WWII USAAF Life preserver 453rd Bomb Group dated 26/9/42
Here we have a classic Mae West life jacket marked with
inspection dates 9-26-42 & 9-25-43. The
jacket is also stamp ‘453 BOMB’ possibly indicating a belonged to an airman from
the 453rd Bomb Grouped. There is also a name written across the
front leather patches but I can’t quite make it out. The Co2 Bottle actuators
are present but the manual rubber inflation tubes have hardened. There is some
fraying to the straps and the item has some staining and could benefit from a
clean. We do not clean items that come into stock as buyers have different
preferences regarding looks in relation to original wear etc. Oddly enough
there doesn’t seem to be an attachment point for a neck strap.
This item could do with some further research due to the
markings shown on it and the apparent lack of a neck strap
