USMC Aviation M-421A jacket ID

[Kohima]

Greetings all,
I have this Marine Aviators’ jacket, named to Tech. Sergeant Larry M. Cohen, and wondered if there was any way to trace his unit and the aircraft type he served on.
I assume from the ‘doctored’ name tag that he was re-graded, from Staff Sergeant of the reserve, upon re-enlisting in the regular Marine Corps.

Many thanks in advance for any and all assistance,
And my very best wishes,
Bob

[08SMLE48]

It looks like it was doctored from PLT SGT the USMC abbreviation for staff sergeant is SSgt. But I think SSgt’s in those days were promoted to Tech Sgt and platoon sergeants promoted to gunny. Although I’m not 100% sure on that. I’m interested to see what someone will turn up with.

Great find Bob!

[Kohima]

Interesting.. though I can’t see the original as ‘PLT’.
It doesn’t seem to take up enough (or the right) space for that. However, as you say, ‘St.Sgt’ would be an unusual abbreviation for staff.
I’ll try to get a better image of it.

Many thanks for the information,
And all the best,
Bob

[AZPhil]

That is a Very Nice looking flight jacket Bob!!!

Now the name tag is an interesting matter.

The Rank in the Aviation field would have been Sgt, SSgt then Tech Sgt

But he would have to have been in the Ground Pounders to be a Sgt, PLT Sgt. Gunny/First

If I'm not mistaken on the rank.

I can make out the stamped out R. If you move the tag around at an angle can you make out what was there in front of the T ???


Well he is sporting Aviator wings, So a Flying Sgt..

Semper Fi
Phil

[08SMLE48]

Looking again. The same mark is present after the USMC. so perhaps there was nothing that was removed that indicated his rank and it’s just as we see it T. SGT for tech sergeant?

[Kohima]

Thanks Phil. It is a particularly smart jacket, with the typical and distinctive diamond elbow reinforcements found on the Navy flight suits.
I have one of the Navy flight suits too, but these things are notoriously fragile, being of such lightweight fabric, and are generally torn around the knee area. This M-421A jacket has a small, but very neatly period repaired, L-shaped snag in the back panel.

SMLE, the stamped letter following the USMC is clearly an R, in hand, so reserve seems most likely (I managed to get a couple of clearer images, and add them here).
As for the first scrubbed letter, for a moment I thought it might be ‘1ST’, for First Sergeant, but I am pretty sure it is just an ‘S’ with a little collateral damage to the left.
It is, as always, a little easier to see in hand, but hopefully these images may help..

All the best,
Bob

[Kohima]

To return to my original query, is there any way to trace this man’s unit assignment?
I know many ‘mud marines’ can be so traced, but wonder if the same applies to the aviators.

Many thanks and all the very best,
Bob

[AZPhil]

I did a quick search for USMC flying Sergeants and did not see a Cohen listed.

Semper Fi
Phil