In defense of freedom : stories of courage and sacrifice of World War II Army Air Forces flyers

609 Pages·2015·28.6 MB·English

by  Wolfgang W. E. Samuel

IN DEFENSE OF FREEDOM
IN DEFENSE OF FREEDOM
Stories of Courage and Sacrifice of World War II Army Air Forces Flyers
WOLFGANG W. E. SAMUEL
COLONEL, UNITED STATES AIR FORCE (RETIRED)
FOREWORD BY JAMES F. TENT
UNIVERSITY PRESS OF MISSISSIPPI / JACKSON
www.upress.state.ms.us
The University Press of Mississippi is a member of the Association of American University Presses.
Copyright © 2015 by University Press of Mississippi All rights reserved Manufactured in the United States
of America First printing 2015
∞
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Samuel, Wolfgang W. E.
In defense of freedom : stories of courage and sacrifice of World War II Army Air Forces flyers / Wolfgang
W.E. Samuel, Colonel, United States Air Force (Retired) ; foreword by James F. Tent.
pages cm
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-62846-217-3 (cloth : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-1-62674-594-0 (ebook) 1. World War, 1939–
1945—Personal narratives, American. 2. World War, 1939–1945—Aerial operations, American. 3. United
States. Army Air Forces—Biography. 4. Air pilots, Military—United States—Biography. 5. World War,
1939–1945—Campaigns. I. Title.
D790.2.S26 2015
940.54’49730922—dc23 2014045127

British Library Cataloging-in-Publication Data available
Dedicated to the young men of the United States Army Air Forces who flew into
the face of fear to free our world from tyranny.
When they finished their work, in spite of horrific losses, the Empire of the
Rising Sun was history, as was Hitler’s Germany and Mussolini’s Italy.
Their courage and sacrifice helped make possible the world we now live in.
We owe them great thanks for what they accomplished and the sacrifices they
made for you and me.
CONTENTS
Terms and Abbreviations
Acknowledgments
Foreword
Introduction
Robert P. Walker—Mosquito/C-54/B-66/Test Pilot
RCAF, 8th Air Force
David M. Taylor—B-17/C-54/C-47
8th Air Force
Charles P. Johnson—B-17
8th Air Force
POW StalagLuft I, Barth, Germany
Byron A. Dobbs Jr.—P-38/F-5/B-26
5th Air Force
POW Korea
Edgar E. McElroy—B-25
5th Air Force
One of Doolittle’s Raiders
Robert S. Hamill—B-25/C-54/KC-97
12th Air Force
Russell B. Witte Jr.—B-25/Test Pilot
Western Desert Air Force
9th/12th Air Force
Charles E. Schreffler—P-38/F-51
12th Air Force
Kenneth O. Chilstrom—A-36/Me 262/Test Pilot
12th Air Force
Robert M. Slane—B-17/B-26/B-47E
8th Air Force
POW StalagLuft III, Sagan, Germany
Harold R. Austin—C-54/RB-45C/RB-47E
In Pilot Training When War Ended
Joseph J. Gyulavics—B-29/RB-47H
In Navigator Training When War Ended
Samuel E. Pizzo—B-17/RB-47H/A-12
15th Air Force
Marion C. Mixson—B-24/RB-45C/RB-47H/U-2
15th Air Force
Bernard T. Nolan—B-24/B-17
8th Air Force
Robert J. Anspach—P-47/Me 262/Fw 190/F-86
1st Tactical Air Force (Provisional)
Lloyd M. N. Wenzel—P-38/F-86
9th Air Force
Frederick B. McIntosh—P-47/Fw 190/TA 152/Ju 290
9th Air Force
Roy W. Brown—P-47/Me 262
12th Air Force
1st Tactical Air Force (Provisional) Albert S. Tucker—P-38/F-80/Gloster
Meteor
8th Air Force
POW StalagLuft I, Barth, Germany
Robert A. Hoover—Spitfire/Fw 190/Test Pilot/Barnstormer
15th Air Force
POW StalagLuft I, Barth, Germany
Frederick Leiby—B-17
15th Air Force
POW StalagLuft III, Sagan, Germany
Arthur E. Exon—P-40/P-47
9th Air Force
POW StalagLuft III Sagan, Germany
Robert C. Strobell—P-47/Me 262
8th Air Force
Chasten L. Bowen—B-17
8th Air Force
POW Buchenwald Concentration Camp, StalagLuft III, Sagan, Germany
Charles E. Myers Jr.—B-25/F9F/Test Pilot
5th Air Force
James F. Setchell—Mosquito/F-5
12th Air Force
Thoughts about Sacrifice and a Terrible War—The Cost of Victory
Notes
Interviews and Photographs
Bibliography
Index