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ARTIFACT:
This is a circa Korean War full-size Japanese-made lighter for the United States Air Force Security Service 15th Radio Squadron Mobile. The front of the lighter has a medallion featuring a lightning bug riding a winged thunderbolt.
Courtesy of Wikipedia:
The 15th Radio Squadron, Mobile was organized at Brooks Air Force Base, Texas for service in the Korean War. In July, the squadron departed Texas for Ashiya Air Base, Japan, where it was to operate until inactivated in May 1955. Upon the squadron's arrival in Japan, the former Detachment 3 of the 1st Radio Squadron, Mobile, located at Ewha Women's University in Seoul, Korea was transferred to the 15th as Detachment 1, 15th Radio Squadron, Mobile. The squadron mission was to provide tactical intelligence data to the air operations center of Fifth Air Force in Korea, located a short distance from Detachment 3.
By 1952, the need for intelligence collection closer to the battle lines than Seoul became evident. The People's Liberation Army Air Force was upgrading their tactical communications from High Frequency to Very High Frequency systems, which could not be effectively detected at long ranges. Fifth Air Force began to operate Douglas C-47 Skytrain aircraft from Yokota Air Base, Japan. Members of the 15th flew in the back of these airplanes, which patrolled just behind the front lines and off the coast of North Korea, recording data on wire recorders. Recordings were dropped to the unit's Detachment 2, which had been established on Cho Do Island, off the coast of North Korea. This was then transferred to ground controlled intercept controllers of the 608th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron on the island to provide near real time threat information to American fighter aircraft.
In May 1955, the squadron was inactivated and its mission, personnel and equipment were transferred to the 6922d Radio Group, Mobile at Ashiya. It was kept on the Air Force's books as an inactive unit until June 1983, when it was disbanded.
VINTAGE:
Circa Korean War.
SIZE:
Approximately 2-1/4" height and 1-1/2" width and 1/2" in depth.
MATERIALS / CONSTRUCTION:
Chrome-plated brass, enamel.
ATTACHMENT:
To be carried in pocket to light your smokes.
MARKINGS:
JAPAN.
ITEM NOTES:
This is from a lighter collection which we will be listing more of over the next few months. ZAJL94 LADEX1/11 SLAHEX07/01/20 SADEX07/02/20
CONDITION:
7+ (Very Fine+): The lighter shows light overall wear and one small area of moderate wear on reverse.
GUARANTEE: As with all my artifacts, this piece is guaranteed to be original, as described.
