WWII USAAF Officer's Wool "Flighter" Crusher Cap by Bancroft Cap Co. Identified to Lt. William D. Newlon (Size 7)
WWII USAAF Officer's Wool "Flighter" Crusher Cap by Bancroft Cap Co. Identified to Lt. William D. Newlon (Size 7)
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Description
This is an original WWII U.S. Army Air Force officer's "Flighter" crusher cap manufactured by Bancroft Cap Co. of Framingham, Massachusetts. It is inscribed with its original owner's name, "Lt. William D. Newlon". View the Veteran's Information section for more details regarding Lt. Newlon's life and military service. This cap is constructed of gabardine wool and features a russet brown leather chinstrap and single ply "crushable" visor. When first acquired, this cap was missing its officer's device; given Lt. Newlon's service in the Pacific Theater of Operations (more below), we sourced a faithful replacement manufactured by K.G. Luke of Melbourne, Australia. Beneath the headband is a size tag of 7. This is actually one of two caps available originally belonging to Lt. Newlon; the other is a summer-weight khaki version. The last image is provided compliments of Lt. Newlon's son and shows Lt. Newlon (right) in front of his B-25 Thor, God of Thunder!
Provenance
Private Collection, Reno, Nevada
Condition Report
This cap is in very good, used condition, with minimal signs of wear.
Veteran's Information
William Delwyn Newlon was born on February 12, 1920, in Montana. On December 22, 1941, just a couple weeks after the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Newlon enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps in Missoula, Montana. He served in the 42nd Bombardment Group, 13th Air Force in the South Pacific as the pilot of the B-25 Thor, God of Thunder! On June 1, 1944, he was awarded the Air Medal with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster "after completing 21 combat missions, dropping 45-tons of explosives over Jap-infested territory" (Dillon Daily Tribune, July 11, 1944). Newlon survived the war, and eventually achieved the rank of captain. Newlon died on July 23, 1985, at the age of 65 and is buried at Missoula Cemetery. Made available to the new owner below are Newlon's enlistment records from the National Archives, newspaper clippings from the aforementioned article, his draft registration card, additional photographs from his son, and gravesite.
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