![]() Even rarer are those showing Hitler being humiliated-while the number of bombs designated missions flown, swastikas represented German aircrafts destroyed. Some jackets depict caricatures of Native Americans or Pacific Islanders, usually drawn with bones in their noses. On others, cuddly cartoon characters charge forward, bombs in tow, driven by a testosterone-fueled determination to kill. On the bawdiest of these jackets, scantily clad babes gleefully ride phallic bombs. On the front, personalized patches would often indicate one’s squadron or bomb group. They’d get the backs painted, and often these images included the plane’s nickname and little bombs to tally how many missions the crew flew. In WWII, these jackets became a canvas for teenage flyers to express their rugged individuality. “If this guy wants to paint a naked lady on the back of the jacket, why stop him? He could be dead tomorrow.”Īt the beginning of the war, Army Air Corps members were issued the most badass jacket in the military, the leather A-2-which had been the standard leather flight jacket since 1931. The WWII flight jackets painted with provocative pin-up girls, favorite comic characters, or lucky charms are a reminder of just how young these servicemen were. As we reflect on Pearl Harbor Day, here’s something to keep in mind: The “men” who fought and died for the United States in World War II, were just barely out of adolescence, as young as 18 years old-the same age as guys obsessed with “Maxim” and Grand Theft Auto today. ![]()
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