Wed Oct 10, 2007 10:35 am
Albert Ball, Werner Voss, Robert Stanford Tuck, Doug Bader, Marion Carl, Gabby Gabreski, Jesse Brown, Tom Hudner, Phil Wood, Dick Bellinger.
Last edited by ripcord on Sat Oct 13, 2007 10:19 am, edited 2 times in total.
??
Wed Oct 10, 2007 11:22 am
[quote]I'm surprised Jack Cook didn't choose Pappy Boyington.
[quote]
PLEASE-not to mention that name
[quote]
PLEASE-not to mention that name
Re: ????
Wed Oct 10, 2007 1:12 pm
Jack Cook wrote:PAF pilots Tadeusz Sawicz and WitoldLanowski with 355th FS P-51B at Boxted, UK Nov 1943
Jack Cook wrote:1Lt Bob Goodnight & Lanny Lanowski Nov. 1943 354th FG
Thanks for those, Jack. Yes, unmistakable 'Lanny'. I'd never realized that he flew with the 354th as well.
Wed Oct 10, 2007 1:59 pm
Robin Olds
Robbie Risner
Bud Anderson
Jeff Leblanc
James Swett
Frederick "Boots" Blesse
Robbie Risner
Bud Anderson
Jeff Leblanc
James Swett
Frederick "Boots" Blesse
Wed Oct 10, 2007 7:33 pm
My father, Billy Hovde, Tex Hill, Henry Brown, Clay Kinnard and Robin Olds - plus Gunther Rall.
I was in a cocktail circle with all of the above )except Kinnard) at Dallas fighter Aces Reunion during an interview by Channel 8. The question was " what does a great fighter pilot have to possess".. around the circle, first Tex, until the last - Billy Hovde.
Every one talked about tactical awareness, aggressiveness, knowing the relative strengths and weaknesses of the aircarft, etc... the reporter stuck his mic in front of Billy who just said simply - "well first of all - you can't want to live forever - but the rest of what you heard will help you do that"..
Hovde won his DSC taking his 358 squadron down over Berlin to attack 75-100 Fw190s on 5 December, 1944 - shooting down five, sharing a 109 and broke the attack up completely with no losses to his squadron which accounted for another 5.5.
Helluva man as they all were.
Regards,
Bill
I was in a cocktail circle with all of the above )except Kinnard) at Dallas fighter Aces Reunion during an interview by Channel 8. The question was " what does a great fighter pilot have to possess".. around the circle, first Tex, until the last - Billy Hovde.
Every one talked about tactical awareness, aggressiveness, knowing the relative strengths and weaknesses of the aircarft, etc... the reporter stuck his mic in front of Billy who just said simply - "well first of all - you can't want to live forever - but the rest of what you heard will help you do that"..
Hovde won his DSC taking his 358 squadron down over Berlin to attack 75-100 Fw190s on 5 December, 1944 - shooting down five, sharing a 109 and broke the attack up completely with no losses to his squadron which accounted for another 5.5.
Helluva man as they all were.
Regards,
Bill
Wed Oct 10, 2007 10:19 pm
The Navy is under-represented!
Joe Foss; 'nuff said.
All the guys from VF-15 that I hosted here in Midland at the CAF: Ralph Foltz, Jim Duffy, John Strane, from VF-41 Diz Laird, and from the Marines, VMF-214 Jim Hill, Tom Emrich and Ed Harper. Unassuming modest guys all.
My dad, VF-15...three-fifths of a Japanese ace (one N2S, one SNJ on the USS Wolverine, one SNJ at Corpus) but he's still the greatest to me!
Old Shep
Joe Foss; 'nuff said.
All the guys from VF-15 that I hosted here in Midland at the CAF: Ralph Foltz, Jim Duffy, John Strane, from VF-41 Diz Laird, and from the Marines, VMF-214 Jim Hill, Tom Emrich and Ed Harper. Unassuming modest guys all.
My dad, VF-15...three-fifths of a Japanese ace (one N2S, one SNJ on the USS Wolverine, one SNJ at Corpus) but he's still the greatest to me!
Old Shep
Wed Oct 10, 2007 10:32 pm
Wasn't Joe Foss a Marine?
BTW, I had two Navy guys on my list!
I think my favorites were ones that I had read about as a teenager and have always admired. Strange how they stay with you even though over time, you often get the chance to meet many other pilots of equal stature.
Of my favorites, I never had the chance to meet any of them!
Jerry
BTW, I had two Navy guys on my list!
I think my favorites were ones that I had read about as a teenager and have always admired. Strange how they stay with you even though over time, you often get the chance to meet many other pilots of equal stature.
Of my favorites, I never had the chance to meet any of them!
Jerry
Thu Oct 11, 2007 6:57 am
"you're lookin' at him, baby"
Seriously, though...my hero is Robin Olds.
Seriously, though...my hero is Robin Olds.
Thu Oct 11, 2007 10:41 am
Randy Haskins post reminded me...
I forgot to mention a comment made when Chuck Yeager and Bud Anderson were here...Yeager said that Anderson called him the greatest fighter pilot he ever saw and then Anderson said except when I look in the mirror to shave every morning....I imagine that has been cited previously...at this point (four plus years ago) they were on good terms and liked poking fun at one another. I understand that is not the case now.
Old Shep
I forgot to mention a comment made when Chuck Yeager and Bud Anderson were here...Yeager said that Anderson called him the greatest fighter pilot he ever saw and then Anderson said except when I look in the mirror to shave every morning....I imagine that has been cited previously...at this point (four plus years ago) they were on good terms and liked poking fun at one another. I understand that is not the case now.
Old Shep
???
Thu Oct 11, 2007 10:52 am
they were on good terms and liked poking fun at one another. I understand that is not the case now.
Sounds like a story in their somewhere
Thu Oct 11, 2007 2:02 pm
Randy Haskin wrote:"you're lookin' at him, baby"
Seriously, though...my hero is Robin Olds.
Thanks for a giggle, Randy......and Thanks for your service !!!!
My favs.....my Dad and Robin Olds...both deceased....and a bunch of FACs who will remain nameless as they are still alive and kicking and I get to spend time with them often at Reunions and they're great !!!
Fri Oct 12, 2007 6:48 am
Robin Olds
Bud Anderson
Joe Foss
R.S. Tuck
Douglas Bader
Guenther Rall
Erich Hartmann
Randy Haskin
Bud Anderson
Joe Foss
R.S. Tuck
Douglas Bader
Guenther Rall
Erich Hartmann
Randy Haskin
Last edited by 6trn4brn on Sun Oct 14, 2007 7:33 am, edited 1 time in total.
heroes
Fri Oct 12, 2007 9:27 am
Gunther Rall and Douglas Bader-who i was fortunate enough to meet at Blackbush England when he came out with my dad to look over the Ju52s back in the late '70's. They along with Galland have amazing stories of what can be done under duress, and how no matter which "side" you were on, what one did for "duty" and "honor" back then.
Fri Oct 12, 2007 11:05 am
Walter C. Beckham
???
Fri Oct 12, 2007 11:21 am
Everyone's posted their favs but no one really said why.
http://www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/URG/gladen.html
Without a doubt, my favorite ace is Cy Gladen of the 44th FS 18th FG.
A lifelong friend, he was one of the most decent men I've ever known.
He was assistant crew chief of Maj. Aaron Tyer's P-40 in the 15th Pursuit Group and was on duty on Dec. 7th at Hickam Field where he was commended for his bravery. He graduated from Moore Field, Texas with class 42G and proudly reported back to L/C Tyer now 18th FG CO. He flew 164 missions in P-40F/Ms and P-38Hs in the 44th FS including some of the first sweeps over Rabaul. Credited with 5 kills, he claimed 5 Vals on 8-31-43 and received his Silver Star 50 years later. He was a sportsman, civic volunteer and always ready to help his fellow man. He was tireless in down playing his exploits, but was always eager to talk about the heros he served with. He spent countless hours beating into me that these things were of far greater importance than how many flags were on the side of his P-40.
http://www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/URG/gladen.html
Without a doubt, my favorite ace is Cy Gladen of the 44th FS 18th FG.
A lifelong friend, he was one of the most decent men I've ever known.
He was assistant crew chief of Maj. Aaron Tyer's P-40 in the 15th Pursuit Group and was on duty on Dec. 7th at Hickam Field where he was commended for his bravery. He graduated from Moore Field, Texas with class 42G and proudly reported back to L/C Tyer now 18th FG CO. He flew 164 missions in P-40F/Ms and P-38Hs in the 44th FS including some of the first sweeps over Rabaul. Credited with 5 kills, he claimed 5 Vals on 8-31-43 and received his Silver Star 50 years later. He was a sportsman, civic volunteer and always ready to help his fellow man. He was tireless in down playing his exploits, but was always eager to talk about the heros he served with. He spent countless hours beating into me that these things were of far greater importance than how many flags were on the side of his P-40.