In general, pins recognizing membership in the Caterpillar Club were only awarded to those persons who saved their lives by bailing out of an aircraft and floating safely back to terra firma by parachute. The two companies manufacturing parachutes and maintaining records of the life-saving "incidents" are the Switlik Parachute Company and the Irvin Air Chute Company. These pointers on obtaining a replacement pin apply in particular to those pins provided by Irvin, but may be helpful, as well, to those from Switlik.

My first contact with Irvin was Sheila Fickel of Irvin Aerospace of Canada. She controls the records for incidents that occured over the North American continent. She can be contacted as below:

Sheila Fickel
Personal Assistant, CEO
Irvin Aerospace Canada Limited
Phone: (905) 871-6510
Fax: (905) 871-3111
Email: sfickel@irvincanada.com

She indicated to me that since my father's incident occured in Europe, those records were administered by Judy Adams of Irvin Aerospace Limited (the Canadian company's sister corporation in Europe). She can be contacted through this information:

Judy Adams
Caterpillar Club
Irvin Aerospace Limited
Icknield Way
Letchworth, Hertfordshire
England SG6 1EU
Telephone: 011 44 1 462 482 000
Fax: 011 44 1 462 482 007
Email: judya@irvin.co.uk

To obtain a pin, as much information on the incident as possible must be provided to Ms. Fickel or Ms. Adams, including the full name of the member, the date of the incident, the location of the incident, and the reason that a replacement pin is being sought. Also, any other supporting documentation may be helpful in their tracing of the membership records (in my case, I provided them with a digital photograph of my Dad's Caterpillar Club Membership card).

Once they have located the appropriate record of membership, you will need to let them know what type of pin you request (what metal the pin is made of...) and submit to them full payment (in Pounds, Sterling) for the pin. The excerpt below from Judy Adams' email to me explains the details fully:

I have at last managed to trace your father's details. It is possible to purchase a replacement pin and the costs are as follows:

Gold Pin £40.00

Silver Gilt Pin £20.00

Once you have decided on the pin you would like I would ask you to forward a stirling cheque for the appropriate amount, made payable to Irvin Aerospace Ltd. On receipt of the cheque here I will be pleased to place an order with the jeweller. As the pins are still engraved by hand they take approximately 8 to 10 weeks to come through, on receipt here it will be posted out to you under cover of 'special delivery'.

If you have any questions about this process, I would be glad to give you the benefit of my quest. You may email me at: bill@littlestar.com .