Question: Did US Pilots wear A-2' s during Vietnam war?

[Dumpster Diver]

I thought those guys in that photo are Korean.

There is photographic evidence to support the notion that WWII Vets who flew Nape Runs in Korea hung on to their A-2s from WWII.

you didnt get issued one in Korea infact pretty sure A-2s were not commonly issued after 1944, But Im probly talking out my butt on that one. I read that Korean Vets who flew in WWII were allowed to wear their trusty A-2s to distinguish themselves as *hardened* vets amongst the Greens at that point.

but not for Vietnam as far as I can tell.

 

[Doctor Damage]

Yes. They were wool lined and therefore not totally useless in cold weather, although infantry reportedly didn't like them much. One could argue that infantry never like anything.

Interesting! Do you know of other pictures with pilots wearing M41 jackets??

I don't have any photos, but I've seen photos in books. The US Army "tanker" jacket was also worn as a flight jacket, which was another wool-lined cotton jacket obviously (with knits, in this case).

 

[Cocker]

Giving me some ideas of a 23rd FG themed M41...

 

[Peacoat]

Or Michael Novosel, Army CWO helicopter pilot in Vietnam (and Medal of Honor recipient) who also flew B-29's in WWII.

I met Mr. Novosel once. His story, even apart from the Medal of Honor, is quite interesting. His son, Mike, Jr., I believe was his name, was in flight school (instrument, basic entry) during the time I was an instrument instructor in the basic entry flight class. He wasn't one of my students, but I think he may have been in my flight.

Big 3: Thanks for remembering Chicken Hawk. Bob Mason was the author of that book, and was one of the first to tell our story. It made the NY Times bestseller list. I got to know him at one of our yearly reunions, and was always glad to renew our friendship at subsequent reunions. His is also an interesting story, separate and apart from the experiences he relayed in the book. PC.

 

[Big J]

I met Mr. Novosel once. His story, even apart from the Medal of Honor, is quite interesting. His son, Mike, Jr., I believe was his name, was in flight school (instrument, basic entry) during the time I was an IP instructor in the basic entry flight. He wasn't one of my students, but I think he may have been in my flight.

Big 3: Thanks for remembering Chicken Hawk. Bob Mason was the author of that book, and was one of the first to tell our story. It made the NY Times bestseller list. I got to know him at one of our yearly reunions, and was always glad to renew our friendship at subsequent reunions. His is also an interesting story, separate and apart from the experiences he relayed in the book. PC.

Chicken Hawk is a great book. I always found it kind of strange that for all the talk about how Vietnam was 'the first helicopter war', the helicopter pilot's story was kind of over-looked, and helos were just seen as taxis for the infantry. I guess that Apocalypse Now didn't (or maybe did!), and the helicopter scene in FMJ, do you guy's image many favors, but I was glad to see that Once Were Warriors explored the helicopter pilots war a little more realistically according to what I'd read.

 

[Edward]

Giving me some ideas of a 23rd FG themed M41...

I'm sure I've seen a photo of an M41 that was worn by a member of the AVG, appropriately decorated...

 

[Harp]

Nylon flight jackets were the norm but leather A2s and Gs worn by Marine/Navy were occasionally seen.

 

[Big J]

Nylon flight jackets were the norm but leather A2s and Gs worn by Marine/Navy were occasionally seen.

Got a photo? I'm only asking because I have never ever seen one of an A-2 in Vietnam. G-1, yes, I saw one photo.

 

[Harp]

Got a photo? I'm only asking because I have never ever seen one of an A-2 in Vietnam. G-1, yes, I saw one photo.

I only carried an M16 or M60 bro.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Don't think he was asking what you carried,bro...but if you had a photo of a Nam A2..[huh]

 

[Harp]

Don't think he was asking what you carried,bro...but if you had a photo of a Nam A2..[huh]

Understood.

 

[bentusian]

A-2 in Vietnam... View attachment 24421

As Dumpster Diver pointed out, those are early days ROKAF(Republic of Korea Air Force) pilots in training - note the Korean 'tai chi' national marking on the model plane (and the chinese letters meaning 'ground maneuvering training device')

 

[Big J]

As Dumpster Diver pointed out, those are early days ROKAF(Republic of Korea Air Force) pilots in training - note the Korean 'tai chi' national marking on the model plane (and the chinese letters meaning 'ground maneuvering training device')

Fair enough. But are we sure it's a real A-2 and not a theater made private purchase copy?
If it's a real issue A-2, can anyone identify the contract?

And...
...yes, this is a pic of ROKAF pilots in training, but do we know the year? How do we know that this is in Vietnam? Were the ROKAF deployed to Vietnam, and did they train pilots in Vietnam? I mean, we can find plenty of pics of USAF aircrew in A-2's during the Korean conflict, but that in itself doesn't tell us anything about A-2's in Vietnam.

 

[Luftwaffe-Jacket-Wanted]

ROKAF was surely deployed in Vietnam. Met a (Korean) Commercial Airline Pilot during Training and Rating at our Aircraft supplier factory and he showed me pics of his dad flying Spads (ROKAF). Google or others will surely confirm as well

 

[Cocker]

I'm sure I've seen a photo of an M41 that was worn by a member of the AVG, appropriately decorated...

Would be really interested to see that!

 

[bentusian]

Fair enough. But are we sure it's a real A-2 and not a theater made private purchase copy?
If it's a real issue A-2, can anyone identify the contract?

And...
...yes, this is a pic of ROKAF pilots in training, but do we know the year? How do we know that this is in Vietnam? Were the ROKAF deployed to Vietnam, and did they train pilots in Vietnam? I mean, we can find plenty of pics of USAF aircrew in A-2's during the Korean conflict, but that in itself doesn't tell us anything about A-2's in Vietnam.

I think the picture above was most likely taken around the Korean war ear.

The model plane on the training device looks like P-51 which were received from US in 1950 immediately after the war broke out, and pretty much everything ROKAF had back then was US donation. That also explains the similarity of the national markings between US and Korea because ROKAF didn't have time to make its own so repainted star and stripes on the conferred P-51 into tai chi and stripes.. So the instructor's A-2 jacket in the pic could have been one of such donations, or he could have received his own training in the States and got his jacket there..

During Vietnam war as far as I know ROKAF operated mostly cargo planes, plus some UH-1s by ROKA (Army) air corps.