Ext Rare WWII USN VF-33 Hellcats Decal on Paper from USN Ace & Eventual CDR James Kinsella

NOTE: All of these USN patches being listed on x000D consignment with consignor code CON-DSS come from the lifelong collection of a x000D retired Vietnam War USN Pilot who had close times with the Tailhook Association x000D and was able to obtain some very special and unique patches. We are proud to x000D have been given the opportunity to bring parts of this collection to market. We x000D will be listing 25 or so now, and hope to have another offering in April or x000D May.  :

We are not 100% sure of exactly what this is. It is either a x000D decal that was mounted to quasi-stiff paper, or it is a reverse decal, intended x000D to be put on the inside of a glass window or plexiglass cockpit.

IN any event, it is WWII period, is on WWII period paper, x000D and has the following written in blue fountain pen ink on back:

VF-33
x000D WWII INSIGNIA

VIA

CDR JAMES KINSELLA

Eventual Commander James Kinsella was a WWII ACE, having x000D scored 3 victories with VF-33, after the disestablishment of his previous x000D squadron, VF-72, where he scored his first 2 kills.

Fighter Squadron 33, or VF-33, was an aviation unit of the x000D United States Navy. Originally established as Escort-Scouting Squadron 16 or x000D VGS-16 on 6 August 1942, it was redesignated as Composite Squadron 16 or VC-16 x000D on 1 March 1943, redesignated as VF-33 on 15 August 1943, and disestablished on x000D 19 November 194It was the first US Navy squadron to be designated as VF-33.

Operational History: VF-33, equipped with F6F Hellcats, was x000D first deployed to Munda where they supported the New Georgia Campaign. While x000D deployed in the Solomons, VF-33 was credited with 60 Japanese aircraft shot x000D down,  and produced three aces: LTJG Frank E. Schnieder with seven kills, LT C. x000D K. Hildebrandt with five kills, and LTJG James J. Kinsella also with five x000D kills, three with VF-33 and two with VF-72 in the F4F-4 Wildcat.