342nd Fighter Squadron, 348th Fighter Group, 5th AAF
Flying out the Southwest Pacific Theater during WWII, the 348th FG was the most successful P-47 Thunderbolt unit in the Pacific War. The Group's commander, Colonel Neel Kearby ran up 20+ kills including a 6 kills in one mission for which he was awarded the Medal of Honor. The Group scored 396 kills (over half of all the kills credited to 5th AAF and boasted 20P-47 aces to include George Davis, who would later be awarded the Medal of Honor flying F-86s in the Korean War.
Acquired from Lt. Upton's son, this group includes along with his Air Medal, photo's and insignia...a rare Australian made A2 flight jacket with Aussie made 342nd patch.
Lt. Upton is mentioned in "Kearby's Thunderbolt's", the history of the famous fighter squadron, and was wingman to noted P-47 Ace Major William D. Dunham.
Some of his Australian made insignia
Shown here is a rendition of a P-47 of the type Lt. Upton would have flown in the Pacific.
