Evan Flys

 Northern California Friends of the American Fighter Aces Association

P-47 Aces

May 17, 2009 at the Hiller Aviation Museum

 Captain Richard Fleitscher flew with the 349th over New Guinea.  He flew 202 missions and got 6 kills

  Brig. Gen Les Smith was a 2nd Lt in the 56th FG where he got 7 kills

Capt Bill Behrns – 4+ Victory pilot with the 459th FS, CBI (China-Burma-India)  He flew 104 missions in Asia.

 

 

 Presented by the Northern California Friends of the American Fighter Aces Association
October 21, 2007
The Hiller Aviation Museum

These men are amazing guys and I was fortunate enough to meet them.  They are all Navy WWII aces from the Pacific theater.  Diz Laird fought in the North Sea against the Luftwaffe and made kills there before going to the Pacific.

  Captain Joe McGraw – 5 victory FM-2 Wildcat Ace with VC-10.  While in a battle over Leyte in the Phillipines, his carrier, the Gambier Bay, was sunk!  He barely made it to another carrier before running out of fuel.  

  Captain Robert Duncan – 7 victory F6F Hellcat Ace with VF-5.  He became the first ace of the USS Yorktown on February 16 of 1944 when he shot down his fifth Japanese plane. Duncan would go on to shoot down two more before the war's end.  He got his first aerial kill over Wake Island.

  Commander Alex Vraciu – 19 victory Hellcat Ace with VF-6, VF-16

 Captain L.D. "Del" Prater – 8.5 victory Hellcat Ace with VF-19

 Commander Diz Laird – 5.75 victory Hellcat Ace with VF-4  One of two US Naval Aviators with victories over the Luftwaffe and the Japanese!

The TV show "Dogfights" had a great episode called "The Zero Killer".  It was about the Hellcat and has awesome recreations of the battles and interviews of these guys.  You can see the clips on YouTube here:

 Zero Killer

Zero Killer Pt.2

Zero Killer Pt.3

Zero Killer Pt.4

Zero Killer Pt.5

"An Innocent at Polebrook"

On February 9th, 2008 I met Charles Stephens who was a B-17 bombardier in 8th Air Force, 351st Bomb Group, 509th Squadron.   He told some amazing stories of his 34 missions.  He also wrote a great book called "An Innocent at Polebrook."  I really liked his book .

The Collings Foundation brought their B-17, B-24, B-25, and their P-51C to Moffett Field and we went there after Young Eagles on Saturday the 17th.  The P-51C is a dual control.  I wish it would do Young Eagles!

The bombers were great especially when they did flybys but the best part was listening to the stories from the WWII veterans.  

Jack Burke is a really nice guy.  He was a ball turret gunner in B-17's for 27 missions during 1943.  He had amazing stories about battles and adventures.  These included getting shot down over France and bailing out of a damaged plane in England.  I really hope to be able to interview him soon.

I did get to interview Jack Burke!  Read it here  Jack Burke

This was Jack's office.  Two .50 caliber guns beside his head, no flak vest, and no parachute.

 Les Williams was a B-25 bomber pilot.  You can read my interview of him here

Captain Les Williams

Chuck Yeager after his first kill in WWII