[Mickey Spillane]. Mickey Spillane's WWII Army Air Corps Service Dress Uniform and "Crusher" Cap. During the war Spillane served as a pilot training officer attached to the Southeast Training Command at the Greenwood Army Air Field, Greenwood, Mississippi. Mickey's cadet service dress uniform includes a Kuppenheimer tailored jacket with a Greenley's of Greenville, Mississippi retailer's label on the inside left breast. The tunic is labeled in ink "Lt. F.M. SPILLANE" in the inside pocket. The tunic is complete with all collar insignia, shoulder rank insignia and Southeast Training Command distinctive insignia. The colonel's insignia was added at a much later date. A 3-inch, clutch-back, non-sterling Command Pilot wing is attached over the left front breast pocket; above the wing is a medal bar with the ribbons of the WWII Victory Medal, European, African, Middle Eastern Campaign medal and American Theater Campaign medal. An instructor's wing is sewn to the lower right sleeve. The tunic is complete with an olive-drab wool twill officer's shirt hand-marked "SPILLANE" in the tailor's tag and olive-drab wool trousers, which still retain a WWII-vintage comb in the pocket. Other than a small 1.5-inch snag on the right sleeve of the tunic, the uniform is in excellent condition. Completing the ensemble is a well-used Bancroft "Flighter" cap, with the so-called 50 mission crush look. This must have been Mickey's favorite at the time as it exhibits much wear from honest use. The flexible leather bill is uniformly crazed and the olive drab wool twill body is dirty and stained, in other words the hat has great personality. From the estate of Mickey Spillane.

Photograph of this jacket included in lot 45028.