Summer 2024 Militaria & Collectibles Auction
Lot 305:
Description
William O’Bee O’Brien served his country as a Captain in the U. S. Army Air Corps during World War II. He was a highly decorated pilot in the 357 Fighter Group / 363 Squadron and saw combat in the European theater of operations. Obie knew at an early age his destiny was to be in the cockpit, from his first flight in 1937 onboard a Ford Tri-motor to his last flights in an F4-U Corsair at the age of 87. His real home was in the cockpit as a fighter pilot. Upon graduating from Malvern Preparatory School, he promptly enlisted in the Navy’s Aviation Midshipmen program in July 1946 and began his Navy flying career after two years attending Villanova, earning his golden wings in 1950. His first squadron, the VF-44 Hornets, is where flew combat missions in the iconic Corsair and later assignments to VFP-68, flying the F-8 Crusader. Obie’s career spanned 625 carrier landings on 21 different carriers and over 7,000 flight hours of which 1,100 are in the Corsair. Retiring as a Commander after a 30-year career. O’Brien had 5 victories. This signed photo is a copy of an actual period photo. The signature is original. Good overall condition.
Condition: See description for notes on condition. Please note that all items are sold as is without returns, so please ask questions in advance of bidding.
Share this lot:
