Original U.S. WWII 398th Bomb Squadron 20th Air Force Painted B-15 Flight Jacket “Stan” – Size 34

of further research. It definitely has potential to be identified with enough work. Comes ready for further research and display. 

History of the 398th

Reactivated in March 1944 as a Boeing B-29 Superfortress Very Heavy bombardment squadron. When training was completed moved to North Field (Tinian) in the Mariana Islands of the Central Pacific Area in January 1945 and assigned to XXI Bomber Command, Twentieth Air Force. Its mission was the strategic bombardment of the Japanese Home Islands and the destruction of its war-making capability.

Flew “shakedown” missions against Japanese targets on Moen Island, Truk, and other points in the Caroline Islands and Marianas. The squadron began combat missions over Japan on 25 February 1945 with a firebombing mission over Northeast Tokyo. The squadron continued to participate in wide area firebombing attack, but the first ten-day blitz resulting in the Army Air Forces running out of incendiary bombs. Until then the squadron flew conventional strategic bombing missions using high explosive bombs.

The squadron continued attacking urban areas with incendiary raids until the end of the war in August 1945, attacking major Japanese cities, causing massive destruction of urbanized areas. Also conducted raids against strategic objectives, bombing aircraft factories, chemical plants, oil refineries, and other targets in Japan. The squadron flew its last combat missions on 14 August when hostilities ended. Afterwards, its B 29s carried relief supplies to Allied prisoner of war camps in Japan and Manchuria.

Squadron was largely demobilized on Tinian during the fall of 1945. Remained in Western Pacific, assigned to Twentieth Air Force. Moved to Clark Field in the Philippines in March 1946. Inactivated at Clark Field on Luzon on 15 June 1946; its low-hour aircraft flown to storage depots in the United States.