Portfolio: John Slemp

Hal Weekley, A-2, “Hell’s Angels ”The B–17 bomber was no stranger to Hal Weekley, who flew serial number 2102516 on its last combat mission over La Manoir, France, in 1944, before the Flying Fortress was shot down. Weekley wrote about his missions from Nuthampstead, England, in his book, 'The Last of the Combat B–17 Drivers'. He flew the Experimental Aircraft Association’s commemorative B–17 'Aluminum Overcast' for years, and Weekley’s name is written on the airplane’s aluminum skin. U.S. Army Air Corps pilots and crews personalized their standard-issue A-2 flight jackets with squadron patches and artwork. The Navy version of the jacket, which had a fur collar, is commonly referred to as the G-1.

“Hal Weekley wore this jacket when he was shot down on his twentieth mission over France. With the help of a farmer, he evaded the Germans closing in on the farmhouse and eventually returned to his base in England.”

Note the 1944 logbook entry “shot down” at La Manoir, France.

Weekley gave the bracelet to the French family as a token of his appreciation; years later, it was returned when Weekley and his wife visited the family. The pilot’s logbook, dog tag, and watch are preserved, but his flight jacket is frayed on both cuffs.

Bob “Punchy” Powell, A-2 (replica) Bob “Punchy” Powell got his nickname from his boxing days. “He was a bomber escort specialist and flew three cover missions in 16 hours during the D-Day invasion.” Powell, based in Bodney, England, piloted either the P–51 Mustang or a P–47 Thunderbolt on more than 80 missions. His unofficial biography lists six destroyed enemy aircraft. “His original flight jacket is in the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum in Pooler, Georgia.”

Slemp says the artwork on the jackets he’s photographed varies from a professional look to Crayola-crayon designs. “When these guys came back from a mission, the last thing they wanted to do was paint their own jacket. Even if you came back without casualties, I’m sure they were wiped out.”

Frederick G. Smith, A-2, “Century Bombers” “This jacket belonged to Frederick G. Smith, of the 100th Bomber Group, 351st Bomb Squadron, and The Bloody 100th is their nickname. The jacket has 15 bombs in two columns of threes on its back, in the shape of a V, with five more at the bottom for 35 total missions.”

Kenneth D. Williams, A-2, “Murder Inc.” “This guy showed up in Europe with the Murder Inc. design and got shot down. So he rubbed it off the best he could the day he was captured because the last thing you want to do in prison camp is draw attention to yourself. But someone in the camp had already photographed Williams wearing the jacket with that insignia across its shoulder blades. The Luftwaffe pulled him out and questioned him in Berlin before sending him back to the prison. He painted it back on after the war.”

Robert (Bob) M. Mitchell Jr., A-2, “Little Joe” “He wore the jacket on every mission he flew, which was pretty unusual from what I understand. He probably had a flight suit on over that jacket, and you know I thought his jacket was just gorgeous. A swastika is for a German fighter they shot down.” Mitchell passed away about a month after the photograph was taken.

R.P. Keller, G-1, “Blood Chit” “Keller was the former commander of the Black Sheep squadron. The way I understand it, the word chit was picked up by the Brits and it means ‘ticket.’ The Flying Tigers came from the China-Burma-India Theater and a lot of those guys flew C–47s over the Himalayas supplying the Chinese. The translations say, ‘I’m an American, my plane is destroyed, I can’t speak your language, I’m an enemy of the Japanese. Please give me food and take me to the nearest military post and you will be rewarded.’”

B-17 tail gunner Albert McMahan wears the patch of the "Fightin' Bitin'" 369th Bombardment Squadron.