A U.S. Navy Deck Jacket With D-Day History – SOLD

Description

This N-1 Khaki deck jacket was issued to Seaman D.A. Kegerise, assigned to the USS Ezra Cornell, a Liberty Ship that took part in the operations in the Mediterranean, and then later involved in the Normandy Invasion.

The jacket was painted while Kegerise was in the Pacific. The first ship name that appears on the jacket, written beneath the artwork, along with subsequent assignments which I have been unable to decipher the names. The large freestyle drawing used black ink, paint of several colors, most of which his faded from constant wear. The artwork shows a large American eagle clutching the wings of a Japanese twin engine bomber in flames with red “meatballs” painted on the wings, while it crashes in presumably in the Pacific Ocean.  The eagle’s image may have been copied from a wartime US Half Dollar.

Incorporated in a panel just below the art, and within the diameter of the circle, is the name USS Ezra Cornell, etc.  On the outside of the diameter are the locations that Kegerise served including:  Casablanca, Oran, Bizerti, Tunis, Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, Bari, Naples, France.  Above that are the locations after being transferred to the Pacific Theater: Pearl Harbor, Saipan Eniwetok, Curacao, Gibralter (whether is was after or before is not known). The condition of the ink on the outside diameter suggests that this was done much later, as the wear is much greater to the former writing.

Not having been able to find information on Kegerise, I did find another seaman’s history on board the Ezra Cornell, with a very similar record.  He was assigned to transports going to the Med, and later transferred to the Ezra Cornell off Italian waters, then went to England and was part of the Normandy Invasion.  He along with several other sailors made up the gun crews, familiar in all weapons on board, with the job of gunnery and keeping the ship safe from German planes.  The Ezra Cornell later in the war was transporting American POWs back to England. Shortly after VE-Day, this other sailor (Jim Kolka) took a 90 day leave, and then was transferred to the South Pacific and there assigned to various patrol craft.  If Kegerise and all of the crew of the Ezra Cornell were transferred to the South Pacific, that makes perfect sense, as both have very similar histories.

There is overall soiling, and a mouse chewed hole on the back side of the right sleeve.

Getting the records will obviously reveal far greater interesting history for Kegerise and he career.

A great historical item.

USPS  Priority   $10.00