This exceptional group belonged to Lt. Colonel Edward Van Allen, B-24 pilot with the 717th Bombardment Squadron and later deputy commander of the 449th Bombardment Group, 15th Air Force during WW2. In later life he was a test flight engineer with North American Aviation during the X-1 and X-2 development. He was lost at sea in 1974 while flying a Cessna 182 from California to Hawaii.
The group consist of items all related to his wartime service with the centerpiece being 4 pieces of aluminum aircraft skin which have been damaged by shrapnel or bullets along with a piece of iron shrapnel. Van Allen had at least 20 bombing missions and these pieces almost certainly came from the aircraft he was piloting on a mission. Other pieces include his dog tags, a bullion theater made AAF patch, 2- 15th Air Force patches, collar disks, Lt. Colonel rank insignia, 3- sets of wings including a snowflake back pilot wing, a Gemsco shirt size senior pilot and a command pilot wing which could be from his time with North American Aviation. There are also newspaper clippings relating to his wartime service and various wartime papers such as ration cards and passes. There is a group of wartime foreign currency with much of it being Italian and North African notes, one group of notes is taped together at the ends and I believe these were carried for use as currency in case of bailout.
A significant group that belonged to an officer that played an important role in the European air war.
