Title
Navy Officer Dress Blue Cap of Calvin Price
Description
A US Naval service dress blue officers' combination cap with an eagle, shield, and fouled anchors cap device, gold braid chin strap, a plain visor, and a leather interior headband.
"Ens. C.M. Price" is handwritten on the identification tag inside the cap.
"Ens. C.M. Price" is handwritten on the identification tag inside the cap.
Collection
USS FRANKLIN CV13/CVA13/CVS13/AVT8
Context
From the Collection of Calvin "Cal" Price, who served as an aviator in Fighting Squadron 13 (VF-13) during World War II. While assigned to the USS Franklin (CV-13), Ensign Price flew multiple missions off the aircraft carrier in his F6F Hellcat.
During one such mission, Price was the wingman of VF-13's Commander, Chas Howerton. Howerton was trying to untangle himself from a rubber raft that had wrapped itself around his plane's tail and evade a Japanese pilot at the same time.
As Howerton tells it: "I saw Price, my wingman, start for him. Then all of a sudden one of the planes went down in flames; I couldn't tell which one...I broke radio silence and hollered "Price, Price --is that you or that other son of a bitch!" When I heard his answering drawl it was might reassuring."
During one such mission, Price was the wingman of VF-13's Commander, Chas Howerton. Howerton was trying to untangle himself from a rubber raft that had wrapped itself around his plane's tail and evade a Japanese pilot at the same time.
As Howerton tells it: "I saw Price, my wingman, start for him. Then all of a sudden one of the planes went down in flames; I couldn't tell which one...I broke radio silence and hollered "Price, Price --is that you or that other son of a bitch!" When I heard his answering drawl it was might reassuring."
Accession #
2002.00022
