drgondog
Major
Thanks to Dan scaling the images from 6-8mb to less than 100kb, many of you can see the WIP of illustrations done by Steve Deisley for my new book.
Over the next couple of weeks I will put in the side elevations of the P-47s and P-51s flown by 355th fighter pilots - most will be of the air aces. Seven DSC's, 21 air aces, 56 combined air and ground aces.
This particular group has a very rich history in the USAAF and USAF, finishing 5th in air to air for the 8thAF, first in Ground scores and 3rd overall in German aircraft destroyed.
During Korea it was in Air Defense Command and missed out in combat ops there
In Vietnam it dropped 200,000 tons of bombs (about 1/3 total tonnage of all the B-17s in all theatres of WWII) on North Viet nam, in the most hostile environment of any target anywhere in the world as far as actual combat conditions - flying F-105s in both bombing and as Wild Weasels.. Two Medals of Honor, 5 AFC, 19 Migs destroyed (in self defense) and the highest losses to flak and SAM's.
For the last 25 years, the 355th FW was/is responsible for training all A-10 pilots and has rotated squadrons into combat ops for both Afghanistan and Iraq.
The 355th FGA Reunion this year is at Davis Monthan and will formally bring all vets of the entire 355th together for the first time and mark the first anniversary of new Association going forward.. passing the baton to the current and future leaders of this great unit.
In short, a long and rich history
The first and second images are of Henry Brown's last Mustang and Billy Hovde's last Mustang - both deceased, and Bill Cullerton's first P-51D Mustang. Cullerton is now only surviving 355th ace.
Henry was Group's top ace, top scorer, and was leading 8th AF in active scoring after Godfrey, Goodson and Gabreski went POW while strafing. That was Brown's fate also on October 3, 1945 when he was shot down by flak. Lenfest, who was 354FS Ops officer to Marshall, was flying Marshall's Mustang and attempted a rescue. He stuck Jane III in the mud and both Brown and Lenfest ran for the trees. Al White, future B-70 test pilot, landed close by - prepared to give his Mustang up to them and take his chances.
Discouraged, White took off and RTB. Allegedly Doolittle went ballistic as the 355th had already pulled off one rescue in August and Doolittle had issued orders "no more attempts".
Henry Brown received a DSC for attacking, without ammunition, 5 Me 109s stalking two of his squadron members while returning from Berlin. He was seen and the 6 a/c went into a Lufberry. Brown succeeded in outurning, one after another, until all had split S and dove for the deck. One managed to climb back and get on his tail hitting him with a burst of 20mm. Brown avoided him and got away but his compass was damaged.. he managed to raise another pilot on the way home who gave him his heading back to Steeple Morden referenced to position of rivet on his windscreen support.
Billy Hovde received his DSC for leading an attack with his 358FS near Berlin to break up two large Gaggles of Fw 190s and escorting 109s. In the fight he personally destroyed 5 Fw 190s, destroyed a 109 and shared another. The squadron destoyed 12 and the rest left before the rest of the 355th could come help. The B-24 Group Commander sent a car to the base to 'pick up' Hovde and kept him hostage for two days - waterboarding him with whiskey as punishment. He was rescued when ordered to London to make a PRO broadcast about the mission. Had to borrow a Class A uniform and poured into staff car to sober up on the trip to London.
Hovde was the 'connection' that enabled my father to get essentially a rebuilt as new P-51D-25 in a USAF auction in late 50's - cheap. I miss him dearly.
Bill Cullerton was second highest scorer on ground, had 13 of his 16 in two missions. In the second big mission he scored six on the ground and two Me 109s in the air over Borkheide, a big fight mostlt on the deck. He received a DSC for this mission on November 2, 1944.
When he was shot down by flak on April 16, 1945 he was captured by a SS Lieutenant who took his .45 and shot him in the stomach. A German priest was nearby, rushed him to a hospital and Cullerton survived. When he returned to Steeple Morden everyone thought he was KIA - as his Mustang blew up on the deck and no one saw his parachute.
Over the next couple of weeks I will put in the side elevations of the P-47s and P-51s flown by 355th fighter pilots - most will be of the air aces. Seven DSC's, 21 air aces, 56 combined air and ground aces.
This particular group has a very rich history in the USAAF and USAF, finishing 5th in air to air for the 8thAF, first in Ground scores and 3rd overall in German aircraft destroyed.
During Korea it was in Air Defense Command and missed out in combat ops there
In Vietnam it dropped 200,000 tons of bombs (about 1/3 total tonnage of all the B-17s in all theatres of WWII) on North Viet nam, in the most hostile environment of any target anywhere in the world as far as actual combat conditions - flying F-105s in both bombing and as Wild Weasels.. Two Medals of Honor, 5 AFC, 19 Migs destroyed (in self defense) and the highest losses to flak and SAM's.
For the last 25 years, the 355th FW was/is responsible for training all A-10 pilots and has rotated squadrons into combat ops for both Afghanistan and Iraq.
The 355th FGA Reunion this year is at Davis Monthan and will formally bring all vets of the entire 355th together for the first time and mark the first anniversary of new Association going forward.. passing the baton to the current and future leaders of this great unit.
In short, a long and rich history
The first and second images are of Henry Brown's last Mustang and Billy Hovde's last Mustang - both deceased, and Bill Cullerton's first P-51D Mustang. Cullerton is now only surviving 355th ace.
Henry was Group's top ace, top scorer, and was leading 8th AF in active scoring after Godfrey, Goodson and Gabreski went POW while strafing. That was Brown's fate also on October 3, 1945 when he was shot down by flak. Lenfest, who was 354FS Ops officer to Marshall, was flying Marshall's Mustang and attempted a rescue. He stuck Jane III in the mud and both Brown and Lenfest ran for the trees. Al White, future B-70 test pilot, landed close by - prepared to give his Mustang up to them and take his chances.
Discouraged, White took off and RTB. Allegedly Doolittle went ballistic as the 355th had already pulled off one rescue in August and Doolittle had issued orders "no more attempts".
Henry Brown received a DSC for attacking, without ammunition, 5 Me 109s stalking two of his squadron members while returning from Berlin. He was seen and the 6 a/c went into a Lufberry. Brown succeeded in outurning, one after another, until all had split S and dove for the deck. One managed to climb back and get on his tail hitting him with a burst of 20mm. Brown avoided him and got away but his compass was damaged.. he managed to raise another pilot on the way home who gave him his heading back to Steeple Morden referenced to position of rivet on his windscreen support.
Billy Hovde received his DSC for leading an attack with his 358FS near Berlin to break up two large Gaggles of Fw 190s and escorting 109s. In the fight he personally destroyed 5 Fw 190s, destroyed a 109 and shared another. The squadron destoyed 12 and the rest left before the rest of the 355th could come help. The B-24 Group Commander sent a car to the base to 'pick up' Hovde and kept him hostage for two days - waterboarding him with whiskey as punishment. He was rescued when ordered to London to make a PRO broadcast about the mission. Had to borrow a Class A uniform and poured into staff car to sober up on the trip to London.
Hovde was the 'connection' that enabled my father to get essentially a rebuilt as new P-51D-25 in a USAF auction in late 50's - cheap. I miss him dearly.
Bill Cullerton was second highest scorer on ground, had 13 of his 16 in two missions. In the second big mission he scored six on the ground and two Me 109s in the air over Borkheide, a big fight mostlt on the deck. He received a DSC for this mission on November 2, 1944.
When he was shot down by flak on April 16, 1945 he was captured by a SS Lieutenant who took his .45 and shot him in the stomach. A German priest was nearby, rushed him to a hospital and Cullerton survived. When he returned to Steeple Morden everyone thought he was KIA - as his Mustang blew up on the deck and no one saw his parachute.
