Naval Aviator Lieutenant Dress Blue Jacket

Clothing/Dress/Costume

-

Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum

Name/Title

Naval Aviator Lieutenant Dress Blue Jacket

Description

A double-breasted navy lieutenant (jg) dress blue jacket. Pilot wings are sewn over the left breast pocket, gold buttons line the front of the jacket, and the sleeve ends have two gold-threaded stripes of different sizes with a gold star directly above.

Use

Issued to naval pilots as part of their uniform.

Context

Over a year after enlisting in the US Navy, Ensign William "Bill" Grigsby was authorized to fly on March 14, 1944. This approval finally came after both pre-flight school in Athens, Georgia, and flight school at Naval Air Station (NAS) in Pensacola, Florida. After a mission testing experimental G-suits with Air Group Five in Fallon, Nevada, Grigsby transferred to Air Group Twelve and entered the Pacific War. As a member of Fighting-Bombing Squadron 12 assigned to the USS Randolph (CV-15), Ensign Grigsby's F6F Hellcat was among the first of 16 planes to launch an attack against Tokyo. Grigsby’s target, Tokyo's Haneda airport, was successfully bombed. His later missions included ground support at Iwo Jima, a second Tokyo raid, Okinawa ground support, and combat air patrol against kamikaze attacks. Grigsby was demobilized as Lieutenant Junior Grade and discharged on November 5, 1945. His decorations include the Air Medal with clusters, the Distinguished Flying Cross, among other commendations. From the Collection of William Grigsby.

Collection

William Calvin Grigsby, Jr. Collection

Acquisition

Accession

2024.8

Source or Donor

Bernard C. Grigsby

Acquisition Method

Donation

Made/Created

Manufacturer

S.W. Rice

Date made

Feb 16, 1944

Label/Inscription/Signature

Type

Label

Location

Outside right inside jacket pocket

Transcription

S.W. Rice UNIFORMS OF QUALITY PENSACOLA, FLA. QUANTICO, VA. CORPUS CRISTI, TEXAS BALTIMORE, MD. ANNAPOLIS, MD.

Language

English

Material/Technique

Label

Type

Label

Location

Inside right inside jacket pocket

Transcription

S.W. RICE Uniforms of Quality W C GRIGSBY JR Date 2/16/44 no. 66805

Language

English

Material/Technique

Label

Type

Inscription

Location

Inside fabric of right arm

Transcription

William Grigsby CALL 6

Language

English

Material/Technique

In Artist's Hand, Stamped

Update Date

June 12, 2025