Monthly Archives: January 2020

Major General Jack Kenneth Gamble earned his AAF pilot wings in 1943, and flew 93 combat missions in the Bristol Beaufighter as part of the 414th Night Fighter Squadron on missions over North Africa, Sardinia, Corsica, Southern France, and Northern Italy. He was officially credited with a joint kill on a Luftwaffe Dornier Do217 “Flying Pencil” bomber on January 23, 1944. He assumed command of the 29th Fighter Interceptor Squadron (flying the F-94 Starfire) in December 1953, then the 319th Fighter Interceptor Squadron (flying the F-106 Delta Dart) in November 1960, and subsequently served as the director of operations of the 86th Air Division (flying the F-102 Delta Dagger) out of Ramstein Air Base, Germany from July 1964 to July 1967. He commanded the 52nd Fighter Wing and then the 35th Air Division in the late 1960s, and his last assignment was as the commander of the Alaskan Air Command, a post that he held from March 1974 to his retirement in September 1975. Jack Gamble earned two stars and the rank of Major General, and enjoyed a 30 plus year career in the US Air Force. This USAF Vietnam Era MAJOR GENERAL JACK GAMBLE EXPERIMENTAL L-2A STYLE FLIGHT JACKET is in very good condition, with an overall malodorous air from storage in a smoky room, some light stitch holes at the left chest and each shoulder strap where previous insignia once were, some scattered soiling to the plastic covering of the name badge at the left chest, some light cracking to the inner corners of that plastic covering, some scattered whitish and dark soiling at each wrist, some fraying to the experimental label at the inside neck, some “browning” to the information tag below that label, a laundry ticket stapled to that information tag, some grayish soiling at the top shoulders, some dark soiling at the left back, and with some scattered age wear evident (ALL pictured). Otherwise, the jacket is in fine shape, with no other damage to the tough blue wool gabardine construction. Most interestingly, it’s a Size 44R, bears the original plastic covered silver stamped black leather wings/name badge of Command Pilot Major General Jack K. Gamble at the left chest, the striking machine embroidered patch of the “43RD TACTICAL FIGHTER SQUADRON” at the right chest (an F-4 Phantom squadron assigned to Alaskan Air Command under CO General Jack Gamble), and the familiar plastic covered two star Major General rank insignia at each shoulder strap, and carries the traditional “EXPERIMENTAL TEST SAMPLE / CLOTHING BRANCH” label at the inside neck. It boasts the classic black knit collar, cuffs, and waistband, sports a fully functional “CONMAR” darkened brass front zipper, and features slash entry, darkened brass “glove” snap flap closure lower front “hand warmer” pockets, a snap closure front waist tab, snap down shoulder straps, and a smooth blue satin lining. A fine example of a very rare, original USAF Vietnam Era MAJOR GENERAL JACK GAMBLE EXPERIMENTAL L-2A STYLE FLIGHT JACKET. We have shown a photo of General Jack Gamble in the early 1970s. GOVERNMENT at the left front. The item “USAF Vietnam Era MAJOR GENERAL JACK GAMBLE EXPERIMENTAL L-2A STYLE FLIGHT JACKET” is in sale since Wednesday, January 1, 2020. This item is in the category “Collectibles\Militaria\Vietnam (1961-75)\Original Period Items\Uniforms”. The seller is “abramsantiques” and is located in Claremont, California. This item can be shipped worldwide.