Bidspirit auction | Identified WWII USMC Pilot's Visor

Identified WWII USMC Pilot's Visor Hat w/ History! - A very nice WWII USMC visor hat with incredible history identified to Colonel Harry, Wallace Taylor, United States, Marine Corps, bomber, pilot, and career aviator. An honor graduate of the Platoon Leaders Class at Quantico, VA, upon graduation from USC, Col. Taylor was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the regular Marine Corps. After USMC Basic School in Philadelphia he was ordered to Dunedin, FL, to assist in training Marines in the maintenance and operation of LVTs (amphibious tractors), which were used in numerous over-the-beach operations in WWII. In 1942, he was ordered to the 2nd Amphibious Tractor Battalion in San Diego, CA, where he married Ruth Alfva Richard, RN, of Newport, RI. He was then promoted to Captain and sent to NAS Pensacola, FL, for training as a naval aviator. In 1943, he was promoted to Major, designated a naval aviator, and sent to MCAS Cherry Point, NC, for training in B25 aircraft. He was named commanding officer of Marine Bombing Squadron 624. In December 1944, Col. Taylor and many members of that squadron were sent to the Southwest Pacific. He was assigned to Marine Bombing Squadron 423, where he led 50 missions against the Japanese in Rabaul, New Guinea, Buka, New Britain, New Ireland, and the Solomon Islands. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for extraordinary achievement three times. At war's end, Col. Taylor served as a recruiter for NY, PA, MD, VA and NJ. To interest young men in Marine aviation, he placed a specially painted F4U-4 Corsair in the Baltimore City Hall, the Richmond State House grounds, and in New York's Times Square. Later in 1946 he was assigned to a transport squadron based in Oahu, Hawaii, to haul replacements and supplies to units in Tsingtao, China, Korea, Okinawa and Guam. In 1948, he was sent to MCAS El Toro, CA, where he served as CO of Marine Night Fighter Squadron 513, flying F6F-5N and F4U-5N aircraft, qualifying for carrier duty. Promoted to Lt. Col., he was sent to the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama, then to the Pentagon, where he served in the amphibious warfare section at the USN headquarters. His next assignment was at Cherry Point, where he was executive officer of a jet fighter group, followed by a post in Korea as executive officer of a dive-bomber group. He next served as liaison between Navy Atlantic Air and Marine Atlantic Air. Promoted to Colonel in 1958, he was assigned to NAS South Weymouth, MA, where he was responsible for training Marine reserve pilots and ground crewmen in jet fighter and transport helicopter operations. In 1961, he was assigned to USMC HQ in Norfolk, VA, where he served as G-3 Force Operations and Training Officer. When the US buildup in Vietnam began, Col. Taylor was sent to Danang, where he was Chief of Staff of the 1st Marine Air Wing, conducting combat operations involving jet fighter and attack planes as well as helicopter forces. He returned to the US and retired from the Marine Corps on June 30, 1967. During his flying career he flew over 7500 hours in more than 35 different jets and prop aircraft. Flying F4Us and F6Fs, he executed 18 carrier traps. While on the supersonic passenger jet Concorde as a tourist, the pilot allowed him to sit in the cockpit. The hat is is good condition with a few pin prick moth holes but otherwise in good shape. Has his business card present and is unquestionably correct.