Original U.S. WWII 8th Air Force Lieutenant Navigator Jack Well’s Tailored Ike Jacket with Bullion Wings - 339th Bomb Squadron, 96th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force - Missing in Action.

Original Item. Only One Available. This is a gorgeous Eisenhower or “Ike” Jacket manufactured by a high-end tailor for a Lieutenant Jack Wells of the 8th Air Force. We believe this to identify the jacket to 1st Lieutenant Navigator Jack E. Wells, 339th Bombardment Squadron, 96th Bombardment Group, 8th Air Force. Wells was missing in action following a bombing mission on April 3rd, 1945 when his B-17 43-38871 “Ractup” crashed in Sweden. 

The jacket shows all signs of being higher end, including the fabric covered buttons on the breast pockets. There is an 8th Air Force patch sewn to the left sleeve, 1st Lieutenant bars on each shoulder, and a two-place ribbon bar over the left breast pocket with the Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, and the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign medal with three campaign stars. Above this is a gorgeous set of bullion Navigator wings.

There is an American union tag on the interior with the name JACK WELLS written over it. There is a small tag over this pocket reading 969, likely just a laundry tag.

This is a fantastic jacket worthy of further research and display. We are fairly certain we’ve identified the correct Jack Wells, but there’s more research to be done! Comes ready for display.