B-4 Life Preserver "Mae West" 501st
The B-4 life preserver or Mae West as they are commonly known as were originally issued to the Airforce.
For the Normandy drop the C-47’s carrying the paratroopers had to cross the English Channel to get to the drop zones, so it was decided that all paratroopers should be issued with Mae West’s for the jump.
This Mae West has been stamped with a G being stuck by lightning. This identifies it to the 501st PIR of the 101st Airborne.
It was quite common for units to stamp jump equipment to stop other units borrowing or stealing equipment.
This Mae West was found hanging in a barn in Normandy in 2009.