Newly Made Item: Only One Available. This is a wonderful example of a hand painted copy of an original A2 Bomber Jacket for the 392nd Bomb Group B-24 Bomber “Trips Daily”. As it happens, we have the ORIGINAL JACKET that this jacket was copied from. The Vet has this copy made so he could wear it to events without risking damage to his original jacket.

Trips Daily survivor reports indicate the aircraft was attacked by enemy fighters about (5) miles past their intended target, as the other 392nd bombers experienced. German Report #KU3469 cited this plane being downed about 3000 meters east of the village of Merrheim, 12 kilometers from Kirn/Hunsrueck; that it was shot down by fighters and had a mid-air explosion before striking the ground. These reports initially indicated that (4) of the crew were captured near the above location and (3) others were found dead at the crash site, at about 1300 hours. Later these reports were supplemented to confirm (2) names of the deceased and all those crew members taken prisoner. The remains of Sgt. Callejas (tail gunner) were never initially identified by the Germans being listed as "unknown" while Buaas (pilot) and Worcester (nose gunner) were positively named. Later on 10 January 1945, the Germans had come up with Sgt. Callejas’ identity, and so reported this information.

The Co-Pilot, Lt. Pedrotta, gave the following detailed account later on the crew’s emergency, after his repatriation from POW status.

"After ringing the bail out bell, I prepared to bail-out. (Pilot) Buaas called to me to release his seat that had jammed. I finally released the seat and made for the bomb bay. I called to Buaas while I was standing on the catwalk and said "lets get the hell out of here". He turned and said ‘lets go’. At this point I knew he had not been injured. He made his way out of the seat and on to the flight deck at the radio compartment. It was here that he collapsed face down. I reached back in an attempt to pull him out but I could not move him under the circumstances since the ship was completely out of control. So in order to get out at all, I had to do it right then. We were to the best of my knowledge about 4,500 or 5,000 feet then. Just seconds after I bailed out, I heard the ship explode but I couldn’t tell whether it was still in the air or not. It is my opinion that he (Buaas) never had a chance to leave the ship. Not long before Buaas had complained to me of his heart. I suggested he see the Doctor, but he wouldn’t. That is why I suspect he died of a heart attack (in-flight)".

Another crew survivor’s account regarding the tail gunner, Sgt. Callejas, stated that the latter was bleeding badly and was taken from the tail turret unconscious, having been hit in the chest with a 20mm cannon shell, and died prior to the bail out attempt. The Co-Pilot’s detailed report of bail outs also stated that the Bombardier bailed out of the nose wheel door hatch at about 18,000 feet and had sustained no injuries; the Engineer exited out of hole blown in the waist section, around 18,000 feet about (25) miles from the target, as had the Bombardier that Sgt. Sopha had jumped through the bomb bay area earlier around 20,000 feet along with the Radio Operator, the latter suffering a slight leg injury on bail out; and Sgt. McGrew had bailed out from the waist section around 15,000 feet and incurred several bail out injuries and was hospitalized later. A last account by one of the surviving members, given back in the States after the war in 1945, Sgt. Sopha, stated that their plane had blown up while still in the air which information had been given to him by one of the waist gunners, Sgt. Coleman, who observed this event while descending in his parachute. Accounts indicated that this crew was on about their 16th combat mission.

BURIAL ACCOUNTS: German reports indicate that the (3) casualties were buried in the village cemetery of Merrheim on 4 December. Subsequent U.S. National Overseas Cemetery records indicate that Sgt. Worchester was re-interred in the plot at LORRAINE (Grave C-28-73), awarded an Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and the Purple Heart. No other information exists on the re-burials of the two remaining members.

The jacket still retains all of its artwork including a lovely handpainted squadron patch on the front left as well as the nose gunner position painted on the right. The reverse has a large winged number 8 with the B-24 name “Trips Daily” above it. Beneath the 8 is the B-24 dropping 33 bombs.

The jacket is an XL and comes ready to wear or display!

Approx. Measurements:
Collar to shoulder: 13”
Shoulder to sleeve: 24”
Shoulder to shoulder: 24”
Chest width: 22”
Waist width: 22”
Hip width: 20”
Front length: 30"