What Is The Service Hat For A Usaf Major

Cap, Service, Officer, United states of america Air Force

Cap, Service, Officer, United States Air Force — Cap, Service, Officer, U.s. Air Force

Usa Air Force (USAF) field and general officer's service cap; bluish wool shade no. 1549; black felt visor with black leather border and silverish wire embroidered embellishment (thunder clouds with lightning bolts depicted); black leather chin strap with silverish buttons with embossed crest of the USAF depicted; United States Coat of Arms silver officer insignia (eagle with spread wings surmounted past xiii stars surrounded by laurel leaf wreath, olive branch in right talon and cluster of arrows in left talon, ribbon held in beak with raised letter text "East PLURIBUS UNUM) on front peak of cap.

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Display Condition:

This object is not on display at the National Air and Space Museum. It is either on loan or in storage.

This is an example of a standard issue United States Air Force field and general officer's service cap for the air force tropical weight blue shade 1549 officer'southward uniform. This style of uniform was introduced in 1967 and phased out of service in 1999.

This cap was worn by the donor, Lt. Col. Joe M. Jackson. Col. Jackson saw extensive service in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam during his career. He joined the Army Air Corps in March 1941 eight months prior to the U.s. entry into the war. During World State of war II, he was a crew primary in B-25 bombers only would somewhen receive his committee and piloted B-24 Liberators. During the Korean War, he flew 107 gainsay missions in F-84 Thunderjets and helped to develop many combat tactics with early on jet aircraft. In the early 1960s, he became one of the first air force pilots to fly the Lockheed U-2 reconnaissance aircraft. Jackson career continued and served in his third war f flight C-123 Providers in Vietnam. On May 12, 1968 he was awarded the Medal of Honor during a rescue mission over Kham Duc.

His citation reads:

"For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and across the call of duty. Lt. Col. Jackson distinguished himself as pilot of a C-123 aircraft. Lt. Col. Jackson volunteered to attempt the rescue of a three-man USAF Combat Command Squad from the Special Forces camp at Kham Duc. Hostile forces had overrun the forward outpost and established gun positions on the airstrip. They were raking the camp with small arms, mortars, light and heavy automated weapons, and recoilless rifle burn. The camp was engulfed in flames and ammunition dumps were continuously exploding and littering the runway with droppings. In improver, eight aircraft had been destroyed by the intense enemy fire and one aircraft remained on the runway reducing its usable length to only two,200 anxiety. To farther complicate the landing, the weather was deteriorating rapidly, thereby permitting only i air strike prior to his landing. Although fully aware of the farthermost danger and likely failure of such an effort. Lt. Col. Jackson elected to land his aircraft and attempt to rescue. Displaying superb airmanship and extraordinary heroism, he landed his aircraft near the point where the combat control team was reported to exist hiding. While on the ground, his aircraft was the target of intense hostile burn down. A rocket landed in front of the nose of the shipping but failed to explode. Once the combat control team was aboard, Lt. Col. Jackson succeeded in getting airborne despite the hostile burn down directed across the runway in front of his shipping. Lt. Col. Jackson's profound concern for his young man men, at the take a chance of his life above and across the call of duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Air Forcefulness and reflect great credit upon himself, and the Armed Forces of his state."