This World War II A-2 flight jacket was manufactured by Rough Wear Clothing co., is a size 38, has a Talon zipper, and was worn by a member of the 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment. Unfortunately, the name tag has been removed. The left chest carries a parachutist badge on the leather (faint) and a wonderful embroidered 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment patch known as the “Wildcat Patch” or simply the “Cat Patch.” The “Cat Patch” was designed by the Walt Disney Studios shortly after Pearl Harbor. The 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment was formed in February 1942 and was the first U.S. airborne regiment to fight in the Pacific Theater. The unit suffered its first major casualties during the combat jump on the island of Noemfoor in August 1944 but was able to suppress Japanese resistance. For heroic actions taken during this battle, paratrooper Sergeant Ray Eubanks was awarded the Model of Honor. In December 1944, the 503rd participated in the amphibious landings on Mindoro Island in the Central Philippines. The taking of Mindoro Island allowed for the construction of USAAF airfields that supported the landings in Luzon. The 503rd is perhaps best known for its actions in the retaking of Corregidor, nicknamed the Rock, in early 1945. In the months after Pearl Harbor, Corregidor, a small island at the mouth of Manila Bay, was the last Allied stronghold in the Philippines to fall to the Japanese. In October 1944, America and her allies returned, starting with the recapture of Leyte. Operation TOPSIDE was the U.S. airborne assault on Corregidor that began on the morning of February 16, 1945. The airdrops included two battalions of the 503rd. By early March Corregidor was officially in control by the Americans. For successfully liberating Corregidor, the unit received a Presidential Unit Citation and its nickname “the Rock Regiment.” The regiment landed on Negros island and spent the rest of the war mopping up Japanese resistance on the island. Provenance: The Putnam Green/Sycamore Collection

Good for a well-worn jacket that likely saw action in the Pacific. The cuffs and waist band are replacements. The solid patch retains strong, vivid colors. A World War II A-2 flight jacket worn by a member of the 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment, a unit that played a significant role in the retaking of Corregidor.