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S/Sgt William W. Fleming
Dressing for a Mission
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Molesworth, England, 6 July 1943 – S/Sgt. William W. Fleming from Jenkins, Kentucky,
a waist gunner on the 427th BS Billy Southworth Crew, views the pile of clothing
which an airman must wear before going on a bombing mission.




S/Sgt Fleming dons the electrically heated flying suit over his heavy underwear.



After donning the electrically heating flying suit, S/Sgt Fleming puts on the electrically
heated flying shoes, which are plugged into the suit.




S/Sgt Fleming dons a Mae West jacket over his flying coveralls,
in case he has to bale out over the water.




One of the last stages in dressing for a mission is putting on the electronically heated gloves.
Here S/Sgt plugs the gloves in the electronically heated flying suit.




The last stage of dressing for a bombing mission is the parachute.
Here S/Sgt Fleming buckles the parachute over the Mae West jacket.




S/Sgt William W. Fleming is now fully clothed for a bombing mission and ready to enter
the door of his Boeing B-17.