OBJECTS

BACKGROUND Emile Choureé was a U.S. Navy pilot born in 1894. He was designated Naval Aviator #1591 in 1918 and married Catherine Davis in 1920. He was a career Navy officer, achieving the rank of Lieutenant Commander. He participated with Navy teams at the National Air Races where he served as the announcer at Naval aerobatic performances. He also flew support aircraft for the team, carrying mechanics and other support personnel, as well as tools and spares. He died in an air crash at Scott Field, East St. Louis, IL in January, 1938. He had two children. They and his wife survived him. A ship, the U.S.S. Choureé (ARV-1), posthumously was named after him. It was launched about a year before the end of WWII, on May 22, 1944, about six years after his passing. He collected and left behind a significant number of photographs, documents and memorabilia related to his naval career and personal life.These items are exhibited in the DOCUMENTS, OBJECTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, PILOT LOG BOOKS and SCRAPBOOKS sections of his Collection.

THE OBJECTS

This section documents in 29 photographs some of the objects in Chourré's Collection. They include uniform items, personal items and artifacts. Chourré's memorabilia were contained in a couple of chests. Below are two views of the tops of his chests.

Emile Chourré Memorabilia Chest One

Note that both chests were initially labeled with his name, but his wife's name was stenciled on at a later date, probably just after he was killed so that the chests could be shipped to her. Below, the second chest.

Emile Chourré Memorabilia Chest Two

Below, his dog tags from December 14, 1917. These are unusually crafted items. The inscription appears to be acid etched in relief: the lettering is raised. As well, his fingerprint appears on the reverse of the tag, with the ridges of the print also in raised relief.

Emile Chourré Dog Tags, December 14, 1917

Enlisting in 1917, Chourré earned his status as Naval Aviator #1591 in 1918. As a career officer, he acquired and maintained many elements of his formal uniforms, which follow. Below, Chourré's wings in bronze, 1918.

Emile Chourré, Naval Aviator Wings, 1918

The hand engraving on the back of the wings says, "E. Chouree Ensign U.S.N.R.F.C. N.A.1591." "U.S.N.R.F.C." stands for U.S. Navy Reserve Forces Command.

Emile Chourré, Naval Aviator Wings, 1918, Engraved Detail

Further to decorations of uniform and rank, below are three of the buttons that would be worn on the front of his uniform jacket. They are removable from the garment, both for cleaning the jacket and for polishing the buttons.

Emile Chourré, Navy Uniform Buttons

A part of his formal uniform included the bicorn hat, below. The hat is of the style worn by all officers. This style of hat was sometimes called the "cocked hat." Wearing of the cocked hat by navy officers was discontinued in October, 1940.

Emile Chourré, Navy Bicorn Formal Uniform Hat

The other side of the hat appears below.

Emile Chourré, Navy Bicorn Formal Uniform Hat, View Two

And the bottom of the hat is as below.

Emile Chourré, Navy Bicorn Formal Uniform Hat, View Three

His peaked cap was was not among his Collection, but the cap was surrounded by a removable hat band, below.

Emile Chourré Hat Band

As a lieutenant, Chourré wore the formal epaulettes below, ca. 1920s-30s. These epaulettes and hat were protected by a black sheet metal case.

Emile Chourré, Navy Epaulettes

Below is the sheet metal case with cocked hat and epaulettes in stored position.

Bicorn Hat & Epaulettes Stored in Sheet Metal Box

Later in his career, as a lieutenant commander, he wore the epaulettes below.

Emile Chourré, Navy Epaulettes

Below are four views of his ceremonial sword. The first shows details of the cross-guard.

Ceremonial Sword, Hilt Detail

Interestingly, the U.S. Navy sword was only declared obsolete in November, 1949.

Ceremonial Sword, Hilt Profile With Tassel

Below, the sword in its sheath.

Ceremonial Sword, Sheathed

Below, sword and sheath exhibited.

Ceremonial Sword and Sheath

Although not part of a uniform, naval officers were expected to entertain formally for special events. Representative of an extensive silver service among Chourré's Collection is this tea service, below.

Sterling Tea Service

Relevant to his flying activities is his leather flying helmet, below. Notice his initials scratched in the leather on the ear flap. It is unknown if this is the helmet he wore to any of the National Air Races.

Emile Chourré, Leather Flying Helmet

Another view of his helmet is below from the right side.

Emile Chourré, Leather Flying Helmet

Below is detail from the strap end of the helmet. It was well-worn. From the size of his headgear, Chourré was a small man. Neither bicorn nor leather helmet came anywhere near fitting your Webmaster. It is unknown if this is the one he wore on the day he was killed.

Emile Chourré, Leather Flying Helmet, Strap Detail

Speaking of the National Air Races, the stunning poster, below, measures 13.5" x 21.5" and was used as advertising for the 1931 NAR. The blank space at the bottom of the poster could be used for individualized vendor messages.

Advertising Poster, 1931 National Air Races

He had a small collection of personal items; some obvious, some inscrutable. Chourré was a tobacco user, and his pipe, below, still smelled of tobacco. The band between stem and bowl was stamped "Sterling Silver."

Emile Chourré, Tobacco Pipe

His pipe was contained in the aluminum case below, which is actually a case that originally held flight goggles. You can see some tobacco tar residues on the lid.

Aluminum Goggle Case

He shaved with the razor, below, with Gillette hollow-ground blades, in a lined case.

Emile Chourré, Razor & Blades

He kept an inexpensive compass. This one was constructed in Japan before WWII.

Emile Chourré, Pocket Compass

Chourré produced some meticulous India ink drawings, one of which was used as a logo for a navy Alaskan expedition. He probably used the Dietzgen drawing set, below, one of two sets found in his trunks.

Emile Chourré, Mechanical Drawing Set

Below is a brass "perpetual" calendar of the type that changes day and date by simply rotating the rectangular part to change the date, and turning the thumb wheels on the base to change the day and month. It has the logo of the Pratt & Whitney engine company on it, probably a souvenir given to Chourré during a plant visit.

"Perpetual" Calendar, Pratt & Whitney Souvenir

Below is a small clock that appeared to be removed from an instrument panel. It has two mounting holes for screws and the winder is at the bottom, characteristic of automobile or older airplane clocks. It is made by the New Haven Clock Company (CT), and the only other marking is "auto" above the hands. If you can help identify its origin and vintage, please let me KNOW.

Panel Clock, Unknown Origin or Date

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