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I think there are some current and ex-military folks here (I'm former USAF BTW)...

I was going through some very old things belonging to my in-laws and I came across an old Brooks Brothers suitcase (circa 1920s or 30s) that was engraved:

LT. R.N. SLATER
U.S.N. R.F.C.

It's driving me crazy, but for the life of me, I can't figure out what "R.F.C." is. Does anyone know?

The time frame you describe fits this information:

1932

Jan. 22 - The Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC) is begun by President Herbert Hoover in hopes of stimulating the economy.
Feb. 4 - The III Winter Olympic Games opens in Lake Placid, New York.
Mar. 7 – Congress approves the Federal Farm Bureau to distribute wheat to the needy.
May 29 – The Bonus Army marched on Washington D.C.
Jul. 30 - The X Summer Olympic Games opens in Los Angeles, California.

It could also stand for "Response Force Commander"

But Dan's is probably the best answer.

As a Marine, I'd have to say it could also stand for Really Fat Cow.
But I could be biased.

RFC also = Rugby Football Club,

Royal Flying Corps,

and maybe <?> First Class?

Brassdad wrote:As a Marine, I'd have to say it could also stand for Really Fat Cow.
But I could be biased.

At the risk of starting something here... you might consider this... take a look at your next paycheck. I don't know if it's changed in recent years, but the checks used to be issued by The Deparment of the Navy

windshieldbug wrote:RFC also = Rugby Football Club,

Royal Flying Corps,

and maybe <?> First Class?

I did see in searching around that the different service acadamies had/have rugby teams and that Navy's was called "Navy RFC".

After posting, I looked around some more and found the "United States Navy Reserve Flying Corps" from the WWI-era when looking at a Naval Aviation history site. That would fit with the age of the piece (assuming it was already a decade old when it was aquired).

I think the Royal Flying Corps is British, the Royal Navy's counterpart to the RAF perhaps...

Thanks for all the replies.

Louis

TubaTinker Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2005 10:07 am Post subject:

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Brassdad wrote:
As a Marine, I'd have to say it could also stand for Really Fat Cow.
But I could be biased.


At the risk of starting something here... you might consider this... take a look at your next paycheck. I don't know if it's changed in recent years, but the checks used to be issued by The Deparment of the Navy

Yes the Corps is a Department of the Navy....The MENS Department!

Brassdad wrote:

TubaTinker Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2005 10:07 am Post subject:

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Brassdad wrote:
As a Marine, I'd have to say it could also stand for Really Fat Cow.
But I could be biased.


At the risk of starting something here... you might consider this... take a look at your next paycheck. I don't know if it's changed in recent years, but the checks used to be issued by The Deparment of the Navy

Yes the Corps is a Department of the Navy....The MENS Department!

I won't deny that. My Navy specialty always had a detachment of Marines around to carry out the emergency destruction bill. US We were usually pretty nice to the Marines

A plan for training student officers of the Naval Reserve Flying Corps was circulated for comment. It proposed a program in three parts: (1) A Ground School for indoctrination into the Navy and study of subjects related to aircraft and flight, (2) a Preliminary Flight School for flight training through 5 to 10 hours of solo, and (3) a Completing Flight School for advanced flight training and qualification as a Naval Aviator and a commission as Ensign, USNRF. This plan was implemented without benefit of formal directive by the establishment of the Ground School in the same month and the later division of flight training into elementary and advanced courses.

Louis wrote:I was going through some very old things belonging to my in-laws and I came across an old Brooks Brothers suitcase (circa 1920s or 30s) that was engraved:

LT. R.N. SLATER
U.S.N. R.F.C.

I take it R.N. Slater is not a known person to the family?

The first item here related to a Lt. Kenneth MacLeish, U.S.N.R.F.C. where R.F.C.= Reserve Flying Corps. This man was shot down in 1918

R.F.C. started in 1916 and later became the Naval Air Reserve, though I couldn't find a date.

ThomasDodd wrote:I take it R.N. Slater is not a known person to the family?

Not known to anyone left... I guess I can't say for sure if there was an actual connection or not. I've never heard the name before, and no one's told WWI stories, and most of the older folks on my wife's side are deceased. Her uncle was a soldier in Germany in WWII and collected some interesting military stuff though, so maybe that's the source of this.

Louis[/i]

TubaTinker....
No genuine insult intended. Just couldn't resist.
Figured from your inital comment you were (or are close to) a sailor.
Now....if you'd been in the Hair Farce like my brother-in-law ....oh well