General Douglas MacArthur in AN6531 Sunglasses and A2 aviator jacket.
General Douglas MacArthur in AN6531 Sunglasses and A2 aviator jacket.
In 1936, the U.S. Army Air Corps commissions Ray-Ban to design sunglasses for its pilots entering World War II. The main goal: to protect from sun glare, which was known to cause headaches and altitude sickness. Oh, and the glasses need to look sharp, too. Though the design is produced especially for fighter pilots, it is available to the public just a year after its creation.
The aviator gets a whole lot more popular in 1941 when General Douglas MacArthur is photographed landing at the beach at Leyte in the Philippines wearing his…and the image is splashed on the front page of newspapers nationwide. (Photo from Life magazine.)
In 1936, the U.S. Army Air Corps commissions Ray-Ban to design sunglasses for its pilots entering World War II. The main goal: to protect from sun glare, which was known to cause headaches and altitude sickness. Oh, and the glasses need to look sharp, too. Though the design is produced especially for fighter pilots, it is available to the public just a year after its creation.
The aviator gets a whole lot more popular in 1941 when General Douglas MacArthur is photographed landing at the beach at Leyte in the Philippines wearing his…and the image is splashed on the front page of newspapers nationwide. (Photo from Life magazine.)
My father was in the Army Air Cop. Flying Tigers, in WWII. He flew with these glasses!
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