Attaching Morale Patches On Leather Flight Jackets

[Banzai]

I've thought about doing something like this. I have a lot of old squadron patches in a shoebox. Thought it might be cool to find an inexpensive "orphan" a-2 to sew them on. Even if I never wear it, it will be a neat display piece. Of course, it will take up more room than the shoebox...

 

[SteveZ]

Check out this web site. They offer many ( not all ) squadron decals in small to very large sizes.

http://www.military-graphics.com/navy_squadrons_3.html

Now Ive got to pay a visit to the emblem shop and get a patch made up using this large 12 inch decal as a template. Then everything goes to the leather tailor for a major sew job to attach all the patches.

Im going to wear my jacket and show it off. Should be quite a conversation starter with all the retired Navy active and retired in my area of Virginia Beach.

 

[Treetopflyer]

Hey TTF,

Are you saying that officers had to turn their jackets back in if they washed out or had to turn them back in, period? I think Jim was saying that the enlisted guys in the fleet had to turn their jackets back in when they separated or rotated out of the squadron.

You got to keep your G-1 didn't you?


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Officers had to turn them back in if they washed out. Both officer and enlisted get to keep their jackets if they are honorably discharged from the Navy, as per regulations for the leather jacket.

 

[Deacon211]

Nice looking patch Steve...That design would almost be paint worthy if you had someone to do it!

@Treetopflyer. Yeah, that's how I remember it. I think Jim had to turn his in despite separating honorably, like the jacket was squadron equipment! Bummer.

It's funny, I was trying to think of some piece of flying equipment that I had to turn back in, and I can't think of any. From helmets to boots, I got to keep it all.

Sorry Jim, I think they should have let you keep your jacket. You earned it!


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[Treetopflyer]

Nice looking patch Steve...That design would almost be paint worthy if you had someone to do it!

@Treetopflyer. Yeah, that's how I remember it. I think Jim had to turn his in despite separating honorably, like the jacket was squadron equipment! Bummer.

It's funny, I was trying to think of some piece of flying equipment that I had to turn back in, and I can't think of any. From helmets to boots, I got to keep it all.

Sorry Jim, I think they should have let you keep your jacket. You earned it!


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"Back in the day" some leather jackets were organizational clothing and had to be turned back into the squadron for reissue.
As for flight gear that gets turned in when a person leaves the Navy, radios and flares are the only things that are turned back in. My flight helmet was NRFI (Not Ready For Issue) after the PRs found something falling apart on it. They gave it to me and said I could dispose of it or they could. I took it home and put on a shelf. I'm just waiting for a replacement now.

 

[JimWagner]

Yes, back in my day all flight equipment for enlisted men were turned back in. Another example was helmets. Officers had their own. Helmets for enlisted were kept on the planes at the flight stations and you wore whatever was there and left it on the plane after the flight. You never knew what size or condition your helmet would be in. Same with mae wests and associated survival gear. We had our own flight suits, but like the jackets you didn't get to keep them.

Things were constantly changing and I'm not surprised that eventually everyone kept their stuff. During my 3 years of being on flight crew we had orange flight suits (P-2 Neptunes) then khaki flight suits (P-3 Orions) and finally green Nomex. I believe that the green Nomex are still what is being used today. My understanding is that the leather flight jackets actually were not issued for a few short years and were brought back because of pressures from the crews.

 

[SteveZ]

Is this your old Squadron Jim Wagner VP 24 ?

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[kampkatz]

Yes, back in my day all flight equipment for enlisted men were turned back in. Another example was helmets. Officers had their own. Helmets for enlisted were kept on the planes at the flight stations and you wore whatever was there and left it on the plane after the flight. You never knew what size or condition your helmet would be in. Same with mae wests and associated survival gear. We had our own flight suits, but like the jackets you didn't get to keep them.

Things were constantly changing and I'm not surprised that eventually everyone kept their stuff. During my 3 years of being on flight crew we had orange flight suits (P-2 Neptunes) then khaki flight suits (P-3 Orions) and finally green Nomex. I believe that the green Nomex are still what is being used today. My understanding is that the leather flight jackets actually were not issued for a few short years and were brought back because of pressures from the crews.

Jim, I was in flight training from '74-'75 at Pensacola and our issued jackets were said to be made of Naugahyde. None of us seemed too concerned. As I had to turn it in I never knew if it was just cheap leather that was treated or totally artificial.
Paul

 

[JimWagner]

Is this your old Squadron Jim Wagner VP 24 ?

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Yes, that's my old squadron. But that patch is later than the ones we wore. This isn't my original jacket (obviously) but the VP-24 patch is original from my days.

 

[SteveZ]

I LIKE IT JIM !! Was VP 24 @ NAS Brunswick Maine ? My dad was in VP 23 @ Brunswick 58 to 61 I think.

 

[JimWagner]

I LIKE IT JIM !! Was VP 24 @ NAS Brunswick Maine ? My dad was in VP 23 @ Brunswick 58 to 61 I think.

When I was first assigned to VP-24 in 1967 we were stationed in Norfolk, VA and flew on P-2V7 Neptunes. I spent 3 months that year deployed to Key West, FL for the 2nd Cuban missle crisis that I'm not sure ever made the news. 2nd best duty I ever had. In 1968 we transitioned to P-3B Orions and the squadron moved to Patuxeunt River, MD. Between 1968 and 1969 we made two 6-month deployments to Iceland with side detachments to the Azores. The Azores was the best duty I ever had. Loved that place.

I did spend a couple of weeks in Brunswick, Maine going to a school to learn to operate some classified gear. Froze my ears and points further south off. It was colder there than Iceland. Was supposed to go to survival school there too, but deployments always seemed to take priority. The VP-30 patch was from a couple of temporary assignments to work in the central repair facility where we worked on equipment from all the squadrons at Pax River.

So, pretty much the story of my whole hitch is reflected in the patches on my jacket.

 

[Deacon211]

Nice jacket Jim!

I knew many guys who did their SERE training in Brunswick...you didn't miss much!


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[SteveZ]

Nice jacket Jim!

I knew many guys who did their SERE training in Brunswick...you didn't miss much!


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Jim, you should start wearing the jacket. Be proud of your duty and watch all the vets start a conversation with you ! I love talking about my dads NAVY days and my Air Force days but my service doesnt even compare to my dads.

 

[SteveZ]

This is the other patch to be sewn on the back of my NAVY G1 jacket project. It will go right beneath the large squadron patch picture I showed earlier. The patch is about a foot wide and 5 inches tall. That patch alone should make some of those old and bold NAVY recip pilots and mechanics shed a few tears. Never understood why the rugged and dependable Neptune never got all the recognition it truly deserved. Those babys are still flying out west fighting fires because the air frames are so solid. BTW, I just dropped off the large squadron decal to a local patch maker and he says he can make me one. About 50 bucks for a newer jet ink process that is very sharp compared to embroidery type patches. Patch maker will e mail me a couple of pictures later for my approval. Gettin excited about completing the jacket.

 

[SteveZ]

Heres a better picture. The guy that makes these is ex NAVY and a former aircrew man on the Neptune.

 

[SteveZ]

UPDATE;

Just got the VP 18 Patch back already from the emblem business after just one day. Its perfect and its better than anything I could hope for. The cost ? 47 dollars ! It looks just like the decal but now in a cloth type patch ready for sewing. I was thrilled the emblem maker was able to duplicate such a large size. Man am I stoked that there was a fellah that does such good work so close to my home. The emblem shop is just outside NAS OCEANA in Virginia Beach and needless to say, Im the first request for such a large 1 foot diameter emblem. The business owner was really pleased also and I may have opened a new product line for him. He does alot of business with the local military of all branches.

 

[SteveZ]

Im so pleased as to how the large squadron patch came out, Im tempted to go to the same guy and have him make me one more that cannot be bought outright. Im thinking of about a smaller 5 in diameter size. When dad assumed command of the squadron, it was his decision to name the aircraft and paint the name on somewhere.

The year was 1966 and one of the top films was the PINK PANTHER with Peter Sellers. The cartoon character on the front of the record album was chosen as the air crafts pet name and illustration and the panther was slightly modified with his tail wrapped around a submarine and the panther sitting with a cigarette in his mouth.

Theres a picture of this on the VP NAVY site. I thought POP would be pleased with this nearly forgotten memory of his flying career sewn on the jacket.

 

[SteveZ]

This is the last jacket patch Im having custom made. About a 5 inch diameter in size and this is the exact illustration that was hand painted on the forward nose landing gear door. The patch however will have VP 18 CREW ONE printed on it. I think my Pop will be totally surprised about this little detail that he had long forgotten since 1967. His son remembered !

 

[JimWagner]

Was your Pop the squadron commanding officer? I only ask because traditionally the CO's crew is designated Crew 1 and the XO's is Crew 2.

 

[SteveZ]

BY THE WAY.... When my father assumed command of the squadron in 1966, there was a suggestion box on coming up with a unique name or cartoon character to paint on the side of the ' skippers ' aircraft. I suggested the ' SNOOPY ' illustration with him in his flying cap and goggles sitting on his dog house which was popular in the mid 60s. Turns out the aircraft used by CREW 9 already had been using something very similar already starring Snoopy the beagle dog.

One of the maintenance techs ( a Master Chief in maintenance who was considered ' GOD ' in keeping those massive WRIGHT 3350 radial engines running ) had just purchased an album from the base exchange with the sound track of the film ' the Pink Panther by Henry Mancini '. The cartoon character posted above was on the records album cover and the master chief suggested that the panther be painted on the aircraft. The rest is history as CREW ONE elected to use that cartoon illustration on the nose gear door.

View attachment 40286
This is the last jacket patch Im having custom made. About a 5 inch diameter in size and this is the exact illustration that was hand painted on the forward nose landing gear door. The patch however will have VP 18 CREW ONE printed on it. I think my Pop will be totally surprised about this little detail that he had long forgotten since 1967. His son remembered !