A brown leather jacket with the name “Tommy” printed on the left chest has been a popular artifact in the Clinton County History Center’s collection for many years. Director Shelby Boatman shared how “we often have a variety of individuals stop by or call in to see if the Browning bomber jacket is out of storage and on display. In the four or five years I’ve been director, we’ve had about two to three phone calls a year about this particular object.” Thomas Browning Jr. recently visited the History Center to provide additional information about the brown, leather jacket on display at the museum. Browning’s father, Thomas Sr., nicknamed “Tommy,” was the owner of the bomber jacket and wore it during his service in World War II. Browning Sr. completed approximately 30 missions overseas as part of the Army Air Force. The jacket is dated between 1941-1945. Guests can view the WWII-era jacket while on a museum tour weekly between 1-4 p.m. on Thursday/Fridays or Saturdays 10 a.m.-2 p.m. To learn more visit www.ClintonCountyHistory.org or call 937-382-4684.
Originally published online at the Wilmington News Journal, 4/3/2023