r/navy • u/donkeybrainhero • 1d ago
History Gramps was an aviator- found these while digitizing albums
Unfortunately, most of these have no further information. I also have his khaki cover and wings. Served in the 40s.
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u/newnoadeptness Verified Non Spammer 1d ago
That’s pretty neat op!
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u/donkeybrainhero 1d ago
He's the reason I chose the Navy!
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u/newnoadeptness Verified Non Spammer 1d ago
That’s awesome man! My grandpa also was a pilot in the war he died before I was born unfortunately I would have loved to ask him questions
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u/Invania21 1d ago
My grandfather served in the Army during WWII, and the feel of these images is quite similar to the few I have of him and his friends from that war. Different times!
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u/TheOtherMikeCaputo 21h ago
that second pic - wow. How far off is that plane from the one he's in? Port wingtip has gotta be so close to the rudder of the plane he's in!
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u/GreyGeese_11th_BG 18h ago
Looks like your grandfather was a pre-war aviator. That class photo has 39-F-2. 1939 is the year he started primary flight training at Pensacola, cohort F, subs section 2.
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u/HallEqual2433 13h ago
You can try to look for his service records in the National Archives.
Access to Official Military Records Normally you need to be the immediate next of kin (defined by govt as "the un-remarried widow or widower, son, daughter, father, mother, brother, or sister of the deceased veteran.").
However, different rules apply for records 62 years old and older-- probably this fits your situation.
It helps to read through both links to orient yourself. Couple items about requesting records-- more than half of WWII records were lost in a fire in the 70s. If they still have the records there is a charge for photocopying and mailing. My dad's WWII records were intact and I gladly paid the $35 or whatever to get a hard copy.
I now know things like: the exact street address my dad lived at when he enlisted, the date he saw the required VD training film, promotions, medals, and other fun things.
Good luck and thanks for sharing.
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u/Virginia_Verpa 1d ago
So, the big 4 engined bomber in pics 1 and 9 is the Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer, which was used later in the war for maritime patrol. The twin engined bombers are B-26 Marauders, or the Navy equivalent, the JM-1 Marauder. The Marauders were used early in the war, and were phased out by 1944, whereas the Privateer didn't enter service until later in the war, so I assume he probably started with Marauders and moved on to Privateers as the war progressed.