Identified simply as 'Lt. Lamar Vieau,' this portrait shows a Navy flight instructor standing before an open-cockpit biplane trainer of the type used to teach primary flying skills to V-5 Naval Aviation Cadets in the early 1940s. His heavy leather jacket, shearling collar, and leather flying cap reflect the standard cold-weather gear worn for open-cockpit instruction. Officers like Lieutenant Vieau formed the instructor cadre responsible for evaluating and advancing the young cadets who would go on to earn their Navy wings. Project: 218579