Original Item: Only One Available. This is a fantastic condition WWII USMC Dress Blues Uniform Tunic in approximate size US 36 with a gorgeous bullions embroidered pilot's wings. Master Technical Sergeant rank chevrons to both shoulders, medal ribbon bar, brass EGA collar tabs and brass EGA buttons. Overall condition is excellent. Tunic is named on inside pocket tag in ink to Charles C. Campbell and dated 10-19-35. Pants are also included.

The end of World War I saw Congress authorize 1,020 men for Marine Corps aviation and the establishment of permanent air stations at Quantico, Parris Island and San Diego. "

It was not until 3 May 1925 that the Marine Corps officially appeared in the Navy's Aeronautical Organization when Rear Admiral William A. Moffett, then Chief of the Navy's Bureau of Aeronautics, issued a directive officially authorizing three fighting squadrons.

The turning point for the long-term survival of Marine Air " On 7 December 1941, the day of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Marine Corps air units consisted of 13 flying squadrons and 230 aircraft.

World War II would see the Marine Corps' air arm expand rapidly and extensively. Because of the way the Pacific War unfolded, Marine Aviation was not able to achieve its 1939 mission of supporting the Fleet Marine Force at first. For the first two years of the war, the air arm spent most of its time protecting the fleet and land-based installations from attacks by enemy ships and aircraft.

This began to change after the Battle of Tarawa as the air support for ground troops flown by Navy pilots left much to be desired. After the battle, General Holland Smith recommended, "Marine aviators, thoroughly schooled in the principles of direct air support," should do the job.

During the course of the war, Marine Aviators were credited with shooting down 2,355 Japanese aircraft while losing 573 of their own aircraft in combat, they had 120 aces and earned 11 Medals of Honor. Also during this time, the Secretary of Defense for then President Harry S. Truman, Louis A. Johnson, attempted to eliminate Marine Corps aviation by transferring its air assets to other services, and even proposed to progressively eliminate the Marine Corps altogether in a series of budget cutbacks and decommissioning of forces