Small Pilot Grouping

[BodhiEtheridge]

This set came out of a local estate sale, cost a grand total of 45$. His tunic thankfully was left as is and still has his wings and pins. It was very dusty, no doubt put away and forgotten since the war. It consists of his Tunic, three ties, undershirt, and two pairs of trousers. Everything has some moth damage except his tunic. The wings are wartime, this group got my hopes up with his name however I still did not manage to turn any good research up. However either way I’m very happy with this group.

Happy Hunting,
Bodhi

[Rakkasan187]

Another great grouping. Look at the back of the wings for a maker.

Looks like the name is J. Grinstrad or Grinstread possibly..

Smitty

[BodhiEtheridge]

The wings are maker marked I got some pretty bad pictures just before I left to work, I’ll update them when I get home and can take more time on it.

The name is J. Grinstead im fairly sure, the Ties appear to be marked R. S. Grinstead, neither name gave me results.

Edit. Here are those pictures, forgot to upload them ������*♂️. Not the best because I didn’t want to remove the pin, definitely hasn’t been removed before so I don’t want to be the one to.

[Rakkasan187]

The wing looks like a NS Meyer Made Sterling Wing.

Very good

Smitty

[Kohima]

A possible contender...?
Buried on Luzon.

[Rakkasan187]

With the Ruptured Duck on one of the shirts, this would indicate that Grinstead survived the war... A good start to research though.

Smitty

[Kohima]

Ahh... Excellent point.

[BodhiEtheridge]

Although there is a ruptured duck that seems like it almost must be him. I say that because the estate this came from had some navy uniforms, nothing fancy just plain tops and trousers, and now I feel terrible for leaving them behind if they could have a significant part of this group, they were very overpriced but I would’ve paid if I knew.

But that said, The news paper article shown matches very very well with what I see and what is on the tunic. But that does leave the question of the ruptured duck, maybe belonging to another family member and go mixed in with his items? Or maybe this is a coincidence and it is two different Grinsteads.

[Kohima]

If we could identify the service number of the gentleman in the news article, that would confirm that the ruptured duck is from another family member (a very real possibility). Although relatively circumstantial, I agree that the tunic, and the presence of naval uniforms found with it, ties in so neatly with the article that it seems pretty much concrete.

Is the ruptured duck shirt more of an enlisted mans’ quality? It appears to be an early example, with gas flap, and is without epaulets. Though this, in itself, would not be conclusive, as many Officers acquired EMs uniform items as ‘workwear’.

If you hold areas of the shirt up, against the daylight, you may see traces of pin or stitch holes for any badges or insignia; perhaps shoulder, sleeves and collar points.

(If you could go back for the navy uniforms, I would! It may be the confirmation you need - if named to his brother, Jack. If as overpriced as you say, maybe they didn’t sell).

P.S: just re-read this and noticed the number of ‘ifs’ involved! But that’s what research is all about, after all.
It would be fantastic to reconnect a little piece of broken history.

[BodhiEtheridge]

Unfortunately those Navy Uniforms are long gone by know, it was an estate sale and it has been over for some weeks now, and i have no contact with the man running it. As bad as I feel for leaving them I do have a navy picture from that sale, it shows the 25th and 27th Regimental Choir in June 1945.

Maybe a stretch but Jack was awaiting call in February 1945, now here he is in June 1945. His uniforms were plain seamen tops with no patches which matches most of the gents in this picture. I have no idea how hard it is to research sailors but if Jack Grinstead was apart of the Choir then I’d imagine that answers everything.

And for the undershirt, it does appear to be more along the lines of an enlistedmans, I will look for pin holes and such.