Description: Here's a grouping from Lt. Col. John M. Podraza of the US Army Air Force, obtained from his Pennsylvania family after his death. Podraza fought in WWII with the Army Air Forces as a Hump Pilot in the China-Burma-India Theatre and then with the Air Transport Command. During the Korean War he flew missions in Alaska. He was decorated with the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal, to name a few. In the 1960s he was Commander of the 144th Air Transport Squadron of the Alaskan Air Guard. During an arctic mission there flying a C-123 Cargo Plane, his aircraft crashed and Lt. Colonel Podraza and four crew members were killed in a mountain range in December 1965. Included in this lot are the following:WWII era pilot sunglassespair of Lt.Colonel rank insignia in STERLING silverChina-Burma-India Theatre enamel pin1" Command Pilot wings, pinback, STERLING, N.S.MEYER INC. marked3" Command Pilot wings, clutch back, STERLING, VANGUARD marked3" Senior Pilot wings, clutch back, STERLING, VANGUARD markedPodraza was from West Hazleton, Pennsylvania and these items were obtained at his estate. The obituary is from the December 18, 1965 issue of the Hazleton Standard Speaker newspaper.
Price: 299.99 USD
Location: Lansdowne, Pennsylvania
End Time: 2024-12-22T03:37:57.000Z
Shipping Cost: N/A USD
Product Images
Item Specifics
All returns accepted: ReturnsNotAccepted
Conflict: WW II (1939-45)
Original/Reproduction: Original
Region of Origin: United States
Theme: Militaria
Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
