A new “Bomber Boys: World War II Flight Jacket Art” book by John Slemp, a comprehensive visual record of A-2 jackets, is now on sale in the Gift Shop at the San Diego Air & Space Museum.

The large, square 398-page coffee table book captures this seldom-seen genre of military folk art. The highly individualistic art depicted on World War II “bomber jackets” fascinates, educates, and entertains.

Painted on the back of leather A-2 work jackets, the art depicts the attitudes of young airmen in modern warfare in the sky, and the successes, failures, and eventual triumphs of surviving missions over enemy territory.

Meet John Slemp
The idea for documenting weathered flight jackets came to Atlanta-based photographer John Slemp on a corporate assignment photographing 91-year-old World War II veteran Leroy Robinson. “I’m in a small Georgia town in a house built before the Civil War. The wood floors kind of sag and he’s not in good health. He’s lying out on the bed, fully clothed, feet and knees together. His hands are crossed over his chest and his eyes are closed, and I think, we’re too late.” (The former ace was only sleeping.) “All of a sudden it dawns on me; I’m trying to tell their story through their jackets. To me it’s all about their story and this is a conduit to that.” (see “Portfolio: Well Worn,” November 2015 AOPA Pilot.)

Slemp, an award-winning photographer, captured the tactile beauty of the leather and artwork that adorns the jackets in archival quality. More than 100 jackets, representing all World War II theaters, acquired from both museums and private owners along with artifacts and personal accounts, reveal a visual diary of servicemembers in the U.S. Army Air Corps.

The large, square 398-page coffee table book captures this seldom-seen genre of military folk art. The highly individualistic art depicted on World War II “bomber jackets” fascinates, educates, and entertains.

Painted on the back of leather A-2 work jackets, the art depicts the attitudes of young airmen in modern warfare in the sky, and the successes, failures, and eventual triumphs of surviving missions over enemy territory.

“I’m not sure anyone ever sits down and consciously decides to write a book about the leather jackets worn by American aircrew during World War II. Yet, that’s precisely what happened after I began photographing A-2 flight jackets in 2014,” said Slemp. “As the number of jackets photographed grew, the stories of their owners began to weigh more heavily on my mind. I began to realize that the jackets were mobile signposts reflecting the distinct mortal challenges every flyer faced. Initially, I was drawn to the artwork and symbology, but as I more fully understood their cultural and historical implications, I became more engaged. The emotion these jackets engender has been nothing short of astounding. To illustrate that point is the case of the daughter of a World War II flyer who, during an early exhibition of the work, stood in front of a print of her dad’s jacket for almost two hours. As we were leaving, she pulled me aside and said in a quivering voice, ‘You have no idea what this means to me.’ It was a telling moment and has provided continuing incentive to bring the work to fruition.”

Slemp photographed more than 150 A-2 jackets for the project, including jackets from museums and collections around the U.S. There are 37 jackets from private collections that can only be seen in this book.

Slemp included information on care of the jackets by renowned professional conservator Rachel Waters; information for collectors on how to find them, what to avoid, and how to establish provenance by Jeff Shrader of Antique Roadshow fame; and the influence on fashion over the years by subject matter expert Laura McLaws Helms.

Slemp also included six beautiful aircraft illustrations from artist John Mollison. Mollison is famously quoted as saying: “When an old man dies, a library burns.” This lies at the very heart of why this book is so important, Slemp said.

“While photographing Brig. Gen. Charles McGee of the Tuskegee Airmen, I asked him why (at 101 years of age) he was still at the AirVenture airshow meeting kids. He simply replied, ‘It’s important to tell these stories.’ I felt like I got marching orders that day.”

For more information, visit www.WWIIBomberBoys.com.