Fifth Air Force Patch
Description
In WWII, Fifth Air Force was a U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF) combat air force in the Pacific Theater. Today Fifth Air Force is a numbered air force of the U.S. Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) headquartered at Yokota AFB, Japan.
The WWII-era patch is embroidered in yellow, white, and red on a blue twill background.
My grandfather Richard Forrest was part of this squad too. He was stationed in New Guinea to spy on the Japanese with the Australians. He lived with natives there and had them build the first air plane landing strip. My grandfather learned the native’s language and he created the first map of the island. The tribe gave my grandfather their martial tribal axe and a couple other things., I guess they liked him.. They thought my grandfather was a god, because he flew in on a metal bird from the sky and he was white with blue eyes. I have all his military items, he never threw any away. Then after he went to the Philippines and became the mayor over there for a short time before he came back to America, where he worked with Hughes air craft special projects department for 50 years.
My father served with the 5th Army Air Corps, HQ & BS Sv SQDN ASG. He was a Automative Mechanic. I have a few pictures that were passed down to me, one taken at Keesler Field in Mississippi, and one taken at separation at Ft. Lawton on July 15, 1947. One of his uniform shirts with SGT strips and the 5th shoulder patch. I had this shirt professionally framed several years ago and it hangs with my military awards. He didn’t talk about his time in the service so not too much know by the family.
My father was stationed in Japan and a member of the 5th Army Air Corps. He never talked about his time there. Died in ‘78, when I was only 18. I just finished his shadow box with military stuff, but I have no idea what squadron, what he did, or any of that info.
Don’t give up, Harold. It’s convoluted, but there are ways to determine such details. Might want to start with 5th historical society(ies). Army records for that period might not have been destroyed in the St. Louis fire in the 1970s; don’t accept the fire as the first, lazy response from the Army or Air Force when they say they can’t find him. There are people on-line who can run down all that info for a fee. There’s one fella in Torrence, Calif who used to do it for about $400.
The fella in So.Cal. is Bill Beigel. I’m not employed or connected with him. My last contact with him was about 4 years ago, so IDK if he’s still in business.
The Fifth was a major, kick-butt group. They must have several groups around, e.g., children and grandchildren, to carry on the Fifth’s legacy.
Sadly, for all of us, that generation has passed into history except for a very limited number of men and women born in the early to late 20s, but I reckon they’re not too active these days.
Their breed will likely never pass this way again.
God Bless ’em, one and all.
My dad was stationed in the airfield at Darwin, Australia. He was a Staff Sargeant. He was responsible for maintenance of the turret guns on the belly of bombers of the Fifth Army Air force.
As he explained it one night while he was on guard duty he was encountered by an Aboriginal trespasser and he slit the belly of the man from his navel to his heart. The look of shock on the man stayed with dad up until the day he died 50 years after the fact.
Dad said he was likely looking for food.
My father served as an airplane mechanic during WWII for the 5th Air Force (Air Corps) in New Guinea and Clark Air Base in the Philippines. I’m thankful God spared him to be my father. He was a great man, teacher, and musician.
My father also was an airplane mechanic in The 5th Air Force during WW2. Great man from a great generation
My Uncle, Walter P. Tilke, was a navigator on B-29 aircraft in WWII and a member of the 5th Air Force, “Seahawks” Squadron. Looking for information on the squadron and anything else that may be pertinent to him.
Ancestry.com may have muster reports on your uncle’s service.
My uncle, Major Newt McWilliams, was stationed in New Guinea with the 5th. He was a bomber pilot and won a Bronze Cross, a Silver Cross, a Purple Heart and another flying medal (I don’t know which as his granddaughter has them). Anyway, he received the Silver Star and the Purple Heart when he got into a fight with a couple of Japanese Zeros escorting a bomber in the South Coral Sea. He landed with only one engine. The Japanese, not so lucky.
My Grandfather was also a radio operator in the 5th Army Air force. He was a strong and proud man.
My father was a radio operator on a transport in the 5th Army Airforce during WWII. I will visit the museum this summer. I also believe my Uncle may have been in the 5th as well. In his latter life he worked at Dover AFB.