Shirt, Wool, Elastique, Officer's, Chocolate, 2nd Lt. Herbert Speas, Jr., 87th FS, 79th FG, 12th Air Force, USAAF, MTO

Nice genuine WWII US Army officer's shirt, chocolate elastique wool (Dark OD 51).

This type features shoulder loops sewn above the sleeves and buttoned near the collar; when the shirt was worn as an outer garment, rank insignia were pinned on the shoulder loops, up until August 1942.

Complete and in good overall condition.

Shoulder width: 17.91in. Sleeve length: 23.81in.

Markings visible in the collar indicate that the present shirt once belonged to some 2nd Lieutenant H.L. Speas, Jr., officer's ASN O-827531.

Herbert Lee Speas, Jr. was born on June 24, 1923 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and joined the Air Corps on February 25, 1943 (ASN 14190056). After being awarded his pilot's wings as a commissioned officer, he went on to serve in Italy with 87th Fighter Squadron, 79th Fighter Group, 12th Air Force, flying no less than 66 missions with his P-47 Thunderbolt. A recipient of the Distinghuished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with thee Oak Leaf Clusters, he passed away on December 11, 2009.

https://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail.jsp?dt=893&mtch=1&tf=F&q=14190056&bc=&rpp=10&pg=1&rid=982657

https://79thfightergroup.com/87th-fighter-squadron-pilot-roster#

https://fr.findagrave.com/memorial/75683886/herbert-lee-speas

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