These really beautiful cardigans were part of the uniform for cadets at West Point during the 1940s. When they were issued they were black, but cadets could sew on their own patches, creating a really amazing end result. I've been looking for one for a while, but wanted something special, so finding this was a great buzz! Not only this, when I bought it, i didnt think it was named, but inside I found a tag! Named to Donald Ingram Hackey, he would join the Air Corps in 1943 and was quickly offered a place in the class of 1946 at West Point (about an hour from my house!).
At West Point, Don was a pole-vaulter on the Army Track Team and earned his Major "A." He opted to become an Air Cadet and graduated with his wings as a second lieutenant in the Army Air Corps.
After transition training to multi-engine aircraft at Enid AFB, OK, Don was assigned to MacDill AFB, FL as a B-29 pilot. Don often recalled the time when he flew Charles Lindbergh from FL to a SAC base in Roswell, NM. He was selected for advanced schooling and earned his Bachelor of Aeronautical Engineering and his Masters from Georgia Tech in 1950. His next assignment was to Wright Patterson AFB, OH to do structural stress analysis on new weapons systems. It was there that he met and married Thelma Strong in September 1951. Don's next assignment was to Tachikawa AF Depot in Japan. The Hackneys returned to the States in 1955 for a second tour at Wright Paterson AFB. While there he got into the jet program and started flying single engine jets. After five years at Wright Pat, Don was selected to attend the Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell AFB, AL. He was next assigned to the Federal Aviation Administration to help start development of the US Supersonic Transport. In 1965, Don was selected to attend the Army War College in Carlisle Barracks, PA. Next, he joined the faculty of the Air War College in 1966 at Maxwell AFB. In 1969, Don retired from the Air Force as a Colonel.
Condition
Used but very good. There are a few holes that have been carefully darned and some stretching to the button holes, but a very good example
Size
- No tag
- Fits small
- Pit to pit 20"
- Shoulder to shoulder 19"
- Shoulder to cuff 23"
- Collar to hem 22"