American Valor Quarterly Issue 9 - Summer 2012 | Page 27

as far as Poland. Then more
local targets such as Anzio, Rome,
Florence, the concentrated
airfields in Italy and targets in
Yugoslavia were common.
Strafing troop convoys,
locomotives, airfields and gun
emplacements was always
exciting but dangerous work.
My eighth victory came on a
flight in early June of 1944. I was
leading the squadron when I
sighted two aircraft directly
ahead on a level with our own
flight. I added throttle and
dropped down for a low
approach from the rear. At about
100 yards, I took careful aim and
fired. They were two
The raid on Ploesti was a turning point in the war, devestating the Germans’ petroleum supply and crippling the Messerschmitt 109s. It wasn’t a
Nazi war effort.
particularly artful victory, but it
was satisfying since it occurred
been better if I had done it a dozen times. in the Southwest Pacific. Upon arriving on June 6, 1944—D-Day. It made me
at Hamilton, I was placed on 30 days’ feel that I