WWII USAAF Officer's "Chocolate" Wool Garrison Cap Identified to Lt. Paul A. “Salty” Tarantino (Size 6 7/8)

Description

This is an original WWII U.S. garrison cap, with the "ultramarine" and "golden orange" piping, denoting use by the Army Air Force. Its lining is inscribed with the veteran's nickname and serial number, "Salty, 19064887". View the Veteran's Information section for more details regarding Lt. Paul A. “Salty” Tarantino's life and military service. This cap is constructed of "chocolate" wool. Unfortunately, its manufacturer's and size label could not be located, however it was hand-marked "6 7/8" and bares a "C456" material supplier's stamping. The lining is also marked with the partially crossed out initials and last four digits of another serviceman's serial number, "J._.W., 8148", indicating Lt. Tarantino acquired this cap secondhand. The last image appears to show Lt. Tarantino wearing the same garrison cap. It is an incredibly rare opportunity to own an identified item, with a wartime photograph of that specific item actually being used.

Provenance

Private Collection, Belvidere, New Jersey

Condition Report

This cap is in very good, used condition, with just minor moth holes.

Veteran's Information

Paul Anthony Tarantino was born on October 11, 1917, in San Francisco, California. On January 3, 1942, Tarantino enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps. Following graduation from the San Antonio Aviation Center in San Antonio, Texas, he served as a fighter pilot in the 347th Fighter Squadron, 350th Fighter Group, 12th Air Force. On a very hazy November 7, 1944, Tarantino boarded his P-47D Thunderbolt, 42-27197, and took off from Tarquinia Airfield for the rail line between Fidenza and Parma, Italy in the Po Valley. Gustafson's contacted the local archeology team Air Crash Po which has excellently reconstructed the events that followed. Tarantino and the seven other men from his squadron (one plane returned to the airfield early due to low fuel) dropped 16 500 lb. general purpose bombs and scored six direct hits that cut the railroad track in 16 places. On their return, in thick cloud cover, Second Lt. Grant W. Bagley recounted "I was [...] flying line abreast with Lt. Tarantino. I saw him start into a slow roll and started to spin. He recovered almost at once, but the nose of his plane snapped straight down and was in a tight spiral when he went into the clouds and disappeared. I called him on the R/T but received no answer. I then called my flight leader and told him that Lt. Tarantino had spun into the clouds”. The flight leader, Lt. Wilford E. Novotny, radioed the other pilots to discern whether Tarantino had issued a mayday, and he had not. Lt. Novotny stayed in the area to see if he could locate pills of smoke, indicative of a crash, but the visibility was just too poor. At just 27 years of age, Tarantino was killed on impact. His remains were recovered in 1948 and buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno, California. Made available to the new owner below are Tarantino's enlistment records from the National Archives, newspaper clippings, draft registration card, photographs, final mission report from the aforementioned bombing run, burial documents, obituary, and gravesite.

• Enlistment Records
• Newspaper Clippings, Draft Registration Card, Photographs, Final Mission Report, & Burial Documents
• Obituary
• Gravesite