WWII Named and Painted 8th Air Force A2 Flight Jacket Group

The leather A2 flight jacket and associated documents of Technical Sergeant Robert W. Lambert, who flew 30 combat missions as a B-24 Radio Operator-Air Gunner with the 556th Bomb Squadron, 387th Bombardment Group, of the 8th Air Force. Sergeant Lambert’s A2 jacket is a size 40, manufactured for the Army Air Force by the Perry Sportswear Company of Newburgh, New York.  On the left breast is a leather name tag with Lambert’s name and position as the radio operator. Below the name tag is a large squadron patch. The insignia is a decal on leather, approximately 4 3/4 inches in diameter. The back of the jacket is painted with a B-24 Liberator bomber above 30 bombs, reflecting Sergeant Lambert’s tour of duty, comprised of 30 combat missions.  The jacket is in excellent service used condition. There is typical wear to the knit cuffs, which have holes but which are complete. There are also signs of wear to the knit waistband. The jacket shows expected signs of use and wear but there are no tears, no distracting stains, and the leather remains supple. The jacket’s “Conmar” zipper is fully functional. The group includes Sergeant Lambert’s discharge, which reflects that he was decorated with the Distinguished Flying Cross , the Air Medal with 3 oak leaf clusters, and the European Campaign Medal with stars for participation in the campaigns in Normandy, Northern France, and the Rhineland. The group further includes original orders from May of 1944, directing that a number of combat crews travel to Europe for assignment in the 8th Air Force, and Lambert’s name is among the crew members. There is a two page typed account by Lambert of a close call that occurred when the bomber in which he was a crew member was badly damaged on a combat mission and was trying to limp back to England. Finally, there are copies of two photographs. The copies are 8 by 10 inches. One photograph shows Lambert in flight gear in front of a B-24 bomber with the rest of the crew. The second photograph is a copy of a photo of Lambert in his Class A uniform.