Friends Feedback You Have No Rudder In the latest Friends Journal you included an article by Capt John Irwin, “You Have No Rudder.” In the article John remarks that in the aftermath of the incident he failed to log the flight in his logbook and did not get a photo of the T-6. I was a classmate of John and happened to be on the flight line after my training flight that day. I had my new camera, and after reading his article, I thought I had a photo of the rudderless airplane. After a little digging I found the picture and have enclosed it. Brig Gen Monroe G. Mathias, USAF (Ret.) We have forwarded the photo to John Irwin
Navy Brat John Pittman’s story “Growing Up An Air Force Brat” brought back memories of my childhood as a Navy dependent. My earliest recollections are of duplex housing in Long Beach. We later lived in Quonset Huts near what was then known as the Destroyer Base in San Diego. After a year or so living off base near San Diego, we followed my father to Guam, again living in Quonset Huts. We were only there a few months before I contracted polio, in September 1951. By December I was stable enough to be flown home to San Diego, which is really the point of my story. At the age of 8, accompanied by my father, I was put aboard a MATS plane filled with Korean War wounded. I understood the plane started out in Seoul, stopping in Manila before it arrived in Guam. It seems to me we stopped in Kwajalein and Eniwetok enroute to Honolulu, where I spent a few days in Tripler Hospital. Then it was on to Travis AFB, where we were transferred to a C-47 for the flight to San Diego. I recently came across a couple of snapshots my father took at the beginning of the trip. I would be interested in hearing from anyone who might have been on that flight or flew missions such as mine in December 1951. John Fry P.O. Box 9444 San Diego CA 92169 mail@johnfry.com
Clarification needed On page 15 of the Fall 2012 issue, the photo caption reads: “Yak-9s on a Russian flightline. These were the type of fighters often assigned as escorts to Allied bombers flying shuttle missions to the USSR from European bases.” I have read about and researched those USAAF missions in considerable detail…I can assure you that Russian fighters did not escort American bombers on any of the earlier missions in which the latter participated, from and to England, Italy and Russia (the Ukraine), as they had their own escorting P-5ls on all of them. There were Russian fighters at Ukrainian bases utilized by the USAAF during these shuttle missions, from June to August 1944, but their only connection to the American aircraft would have been in the role of local airfield defense. Steve Blake Membership Chairman, Historian, and Lightning Strikes Editor P-38 National Association
All long-range fighter escort was indeed accomplished
by American fighters; however, local base defense and escort over Soviet occupied-territory was handled by Soviet fighters. The following is transcribed from the “Frantic Joe” Standard Operating Procedures: “Soviet defensive fighters will relieve offensive fighters at front line and escort our bombers to bases and provide area support. Soviet defensive fighters will give close-in and escort support on missions departing Russia.” Later, it was decided that the Soviets would provide area protection from rising interceptors by flying below 15,000 feet. They would not attempt close support of the bombers so as to eliminate confusion. The Soviets would also attack German airdromes near the corridor of entrance. Furthermore, Soviet press releases transcribed in the final report state: “The American bombers were met over Soviet territory by squadrons of our “Yak” fighters, which escorted them to the bases.” My conclusion from the primary source documentation: Soviet fighters did not escort the American bombers to target, but did provide fighter escort over Soviet territory. I can confirm on some missions from Italy to Russia, American fighter escort returned home after the bombers crossed into Soviet territory. From Brett Stolle, Museum Research Division:
Correction In the 2013 National Museum of the U.S. Air Force calendar, the November photo was incorrectly attributed. It should read “Photo by Jerry Herbert.” Our apologies to Mr. Herbert!
John Fry, at age 8, on middle bunk surrounded by Korea War wounded.
Winter 2012-2013 • Friends Journal
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