The W.O.E. CAT Strap - COMING SOON

Understanding How a Lesser-known Chapter in Aviation & Intelligence History Influenced Our Newest Custom Watch Strap 

*The W.O.E. CAT Strap is COMING SOON. Click HERE to sign up to be notified when the CAT Strap is live.*

The CAT Strap is our refined evolution of the classic RAF-style nylon strap, redesigned with upgraded materials and thoughtful details for everyday wear. Like every custom tool we make, the CAT Strap comes with a history lesson, in this case referencing an often overlooked chapter in aviation and intelligence. 

CIA’s Civil Air Transport & Air America 

Founded in 1946 and primarily relying on surplus US aircraft from the Second World War, Civil Air Transport (CAT) was a CIA-owned airline focused on supporting anti-communist efforts in war-ravaged post-war China. In addition to its efforts to deliver supplies to support Chiang Kai-shek in his civil war against Mao Zedong’s communist regime, CAT also featured heavily in the Korean War that began in 1950. 

A Civil Air Transport C-46.

On 29 November 1952, Schwartz and co-pilot Robert Snoddy flew an unmarked C-47 deep into northern China alongside CIA officers John Downey and Richard Fecteau. Their mission was to extract an anti-Communist agent using the experimental “All American Pick Up” system, an early airborne recovery technique in which a hook extended from the aircraft would snag a line suspended between two poles on the ground while the agent, attached to the line by a harness, would be lifted violently into the air and reeled into the aircraft. 

As the aircraft descended just above the treetops for the extraction, concealed Chinese machine gun positions opened fire, revealing the mission had been compromised. The aircraft crashed just before midnight, killing Schwartz and Snoddy instantly, while Downey and Fecteau survived and spent decades imprisoned in China. For years, the true nature of the mission remained classified, and Schwartz’s family was told only that he had disappeared during a routine flight.

CIA pilot Norman Schwartz pictured wearing his Rolex Datejust. (Photo Credit: Cole Pennington/Hodinkee)

Recovered from the wreckage of the CIA covert mission in northern China more than fifty years after it crashed, Norman Schwartz’s Rolex Datejust remained frozen near midnight beneath a corroded crystal and a deep scar on the caseback. The damaged watch is a powerful symbol of the quiet sacrifices made by CIA personnel and an enduring reminder of CAT’s impact in a shadow war waged in the skies over Asia. 

As anti-communist efforts shifted from China and Korea to Southeast Asia, CAT gave way to Air America, a seemingly legitimate airline once again operated by the CIA and used for covert action and intelligence collection operations in Vietnam and Laos. To maintain its cover, Air America conducted many routine flights ferrying passengers and cargo during the Vietnam War, while also being used for covert CIA missions and, in particular, supporting US Army Special Forces. 

The CAT Strap is a refined evolution of the RAF strap trusted by pilots for decades.

In the pre-digital age, many pilots trusted timepieces as tools, often using simple canvas pass-through straps rather than the bracelets that accompanied sports watches of the day. 

The RAF Strap 

Introduced by the British Ministry of Defence in 1945, the term “RAF strap” generally refers to A.F.0210, a military standard for a 16mm cotton canvas strap with a brass buckle and dual brass keepers (later versions used a single canvas keeper). Issued for decades alongside watches and compasses, the RAF Strap served as the predecessor of the MoD’s legendary nylon straps that were introduced in the early 1970s. In contrast to many straps that have metal keepers, the RAF strap utilized a single fabric keeper. 

As we did with our Five Eyes, which was based on the MoD’s 1973 nylon strap, we took the established design format of traditional RAF-style straps and applied our uncompromising standard to create something new, tailored to the needs of our community, the CAT Strap. 

W.O.E. CAT Strap 

Constructed from a 70% nylon, 30% cotton blend, the CAT Strap’s proprietary webbing delivers a softer hand feel while maintaining the durability expected of a true tool strap. The result is a premium, understated aesthetic that transitions seamlessly from field use to daily wear.

The proprietary nylon-cotton weave creates a canvas-style appearance and texture, lending the strap a rugged, vintage-inspired aesthetic while maintaining the strength and durability expected of a modern tool strap.

Unlike traditional single-layer designs, the CAT Strap features a two-layer, 1.3mm thick construction with complementary tones, adding depth without unnecessary bulk. Each configuration is purposefully paired: Black with an OD Green underside, Grey with Black, and OD Green with Tan. Contrasting stitching runs the length of the strap, reinforcing high-wear areas while providing a subtle visual signature. As usual, the tip is reinforced with stitching for longevity and a refined look.

Dual fabric keepers (one fixed, one floating) enable a cleaner, more secure fit on the wrist, along with a newly designed custom 316L stainless steel buckle engraved with the W.O.E. Spearhead. 

In contrast to our Five Eye strap, the tip of the CAT Strap is designed to lie flat and not fold back, offering a streamlined profile and faster on-off capability.

This is not a reinvention for the sake of novelty. It’s a considered upgrade of a proven design, built for those who prefer their equipment to speak quietly and perform without compromise. Like everything we produce, the CAT Strap is rooted in the ethos: Use Your Tools.

To learn more about the CAT Strap, click HERE.