mastercard, Discover, AMEX, Paypal & Sezzle
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
