Item Description
Original Items: Only One Grouping Available. This is a fantastic, document heavy grouping for Radio Operator / Aerial Gunner T/Sgt Eugene Lader ASN: 12206958 who served with the 408th Bombardment Squadron, 22nd Bomb Group under the command of the 5th Air Force. This grouping, though it does contain insignia, consists mostly of documents, perfect items for research potential! We believe he was a part of the Formosa Air Battle due to the amount of newspaper clippings present, though we are not certain.
Even though we have some documents, we have not been able to find much on T/Sgt Laderman, however we do know his unit due to the large A-2 jacket 408th Bomb Squadron embroidered patch. The squadron is one of the oldest in the United States Air Force, its origins dating to 16 June 1917, being organized at Rockwell Field, San Diego, California, as a pilot training Squadron during World War I. The squadron saw combat during World War II, and became part of the Strategic Air Command (SAC) during the Cold War.
The other items in this lot besides the squadron patch are the following:
- Blood Chit: Very good condition with great colors.
- Shrapnel Piece: We are unsure about the story on this item.
- 5th Air Force SSI: Great condition and looks unused.
- CBI SSI: Worn condition and appears to have been removed from either a uniform or jacket.
- Small Enamel CBI Shield: Good condition but the colors do have fading present.
- Identification Card: The ID card is for Laderman from when he was a Private with the 13th Training Support Squadron. His image is still clear and all text still legible.
- x2 Collar Devices: Good condition but they do not have the “frogs” on the reverse so handle with care.
- Aerial Gunner Badge “Wings”: The Aerial Gunner Badge was a military aeronautical badge of the United States Army Air Forces and was issued during the Second World War. The badge was first created and authorized on April 29, 1943 to recognize both the training and hazardous duty of aerial gunners, who manned defensive machineguns on board such aircraft as the B-17, B-24, B-25, B-26 and B-29 bombers. The Aerial Gunner Badge appeared as a standard observer badge, upon which was centered a winged bullet. It was primarily awarded to USAAF enlisted aircrewmen, but a small number of commissioned officers also qualified and were awarded this insignia, to include film actor Clark Gable.
The Aerial Gunner Badge was issued until 1953, in the newly created United States Air Force (1947). The Aerial Gunner Badge was declared obsolete and phased out in favor of the Aircrew Badge.
- x2 Ribbon Bars (6) Ribbons Total: They are in wonderful condition but do show staining to the material.
- Documents: There are hundreds of pieces of paper pertaining to his service, but mostly his training and the various schools he attended. When going through the documents, do handle so with caution as a majority of them are brittle and tear easily. A few interesting articles that were cut from newspapers are about the Formosa Air Battle which makes us believe that he took part in it.
The Formosa Air Battle, 12–16 October 1944, was a series of large-scale aerial engagements between carrier air groups of the United States Navy Fast Carrier Task Force (TF 38) and Japanese land-based air forces of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) and Imperial Japanese Army (IJA). The battle consisted of American air raids against Japanese military installations on Formosa (Taiwan) during the day and Japanese air attacks at night against American ships. Japanese losses exceeded 300 planes destroyed in the air, while American losses amounted to fewer than 100 aircraft destroyed and two cruisers damaged. This outcome effectively deprived the Japanese Navy's Combined Fleet of air cover for future operations, which proved decisive during the Battle of Leyte Gulf later in October.
This is a lovely grouping with great research potential! Comes more than ready for further research and display.
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