Red Bluff Ace

[GrauGeist]

I came across a photo I had taken a few years ago, of a memorial in front of the Red Bluff Police department. Red Bluff is in Tehama County, Northern California.

It was in rememberance of Ken Carlson, a Red Bluff native and a WWII P-51D pilot who aparently was killed in Korea.

I've checked around and wasn't able to get any more details other than what's listed on the memorial.

While I was trying to find out more info on Ken, I discovered that there was another Ace from Red Bluff, by the name of Eugene Hanks, who shot down 5 Japanese fighters in one day.

Anyone has info on either of these pilots, it would be great to read up on it.

If it wasn't for that memorial, I would have never known about Ken's service, and eventually, Eugene's. I think it's really a shame that there isn't more public awareness for folks who've served sacrificed.

 

[Airframes]

Hi Grau, the photo on the plaque of Carlson. He was with the 4th. Fighter Group, 8th Fighter Command, 8th. U.S.A.A.F., where he was known as 'The Swede', apparently a big, gentle man. There are some good accounts of him in the two books by Colonel Jim Goodson, a top-scoring ace who was also in the R.A.F., the Eagle squadrons, and then 4th Fighter Group. The books are:-
'Tumult in the Clouds', James A Goodson. (sorry, don't have publishers details to hand.)
'The Last of the Knights', James A Goodson, Harrop Press,Cantebury, England. 1990. ISBN 1-872809-03-0.
They are both illustrated, with some fantastic accounts of air combat, and an insight into some of the characters of the men of the 4th. They may well be out of print now so, if you want to read them, and can't get a hold of them, let me know and I'll loan them to you, on the usual understanding of gettingn them back eventually, of course!
I had a slight personal interest in the 4th as, a few years back, I did a couple of paintings of Goodson's P47 and P51, which were going to be released as limited-edition prints, with signatures by Goodson. Unfortunately, due to a combination of circumstances, not least was my being floored for a while with this stupid arthritis, the prints never did come to fruitition. Still got the paintings though!
Cheers, Terry.

 

[RabidAlien]

 

[GrauGeist]

Thanks for the info Airframes, sorry to hear that the arthritis is giving you grief.

I did a little more research based on the information you provided, he was a heck of a pilot!

I found a site www.littlefriends.co.uk - 4th FG gallery that has a photo of Carlson in front of a P-47...and I've seen that noseart before, the Rooster with the boxing gloves!

 

[Airframes]

Yeah, Grau, used little friends quite a few times for info.
As far as I know, the rooster with boxing gloves was the 'logo', for want of a better description, that was designed by Walt Disney for the R.A.F. 'Eagle' Squadrons. You'll probably notice the similarity to the one used on Don Gentille's P51B.
The offer still stands re those books if you want to read them. The first one is the full story, whilst the second is more the story of Goodson's time after being shot down, and very interesting too! Sometimes puzzles me why Goodson isn't always included in the list of aces, as he scored, I think, 32 confirmed kills in the E.T.O., I'll have to check, but I'm sure it was around that figure.

 

[GrauGeist]

Well heck, my reply must not have made it through, so I'll try again!

I knew that Walt Disney designed alot of insignias during WWII, and that in itself is quite an interesting story...even down to his irritation that Adolf Galland had a Mickey Mouse on his aircraft (with cigar, of course!).

I have heard mention of Goodson over the years, and it's too bad many pilots like him seemed to have faded into the background. Another pilot comes to mind, and that would be Col. Robert Scott of the AVG (China). I read his book "God is my copilot" when I was a kid, and right then and there, the Curtiss P-40 and the Flying Tigers became my life-long favorites!

I may have to take you up on the book offer, they sound like great reading, but I don't have any decent bookstore here in town that offers anything more than the mainstream offerings.

 

[Airframes]

Yes, I've heard about Disney being 'displeased' about Galland's (and a couple of other pilot's) 'Mickey Mouse'. I think I'm right in saying that Galland's emblem originated from a Geschwader, or maybe a Gruppe badge, used during the Spanish Civil War. I've also read somewhere that it wasn't Mickey, but another, similar cartoon, popular in Germany in the early thirties.
Only too happy to loan you the books; one is a paperback, and the photograph pages are loose, through use, the other hard-back. If you PM your postal address, I'll send them off to you. They include a little of Goodson's background and career after the war, eg President of ITT, etc, and I'm sure you'll find them extremely interesting. Read the paperback first, as the other is not only a part sequel, but describes Goodson's attempt to honour his promise to visit the families of those pilots lost/KIA after the war.
Cheers for now,
Terry.