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Lt. Harvey A. Paul Officer's Visor - 8th AAF

Article about: While at a local antique store with my wife and son this weekend I happened upon an Officer's visor. I've never known this store to have any militaria so it was a bit of a surprise. The viso

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    Default Lt. Harvey A. Paul Officer's Visor - 8th AAF

    While at a local antique store with my wife and son this weekend I happened upon an Officer's visor. I've never known this store to have any militaria so it was a bit of a surprise. The visor had been snacked on by moths but wasn't in terrible shape. The tag indicated the emblem was acid marked (it is) and appears to have been on this visor for a very long time. The price was reasonable as is but they were having a 20% off sale so I purchased it.

    It wasn't until I got home and had a chance to look it over that I realized it was named. The name was somewhat difficult to make out but appeared to be named to Lt. H. A. Paul and included his Officer Service Number which is very legible. After some research I narrowed it down to who I thought was Lt. Harvey Alexander Paul. Lt. Paul was a local individual who fit the initials and rank. After some more researching I saw that on one of his missions his B-17 was damaged and ditched in the English Channel. A contact of mine was able to pull the MACR and confirm the Service Number.

    Lt. Paul served in the 568th Bomb Squadron, 390th Bomb Group, 8th AAF. He was a co-pilot flying B-17s and completed his 25 missions between August 1943 and February 1944. On August 24, 1943 he was flying his second mission onboard the "Hot Rocks" when they were hit by enemy fighters and forced to ditch their plane. Him and another individual onboard were lightly injured while the Navigator, Lt. Frank Dell Armi, was KIA.

    Below are some pictures of the visor and of Lt. Paul. One picture includes Lt. Dell Armi.

    Lt. Harvey A. Paul Officer's Visor - 8th AAF

    Lt. Harvey A. Paul Officer's Visor - 8th AAF

    Lt. Harvey A. Paul Officer's Visor - 8th AAF

    Courtesy of the 390th Memorial Museum.
    Lt. Harvey A. Paul Officer's Visor - 8th AAF

    Lt. Paul is bottom row, second from left.
    Courtesy of NARA.
    Lt. Harvey A. Paul Officer's Visor - 8th AAF

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    Also of note is that Lt. Paul was involved in the mission on November 16, 1943 to bomb Rjukan, Norway in an attempt to destroy the Norse Hydro plant.

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    Great research friend.

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    MAP
    MAP is offline
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    Another piece of history tied back to the item! That is fantastic!!!
    "Please", Thank You" and proper manners appreciated

    My greatest fear is that one day I will die and my wife will sell my guns for what I told her I paid for them

    "Don't tell me these are investments if you never intend to sell anything" (Quote: Wife)

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    What a find and great research of this historical cap.
    Regards,

    Jerry

    Whatever its just an opinion.

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    Nipped at or not and it's from the 8th AF, I'm loving it. Its nice to put a face to an item. Good job

    Semper Fi
    Phil
    Last edited by AZPhil; 07-11-2016 at 06:59 PM.

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    Thanks for the kind words everyone! The visor has a great back story and it was a pleasure doing the research and putting the history back with it.

    Phil- You're the first one I thought of when I hit on the Mighty 8th!

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    a terrific find well done.

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    Fantastic history that is now deservedly back with this cap! Well done Ed, Leon.

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    Great to know the history attached to this cap. Lt.Paul's tour of duty of course covered the most desperate times for 8th Air Force bomber groups, when the heavy losses caused serious concerns about the strategy of daylight precision bombing.
    I wonder if he flew on one, or even both of the notorious Schweinfurt raids in August & October of 1943? He woudl have just missed "Big Week", the first bombing of Berlin in March, 1944.

    BobS

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