L-R: Eighth Air Force flag;Photo album filled with interesting photos, none of which are captioned; lapel pin;classified pilot information file; Brooks Field, Texas Aircraft Identification book (also restricted); 1 Jan. 1944 Instrument Flying Techniques in Weather manual; Instrument Flying handbook, 339th Fighter Group 1987 San Diego Reunion Banquet Program.Yesterday I wrote about running across an estate sale in Idaho Falls where the possessions of a former 8th Air Force P-51 Mustang pilot of the 339th Fighter Group were being sold along with everything else in the house that the man and his wife had lived in for over forty years. It was a sad experience, but I did try to find everything related to this man's WWII flight experience and buy it so it can be preserved.
Photos, a single pilot lapel pin, an Eighth Air Force flag, and some old training manuals were all that were left to testify to the distinguished record of this airman.Research on this individual shows him to have gotten two kills in combat during 1944, and that he reached the rank of captain. I am adding some photos of the priceless pieces of this man's war experiences today.
Photos taken at San Antonio, Texas during pilot training. These are all aerial shots taken from the aircraft.
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