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  • Wilson Hurley: Painting the FACs in Action

    Since pre-historic times, artists have attempted to convey the experience of warfare through art. Oftentimes, these artists base their interpretations of military actions on written or verbal accounts. Wilson Hurley, a FAC during the Southeast Asia War, put his personal memories of the war in

  • WWII Aviator Jackets

    Note: This exhibit is located in the connecting link between the World War II and Korean War Galleries. World War II USAAF aviators often personalized their flight jackets (usually the popular leather A-2 jacket), using such painted decorations as unit insignia, artwork that appeared on their

  • War in Context

    "Yours is now the role of watchfulness and preparedness, for you must continue to be the most vigilant and best prepared of all the forces that guard the safety of Americans and the security of the free world."- Gen. Nathan F. Twining, USAF Chief of Staff, to Far East Air Forces Airmen at the end of

  • WWII Royal Italian Air Force

    Regia AeronauticaItalian pilots enjoyed success in the invasion of Abyssinia (Ethiopia) in 1935 and during the Spanish Civil War in 1936-1938, but suffered heavily while flying inferior aircraft against the Allies in World War II. Although the Regia Aeronautica carried out limited operations over

  • WWII Imperial Japanese Navy Aircrews

    It was a great honor in Japan to become a naval aviator. Early in World War II, Imperial Japanese Navy pilots went through a rigorous and at times brutal cadet program. Later, as these experienced airmen became casualties of war, hastily trained pilots replaced them. Imperial Japanese Navy Petty

  • WWII Luftwaffe Aircrews

    By the fall of 1944, Luftwaffe (German Air Force) pilots faced the impossible task of defending Germany against the huge, escorted bomber formations of the USAAF by day and the Royal Air Force by night. By this time, many of its best fighter aces had been killed and replaced with inexperienced,

  • WWII Royal Air Force Aircrews

    At the beginning of World War II in 1939, most pilots serving in the Royal Air Force (RAF) were British-born. As the war continued, airmen came from many different countries. Foreign-born RAF pilots sometimes flew as independent units and other times they were mixed in with British-born aircrews.

  • WWII Brazilian Air Force Aircrews

     Brazil entered the war on Aug. 22, 1942, after German submarines sank several of its merchant ships in the Atlantic Ocean. Força Aérea Brasileira (FAB) aircrews had already begun training with U.S. personnel and conducting antisubmarine flights off the coast of Brazil. By the end of 1944, this

  • WWII USAAF Aircrews

    During World War II, U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF) aircrews fought in a vast global war from the hot, dry deserts of North Africa to the dangerously frigid wilderness in Greenland, Iceland, and Alaska. The type of flying clothing and service dress they wore varied greatly due to environmental

  • WWII Airborne Tractor

    The Clarkair Crawler Model CA-1 tractor was developed by the Clark Equipment Co. for the Army during World War II. Its small size permitted airlift by glider or other type cargo aircraft to locations where it could be used to construct landing strips or other facilities. After Clark developed the