Original U.S. WWII Iwo Jima Naval Aviator Howard Swafford Officer’s Visor & USN Foul Weather Cap Grouping with Iwo Jima Photos
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Original Items. One-of-a-Kind Group. This is an exceptional Navy officer’s visor, foul weather cap, and ephemera grouping identified to Lieutenant Howard Graham Swafford, who piloted a Vought OS2U Kingfisher Catapult-Launched Observation Floatplane aboard the USS South Dakota. The OS2U was the main shipboard observation seaplane used by the United States Navy during World War II, and only 1,519 of the aircraft were built. Swafford “saw combat throughout the entire Pacific Campaign, including but not limited to Iwo Jima, Guadalcanal, and Okinawa.”
The naval visor has a wonderful cast metal eagle cap badge, patent leather visor and gold bullion chinstrap. Inside is an original manufacturer's label that reads:
BANCROFT
UNIFORM
HEADEAR
BUILT TO ENDURE
The name HOWARD SWAFFORD is stamped twice on the middle piece. The cap is marked under the sweatband with Size 7 ⅛.
The foul weather USN cap ha 1 over H.S. painted on the front, for Howard Swafford. The interior retains a contract tag:
NAVY DEPARTMENT
CONTRACT NXss 22371
SIZE 7
Also included are some photos from Iwo Jima. One 5 ⅞ x 5 ¾” photo looks to be an observation photograph taken at Iwo Jima with the label:
28PR-4MC181-1 27NOV44 1315GCT 7” 50’
IWO JIMA REST. JICPOA 9507-265
The photograph was taken on November 27th, 1944, only a few months before the Battle of Iwo Jima. Swafford certainly took this photograph. Another photograph shows a marine with the beach in the background with ships along the shore. There is a newspaper clipping showing Swafford running for the House of Representatives, 37th District. Then there s a stamped photograph dated 2/19/1945 on Iwo Jima of Marines in the 23rd regiment, 4th division. There are also printed photos and information about the USS South Dakota, and Swafford’s Wikipedia page.
From his obituary:
Howard G. Stafford went to Naval Officer Candidate School becoming a naval aviator flying a Kingfisher catapulted off the USS South Dakota. As a combat pilot, Lt. Swafford was extremely dependable and totally reckless and just what the war department needed. Howard saw combat throughout the entire Pacific Campaign, including but not limited to Midway, Iwo Jima, Guadalcanal, and Okinawa. Howard was in Tokyo Bay and personally observed the signing of the Peace Treaty between the United States and Japan. Had Harry S. Truman not had the character to use the bomb, Howard would have been the first wave in the Japanese mainland invasion where it was anticipated the death total would exceed 500,000 American soldiers. Howard’s children firmly believe if the war had not been brought to a conclusion by Truman’s decision, they probably would not have been here today.
The combination of the twice-named Bancroft officer’s visor, personalized H.S. foul-weather cap, documented Naval Aviator service aboard USS South Dakota, wartime Kingfisher association, November 1944 Iwo Jima intelligence photograph, February 19, 1945 Marine photograph, and later biographical material makes this an unusually substantial personal grouping.
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