A fine uniform grouping consisting of Petty Officer Third Class Roger L. Weir's US Navy uniform and a sublime USAF Linecrewman jacket, which he wore recreationally.
PO3 Weir joined the Navy in 1959. He progressed through basic training, then graduated A School as a torpedoman, and continued to serve on the U.S.S. Rich. Only two years into his military service, Weir was injured in a training accident where a grenade malfunctioned and detonated in his right hand, after which he was rushed to Philedelphia Naval Hospital for surgery. Weir was fortunate not to have lost more than his hand and lower forearm, ending his service in the Navy. Subsequent surgery and prosthetic rehabilitation were the catalyst for a career in prosthetics.
Following his Navy service, Weir worked as the Chief of Prosthetics & Sensory Aids at the VA Medical Centre in Huntington, WV and retired after 28 years of dedicated and decorated service to local veterans.
His grouping of items consists of all the usual suspects for a sailor of this period; however, what was most unusual to find was the 1950s U.S. Air Force Linecrewman jacket alongside his service uniform. Speculatively, it is assumed that Weir purchased the jacket in a surplus shop, or perhaps bought or traded it from an airman. Nevertheless, an incredible photograph from his post-service years shows Weir wearing the jacket on his BMW motorcycle.
The 'JACKET, LINECREWMAN, IDENTIFYING, TYPE G-1' (Spec. No. MIL-J-6249A) was worn by ground personnel involved in aircraft movement & handling, where making the individual conspicuous to the pilot was crucial. The bright, checkered yellow/orange & black squares allowed pilots looking through aircraft canopies, particularly at a distance or under poor lighting/weather conditions, to distinguish the line crewman giving hand signals. Designed to be worn as an outer garment, over the standard period uniform, it is made from a lightweight nylon fabric with a simple Talon brand zip front closure and a small pocket on the left arm.
Below is a complete history of the life and career of PO3 Roger L. Weir, as provided by his daughter, Lisa Davis. Enormous thanks go to her and her family for sharing these details and transferring custody of this historical uniform grouping to me.
Roger was born in 1940 in upstate NY. He was the third child of Leon and Mable Weir of Friendship, NY. Leon was a cheese maker by trade. Mable was a homemaker. Their life was a basic, simple kind of life that wasn’t filled with wealth or extensive prosperity. Roger was raised with an understanding that nothing was handed to you. You had to make your own way in the world. Roger understood that if he wanted to see the world and have adventures, he couldn’t stay in his hometown and work alongside his father at the cheese factory.
In 1959, Roger joined the US Navy. He completed his basic training in Great Lakes, Michigan. His job-specific training for Torpedoman was completed in Key West, FL. He was assigned to the U.S.S. Rich, where he happily joined ship life. In 1961, Roger was involved in a training accident on the deck of the U.S.S. Rich that would change his life direction entirely. The sailors were handling live grenades as they practiced their aim at dye spots in the ocean. Roger had pulled the pin and, with the grenade gripped in his right hand at head level, ready to launch, the grenade detonated due to a faulty timer.
Roger was airlifted off the ship and rushed to the Philadelphia Naval Hospital for surgery. He lost the lower forearm and hand from the right side of his body. He was fortunate not to have sustained further injury or loss of tissue to his face or shoulder.
Post-surgery, Roger went through extensive rehabilitation and prosthetic fabrication and fitting, and proceeded down a path far removed from what he envisioned. He was never reinstated to ship duties. The US Navy finally listed him discharged from service in 1962.
Roger likely had some very low moments in life, but he had an inner strength and will to thrive that would not keep him down for long. One of his first jobs after becoming a civilian again was working as an apprentice limb maker at J. E. Hanger, Inc. That position enabled him to be up close and interacting with fellow amputees. Roger commented years later that he could see the struggles of the clients, and he was able to reach them on a personal level.
In 1968, Roger had been in the prosthetic arena for several years gathering knowledge and insight on how to help amputees. He accepted a position in Huntington, WV, at the Veterans Administration Hospital as the Chief of Prosthetic and Sensory Aids. In that career, he worked tirelessly to sort out, solve, and alleviate problems and concerns for the veterans that came into his office. Roger retired after 28 years of dedicated and decorated service to his area veterans.
Roger never let his spirit of adventure diminish. He had a great many interests and hobbies, and he always found a way to adapt his equipment and gear to suit his prosthetic needs. He was a backpacker, a hiker on the Appalachian Trail, and a competitive shooting enthusiast. He was well known by his shooting friends as Captain Hook. As a teenager, Roger had worked at a bowling alley resetting the pins. He liked bowling and wanted to revisit it years later. He made an adaptive grip for his prosthetic arm that held the ball and was intended to release the ball with a muscle movement in his upper arm by way of a cable assembly. To hear the retelling of events, it was obvious he was not going to spend countless hours at the bowling alley. On the first roll of the ball, the assembly did not release, and the momentum jerked Roger into the bowling lane with the ball still attached. He was able to see the humor in the situation, all while vowing there had to be a better way.
Roger never looked at his amputation as a handicap. He would tell you he was handicapable. To some, a devastating injury would be a reason to give up and let life kick you in the backside. Roger was not a quitter. One of his favourite sayings was “Endeavour To Persevere”. He said it often enough by way of a motto and mantra that his wife made a cross-stitched wall hanging that he hung proudly in his home.
Roger was buried with full military honors in January 2026. In looking back over the entirety of his 86 years on earth, many lives were touched by Roger. His family feels certain that he is fondly remembered for his service, contribution to community, and his love of life and a good practical joke. The Navy was meant to take him places and show him the world…what it showed him was that no matter how dark a place seems or how tragic a circumstance, there is always light at the end of the tunnel.
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