Description
You are bidding on a VERY NICE used example of a WW2 US Navy Pilot & Gunner Silk Blood Chit! Issued by the War Department in Washington, DC, this belonged to a US Navy PBY Gunner who served in the CBI & Pacific. I will provide further information to the winning bidder.
The first ever use of Blood Chits by American flyers was in the China-Burma-India Theater of World War II. They were used by the American Volunteer Group (AVG) operating in China. The first recorded use of what came to be known as a Blood Chit was by members of a British Royal Flying Corps Squadron in India in 1917. It is believed that contact between the AVG and the RAF in Burma in 1940-41 may have led General Chennault to create a version of the Blood Chit for use by the AVG.
Blood Chits, also called Identification or Rescue Flags, were designed to provide rapid identification of a downed flyer and facilitate assistance from local allies encountered. Although first used in CBI, the concept dates back at least two hundred years. A famous French balloonist came to America in 1793 to demonstrate hot air balloon flight. The flight originated from Philadelphia, but no one knew where it would end. The Frenchman did not speak English, further complicating things. President George Washington gave him a letter addressed to “All citizens of the United States.” The letter asked that he be given safe passage back to Philadelphia.
Made of silk, this is an EXCELLENT used example. Removed from a leather jacket, there are some marks, wear, fraying, and stains due to the age, but no major rips or tears! All information is complete, along with the War Department Issue Serial Number, indicating, “W 77406“! A rare and & hard to find original example, it would make a PERFECT addition to any collection, display, or simply as a conversation piece!
