WWII US Army Air Force Officers Garrison Cap

Named USAAF Tan Summer Garrison Cap to Henry H., O-749208. In very good condition, pin back captains rank bars. Flight Crew, Pilot, Oct 45, Capt.
Flew B-24’s with the 380th Bomb Group 529 squadron.

The 380th Bombardment Group (Heavy) was a famous U.S. Army Air Forces World War II unit activated on November 3, 1942.Known as the "Flying Circus" or "King of the Heavies," they flew B-24 Liberator bombers in the Southwest Pacific Theatre, operating under the 5th Air Force and attached to the Royal Australian Air Force.Overview and OperationsActivation: Formed at Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona, before training at Biggs Field, Texas, and Lowry Field, Colorado.Theater: Southwest Pacific, operating extensively from bases in northern and western Australia, New Guinea, the Philippines, and Okinawa.Aircraft: Consolidated B-24 Liberator.Squadrons: 528th, 529th, 530th, and 531st Bombardment Squadrons.Key Missions and ContributionsRAAF Training: Trained Royal Australian Air Force ground and air crews on B-24 operations.Darwin Defense: Flew early armed reconnaissance patrols to protect Australia's Northern Territory from Japanese invasion.Long-Range Raids: Struck strategic Japanese oil refineries, shipping, and airfields in Borneo (such as Balikpapan), the Netherlands Indies, and the Philippines.Honors: Awarded two U.S. Distinguished Unit Citations and the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation.

Code: 58316