Interwar Period U.S.A.A.C. Army Air Corps Consolidated PT-1 Aircraft Fuselage Fabric Cut Right Side Skin with 430th Pursuit Squadron Insignia – Dated 1930, Measures 15 Feet – Museum Grade Specimen This exceptional and large fuselage cut piece of material measures 15 feet long, and about 29 1/2 inches across at the front, tapering to about 17 at the rear; this comprises the majority of the right side canvas from The United States Army Air Corps Consolidated PT-1 “Trusty” Aircraft Trainer Serial #26-309  The original military markings on the canvas are still fully visible: U.S. ARMY A.C. 26-309 F.A.D. CONSOLIDATED PT-1 A.C. 26-309-C1-CB-56D1-4PD2–11-18-30 The fuselage section is painted Olive Drab color, and features the insignia of the 430th Pursuit Squadron, a Native American on horseback inside a red heart and the Aircraft’s #4. The 430th Pursuit Squadron was based at Richards Field Kansas City, Missouri from 1926-1939. It is still in very good shape, showing a wonderful period of stitched repair from its time in service. Overall the canvas remains in great period condition exhibiting a period repair and some loss near the edges this statement piece would make a stunning display in a large library, war room, or private airplane hangar.  A One of Kind Without Question 430th Pursuit Squadron – U.S. Army Order of Battle 1919-1941 by Steven E. Clay Combat Studies Institute Press. US Army Combined Arms Center. Fort Leavenworth, KS. Unit Lineage: – 430th Aero Squadron (Construction) organized, Jan 1918 – Redesignated 37th Spruce Squadron, Jul 1918 – Demobilized, Jan 1919 – 430th Squadron (Pursuit), constituted in the Organized Reserve, 15 Oct 1921 – Redesignated 430th Pursuit Squadron, 25 Jan 1923 – 37th Spruce Squadron reconstituted and consolidated with 430th Pursuit Squadron, 25 Nov 1936. Consolidated organization designated 430th Pursuit Squadron. – Inactivated, 2 Oct 1939 – Disbanded, 31 May 1942 Unit History: – Constituted in the Organized Reserve on 15 October 1921 as the 430th Squadron (Pursuit), assigned to the 310th Pursuit Group (Sixth Army), and allotted to the Seventh Corps Area. – Initiated in March 1922 at St. Joseph, MO. – Redesignated as the 430th Pursuit Squadron on 25 January 1923. – Relocated on 26 May 1926 to Richards Field, Kansas City, MO. This squadron was one of the few in the Organized Reserve that possessed facilities, equipment, and aircraft. Squadron personnel were largely pilots and ground support personnel employed by Trans-World Airways (TWA) at the Kansas City Municipal Airport. – Participated in a “Fly By” in June 1932 for the Honorable Patrick J. Hurley, Secretary of War, at the grand opening of the Kansas City-St. Louis Waterway. – Consolidated on 25 November 1936 with the 430th Aero Squadron (Construction) (a WWI unit organized in January 1918 at Vancouver Barracks, WA; redesignated as the 37th Spruce Squadron in July 1918; demobilized in January 1919 at Vancouver Barracks; reconstituted on 25 November 1936). – Operated from Paso Robles Airfield, CA, in support of the 40th Division during the 1937 Fourth Army Maneuver. – Conducted summer training at Marshall Field, KS; Richards Field, MO; Camp Dodge, IA; or Camp Ripley, MN, 1922-40. – Inactivated on 2 October 1939 at Richards Field by relief of personnel. – Status: Disbanded on 31 May 1942. The 430th Pursuit Squadron, formed from Kansas City reservists, deployed from its base at Richards Field, and flew to Marshall Field at Fort Riley, Kansas, in August 1932 for its two-week active duty training. There, for the first time in its history, the squadron had available fourteen service planes, three P-6s, three 0-25s and eight 01-Es. In addition, a BT-2C and a PT-3 were available to flyers who needed dual work. This was also the first year the 430th could count a large number of its men who were experienced in all types of service planes. Many of its younger officers, graduates of the Air Corps Advanced Flying School, had served on active duty for a year or two with a tactical unit. Many others were commercial pilots who flew the military service planes on inactive duty at Richards Field. Fortified by this caliber of flying personnel, the squadron launched a tactical training program immediately upon reaching Fort Riley. In other years, more than half the time at camp had been consumed by dual instruction for officers who had not flown since their last active duty periods. Consequently, in 1932 the 430th put in much time on gunnery and bombing ranges as well as on formation flying and combat routine. Typifying the training all across the country that year, the airmen completed a map problem, working with the ground units of the Kansas National Guard. The Consolidated PT-1 “Trusty” (Model 1) was a biplane primary trainer used by the United States Army Air Service (USAAS), and by its successor, the U.S. Army Air Corps (USAAC). The plane became the first training airplane purchased by the USAAS in substantial quantity following World War I. Aviation cadets in Texas and California flew it extensively during the late 1920s and early 1930s. It acquired the nickname “Trusty” for its excellent ability to make a quick and effective recovery from a spin. Easy to fly, the PT-1 made some students overconfident, and they received a shock when they advanced to faster airplanes with more difficult handling characteristics. The “Trusty” was commonly flown without its cowlings in an effort to prevent overheating.

Ben Lear was born in Hamilton, Ontario on May 12, 1879. His military service began in 1898, when he enlisted with the 1st Colorado Infantry, USV, for the Spanish-American War as a First Sergeant. He was promoted to second lieutenant during the Philippine-American War in the 1st Colorado and later in the 36th Infantry, USV, but joined the regular army as a sergeant at the end of the war. He subsequently served in World War I. He was promoted to Brigadier General in May 1936 and Major General in October 1938. He commanded the 1st Cavalry Division from 1936 to 1938, and the Pacific Sector of the Panama Canal Zone from 1938 to 1940. He was commanding general of the U.S. Second Army from October 20, 1940 to April 25, 1943 and was promoted to temporary lieutenant general in October 1940. As such, he was responsible for training a large number of U.S. soldiers during World War II.   He became known as a strict disciplinarian. During the Louisiana Manoeuvres, Lear led his U.S. Second Army against the U.S. Third Army under Lieutenant General Walter Krueger. In these manoeuvres, Lear judged the control and discipline of the 35th Division to be unsatisfactory and relieved Truman of his command.   Lear Commanded the US Second Army from 1940 till 1943. Responsible for training around 1 million US Soldiers for active combat duty.  The Second Army earned distinction as a training army during World War II, preparing nearly one million men to fight. The U.S. Army activated a new Second Army in October 1933, with headquarters at Chicago, Illinois, as one of four field armies that would help mobilise forces in the event of a national emergency. In December 1940, the Army moved Second Army’s headquarters to Memphis, Tennessee, and designated it as a training army, which conducted training in 24 states. In June 1944, the Army reconstituted the World War I Second Army, AEF, and consolidated it with the existing Second Army in order to perpetuate the lineage and honours of the World War I unit. During World War II, Second Army trained 11 corps, 55 divisions, and 2,000 smaller units of all arms and services, totaling almost a million men, for employment in all theatres of operation. Lear did retire in May 1943, but was immediately recalled to active duty to serve on the Personnel Board of the Secretary of War, and promoted to Lieutenant General and later became Commanding General of Army Ground Forces. After the German counter-attack in the Ardennes, caused a manpower crisis, he was appointed Deputy Commander of European Theater of Operations, US Army, responsible for Theater Manpower. As such, he overhauled the replacement system, but the war against Germany ended before the full benefits of his reforms could be realised.   He retired again in July 1945, but was promoted to General on July 19, 1954 by special Act of Congress (Public Law 83-508).  He died on November 2, 1966. His Medals include the Distinguished Service Medal (2) and the Silver Star. Grave Photo: https://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/blear.htm The incident when Lear sparked Public outcry when he disciplined Soldiers for shouting and whistling at ladies, which he witnessed in civilian clothes. https://www.nytimes.com/1966/11/02/archives/gen-ben-lear-who-disciplined-troops-yoohooing-girls-dies-he-aroused.html His Nickname It was in the lead-up to these maneuvers that Lear acquired the nickname “Yoo-Hoo”. Lear was playing golf at the country club in Memphis, Tennessee, in civilian clothes on July 6, 1941, when a convoy of 80 U.S. Army trucks carrying men of the 110th Quartermaster Regiment, 35th Division rolled past. The troops in the passing trucks subjected a group of women in shorts to a series of whistles and “lewd and obscene” catcalls. Lear had the convoy stopped, and told the officers that this conduct was unacceptable and they had disgraced the Army. Lear’s punishment was to make every one of the 350 men in the convoy march 15 miles (24 km) of the 45-mile (72 km) trip back to Camp Joseph T. Robinson, Arkansas in three 5-mile sections. This they did in the 97 °F (36 °C) heat. Many men straggled and a number collapsed. There was storm of public criticism of Lear’s action from people who felt that the soldiers had been harshly and collectively punished when many had done nothing wrong. The commander of the 35th Division, Major General Ralph E. Truman, was well-connected politically, his cousin being Senator Harry S. Truman, and some congressmen called for Lear to be retired. However, to Army eyes this was not a case of sexual harassment but of indiscipline, and no action was taken against Lear. The derogatory nickname “Yoo-Hoo” stuck. The Helmet – It is clear that Lear was not keen on wearing  his steel pot, applying his three stars on his M1 Helmet Liner for wear. A Westinghouse M1 Liner Named: “Lt Gen Ben Lear” with Three General Stars neatly added. Any General’s Helmet is extremely rare to find, and this one would add to any advanced M1 Helmet collection.  Photo Album – Rangers School  – Second US Army  The album (128 Pictures – 1 Certificate and Newspaper Cover)  has a hand made cover titled Ranger School 2 Army – Lieut. Gen Ben Lear.  On page one, an empty certificate that General Lear would have signed for those that passed the Ranger School of the Second Army.  The unique photo album depicts what is listed on the certificate, each photo is described neatly. The album was likely a gift to the General from the Ranger School.  The Album is broke down in the following way:  Physical Conditioning Group 2  The Log Exercise  Hand to Hand Combat Group 3  Instructors of the Ranger School demonstrate how to push off a bayonet charge.  Individual Camouflage Group 4  Great photos showing men in all sorts of rarer or early camos and camo helmets.  Construction & Passing of Wire Entanglers  Group 5  Photos depicting various methods of getting over or under wire traps Booby Traps & Demolitions Group 6  Many photos of traps and various…