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Okay, this has nothing to do with automobiles, but I think
it is cool. . .
Above is picture of the 970 Airborne Air Control Squadron patch. Rumor has
it, that Walt Disney designed the patch. Here's the real story: Walt approved it's use, but the patch was designed
by Chuck Thorsen.
The character on the 970 AACS emblem is named Max Hare and first appeared in
three Silly Symphonies cartoons between 1935 and 1936, beginning with "The Tortoise and the Hare," (January 5, 1935). The Silly Symphonies cartoons later split into Walt Disney's animated shorts and Merrie
Melodies cartoons. The designer of the character was Chuck Thorsen.
The character donned boxing gloves in his second film appearance on August 22,
1936 , "Toby Tortoise Returns," striking a pose very similar to that on the 970 AACS patch. Max
Hare was also popular in the Silly Symphony Sunday Strip, beginning Dec. 23, 1934 as well as comic books. The last appearance of this character in popular culture was in a comic book in September 1952.
With Walt Disney's approval, the emblem
was adopted for use by the military on 29 April 1942. Everything falls into place.
An interesting side note: There has been a continuing dispute among animation buffs that the character of Max Hare was a prototype
for Bugs Bunny. They are separate characters with a single common point: Chuck
Thorsen. Thorsen designed both Max Hare and the embryonic Bugs Bunny that first appeared in "Hare-um Scare-um."
The story
gets even better. Barbara W. from Columbus, KS writes, “I have been informed that the patch for [my
father’s] squadron has been reactivated. This is my father, Marvin Morehead, on the bottom, front right.
He was a staff sergeant, I believe. He has some memorablia including the patch. He is 84 years old and his memory
isn't too good anymore. But, sometimes we get that stuff out and relive it a little.” Thanks Barbara!
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