Original U.S. WWII “Bully Beef Express” Named 6th Troop Carrier Squadron Painted A-2 Flight Jacket with Army Air Forces Sleeve Decal - C.L. Hodgin
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Original Item. One-of-a-Kind. The 6th Troop Carrier “Bully Beef Express” Squadron made airlift history during World War II when, in October 1942, it moved to Port Moresby, New Guinea. Then flying Douglas C-47 Skytrains, the 6th became the first personnel transport squadron to fly in the Pacific. During this assignment, the squadron earned the nickname Bully Beef Express, as it carried tons of boiled beef to allied combat troops in Australia and New Guinea. The French called it "bouilli boeuf, " The term's Americanized version has continued to be the squadron's emblem.
This is a fantastic painted A-2 Flight jacket named under the collar to C.L. HODGIN. We haven’t been able to identify Hodgin, making for a great & worthwhile research project. The left breast of the jacket has a gorgeous hand-painted insignia for the 6th Troop Carrier Squadron, the “Bully Beef Express”. This example shows the bull in a cartoonish almost Disney-esque design with the box behind him reading 6 T.C.S. and BULLY BEEF / EXPRESS around it. The paint is extremely well-retained. The left shoulder of the jacket bears the remnants of an Army Air Forces decal, which has chipped heavily. The ARMY AIR FORCES text is still barely visible under it.
There is a line of stitching around the painted insignia which would denote that a squadron patch was there originally. Above the painted squadron insignia is the shadowing of a stitched-on nametag which is now gone. The opposite breast has a similar shadowing above a large circular shadowing, indicating that this jacket was likely re-issued or traded with new insignia applied. The lining of the jacket is still in good order with service wear. The knit waistband and sleeve cuffs are still intact but are in heavily worn condition with moth nips across them and material tearing & loss in spots. The CONMAR zipper shows heavy wear but does still function, as do the pocket snaps.
This is a really tremendous named jacket with a gorgeous hand-painted squadron insignia, ready for further research and display.
Approximate Measurements:-
Collar to shoulder: 9.5"
Shoulder to sleeve: 24.5”
Shoulder to shoulder: 16"
Chest width: 20”
Waist: 18"
Hip: 17"
Front length: 25"
- This product is available for international shipping.
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