Artifact Friday: Captain Alfred Lee Cathcart's Bomber Jacket

The classic bomber jackets renowned in movies such as Top Gun and Indiana Jones have a

significant history within the Military. They were not just for warmth but were distributed for a

practical use that contributed to the bomber jacket's iconic construction. This Friday, Captain

Alfred Lee Cathcart's Air Force bomber jacket on display will be the feature for our Artifact Friday.

Captain Cathcart's bomber jacket is a particular model of the Air Force bomber jacket. It is known as the B15-C bomber jacket that was manufactured specifically for the Korean War. It has a fur collar that was to combat the cold and provide wind protection. The color of the jacket is an olive drab that would be replaced in the middle of the Korean conflict with the famous Air Force blue color. The replaced blue would come to signify the American Air Force, but the Olive Drab color was more practical if shot down in action due to its camouflage color. This jacket also has a center set zipper that became important to modifying or removing the fur collar of the jacket. The fur collar was reported to have problems, blocking helmet straps and oxygen masks. Due to this, later models would feature a wool collar that would solve the problems of the fur collar. The B15-C bomber jacket was standard issue from 1950-1953. Captain Alfred Lee Cathcart himself served in Korea from June 1953 to August 1954, therefore being at the tail end of receiving this model of the bomber jacket. Only then a Second Lieutenant, Cathcart served with the 8th Army Flight Detachment flying reconnaissance missions in L-17 Navion aircraft. This particular bomber jacket saw over a year of service in Korea and held true to its design to aid the American Air Force. Cathcart continued his service in the Indiana National Guard and later the Arkansas National Guard retiring as a Captain. After retiring from the military, Captain Cathcart worked several jobs, one being the Federal Aviation Administration at the Fayetteville Municipal Airport (Drake Field). This is not only a fascinating story of a man dedicated to his service but a story of an extraordinary backstory to a famous jacket design.