HAPPY HOLIDAYS from The FLYING TIGER Antiques & Vintage Historical Artifacts!!!
UPDATE: WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 29TH 2023: Thank YOU ALL for the Holiday Orders!!!
We Hope that all the LUCKY Recipients of these GREAT GIFTS will Just LOVE Them!!
So, NOW is the TIME to ORDER that wonderful ARTIFACT that you've had your eye on, Or that you are buying for that SPECIAL SOMEONE,
as it will SHIP within 24 to 48 Hours of Receipt of Payment, but USUALLY Same Day!!
Just an FYI: Kanae is in JAPAN through December 7th, so I am doing the best I can with shipping!!
And I hope to start LISTING in a day or 2, probably mostly PATCHES until Kanae returns!!
Happy Holidays & Happy Collecting, Ron & Kanae
ARTIFACT:
Scarce WWII United States Army Air Forces 374th Bomb Squadron, 308th Bomb Group, 14th Air Force lapel pin. The 308th BG was established in 1942 and shortly after in September was designated an Operational Training Unit at Wendover Field in Utah. The 308th was then transferred to China in 1943 where they flew B24D Liberators in support of Chinese ground forces. The 308th destroyed key locations in French Indochina and bombed relevant docks at Rangoon, Burma. General Chennault wrote of the 308th in his memoirs, it reads: "They took the heaviest combat losses of any Group in China and often broke my heart by burning thousands of gallons of gas only to dump their bombs in rice paddy mud far from the target. However, their bombing of Vinh railroad shops in Indo-China, the Kowloon and Kai Tak docks at Hong Kong, and the shipping off Saigon were superb jobs unmatched anywhere. When the Army Air Force Headquarters in Washington tallied the bombing accuracy of every bomb group in combat, I was astonished to find that the 308th led them all."e;
Constituted as 374th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on January 28, 1942. Activated on April 15, 1942. Inactivated on January 6, 1946. The lapel gilt enameled pin depicts the 374th BS, 308th BG squadron insignia during operations in CBI, it shows a wombat clutching two bombs with and reads: "LIBERATORS" along the top and "CHINA" along the bottom.
VINTAGE:
Circa WWII
SIZE:
Approximately 5/8" in height x 3/8" in width.
MATERIALS / CONSTRUCTION:
Gilt brass, enamel.
ATTACHMENT:
Vertical pin with drop in locking catch.
MARKINGS:
None.
ITEM NOTES:
This is from a USAAF collection which we will be listing more of over the next few months. VBJX00 LABEX3/16 SABEX11/20
CONDITION:
8- (Very Fine—Excellent): The insignia shows minor wear, nearly all the gilt and enamel details remain intact, overall excellent condition.
GUARANTEE: As with all my artifacts, this piece is guaranteed to be original, as described.
