Documented G-1 Jacket

I have been collecting for a couple of minutes so I have a few things in my collection. I prefer WW2 groupings but when I get an interesting vet find I usually keep it.

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Here is a G-1 Jacket that belonged to Gene Smigocki. A picker friend of mine found it from a family but would not give me any info. I was getting ready to sell the group ( there is also a flying helmet and paperwork ) because I could not find out anything about this guy. Just before it went on the block I spent some time with the phone operator ( no computer back in those days ) and found a number that worked. Mr Smigocki was more than pleased to talk and tell me about his Navy career. Here is a photo of the jacket. I will post more photos and history later after dinner.

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Thank you,

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M

Here is the patch for VC-4 DET 44N. There were only 4 jets in this unit. They were Douglas F3D's knick named " Willy the Wale " for it's less than svelte lines. This is a super nice multy colored bullion patch. A black cat throwing a fire ball with a baseball mitt.

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The F3D's were night fighters and they were the first jet to ever destroy an enemy jet at night. Det 44N was attached to the USS Lake Champlain. When they got near to Korea the captain of the Champlain ordered them to join a USMC unit, in Korea, which also had F3D's. Smigocki told me that the crew of the carrier was glad to see them go. The low slung engines of the F3D would burn the decks on take off and their weight would damage the catapults. I will post some more pics tomorrow.

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M.

Here is the shoulder patch.

Thats a beauty...

Very nice.

Beautiful hand-made patches! :thumbsup:

Here is the patch on the other shoulder. Mr Smigocki is in the Navy but is wearing a patch that has Marine Corps roots ?

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When VC 4 reached Korean waters they left the Lake Champlain and joined up with a land based Marine Corps squadron VMF (N)-513. Mr Smigocki told me that most of the time the weather conditions were so bad that they were surrounded by a sea of mud. They didn't like Korea very much so the F___ Korea patch was made up with a loving reference to their new Marine Corps benefactors. I also posted this patch on the PC patch thread.

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Hope you enjoy the patch as well as the story.

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M.

Here is another Smigocki patch that was in the G-1's pocket. Lake Champlain was the flag ship of T.S. 77. Nice that the squadron number is on the patch. Anyone have any ideas where this patch was made. Japan ?

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M.

And here is the last of the patches. Also found in the pocket. This patch still has traces of the cellophane wrapper. If anyone can shed some light as to where this and the other patches on this thread were made I would love to be educated about them.

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Thanks

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M.

I would say Japanese made patches.

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If you part with it give me a holler!!!

What an amazing jacket you have there. Rich with history with some of the nicest patches I have ever seen!

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Will

I would say Japanese made patches.

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If you part with it give me a holler!!!

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Smigocki went out on test flights with the pilots of this unit. So there is also a flying helmet ( H3 or H4 ), some paper work and something else that I can't recall. I am presently temporarily separated from the other part of this group so I can't get you any photos. I will keep you in mind if the day comes that this group needs a new home.

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Thanks

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M.

Smigocki went out on test flights with the pilots of this unit. So there is also a flying helmet ( H3 or H4 ), some paper work and something else that I can't recall. I am presently temporarily separated from the other part of this group so I can't get you any photos. I will keep you in mind if the day comes that this group needs a new home.

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Thanks

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M.

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Thanks.

Great that you have the helmet too.... :jeal0001:

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I love that bad cat patch.I wont be able too sleep thinking about it

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RON

Ron,

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Here is a photo of the label inside the jacket.

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M.

What an amazing jacket you have there. Rich with history with some of the nicest patches I have ever seen!

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Will

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Thank you Will.

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I have been collecting from Vets for years for the sole reason that there is history. I'm getting ready to post another more modern G-1 with an interesting story.

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M.

Here is Smigocki's flying helmet.

Another angle.

Interior.

A personal touch.

A better photo of the unit patch VC-4 DET 44N.

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According to a Navy Times article May 29, 1954 the unit had only 4 F3D-2's.

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Is this a rare patch ??

The Motto:

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NIGHT IS OUR ALLY

Close up of the Cat

Here is a photo of Smigocki's unit from the Navy Times article 1954.

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The planes were called " Ugly Duckling"

Surprised I missed this the first time around. A beautiful jacket to start off and even better with the helmet and pics.

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Philip :thumbsup:

Here are a couple of photos from another group I had of the F3D in it Marine Uniform.

Not a very sexy plane.