78th Fighter Group
78th Fighter Group
12 O'Clock High . . .
Twelve(12) 78th Fighter Group pilots were credited with five(5) or more air victories during their tour of duty.
Colonel John D. Landers - 14.5 air victories ( 34.5 total )
John D. Landers was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant and received his wings on December 12, 1941. He served with the 49th Pursuit Group, 9th Fighter Squadron in the Pacific Theater achieving 6 credited victories against the Japanese. He evaded capture in Decmber, 1942 after being shot down near Dobodura. After a period as a Flight Instructor in the U.S., he joined the 55th Fighter Group, 38th Fighter Squadron, in the ETO. 5 more victories were credited to him during this tour. He became CO of the 38th Squadron in mid 1944. In the Fall of 1944 he became Group Executive Officer of the 357th Fighter Group and also achieved victory number 11. He became Group CO of the 78th Fighter Group in February, 1945 . 3.5 victories were credited during his time with the 78th FG. In May, 1945 he was promoted to Colonel. He became the Group CO of the 361st FG in June, 1945. He was one of the few fighter pilots to acheive ace status in both the European and Pacific theaters. John D. Landers died on September 12, 1989.
John Landers personal aircraft during his tour with the 78th FG, the P-51D Mustang, " Big Beautiful Doll " is well known and is a frequently illustrated aircraft in the literature. Several art prints can be found in the 78th Fighter Group Art Showcase for reference. The "Doll" is also the subject of a number of P-51D restorations.
P-51D, b/n 44-72218, WZ-I, "Big Beautiful Doll" (Picture source: "Mustang Aces of the Eighth Air Force", Jerry Scutts, Osprey Publishing Ltd., 1995, ISBN: 1-855324474)
Major Quince L. Brown - 12.3 air victories (14.3 total )
Quince Lucien Brown was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant and received his wings on April 25,1941 at Kelly Field, Texas. After two years as a Flight Instructor at Kelly, he was transferred to the ETO. He was assigned to the 84th Squadron of the 78th Fighter Group in April, 1943. On May 26, 1944 he was assigned as Squadron Operations Officer for the 84th. During his second tour of duty he was shot down by anti-aircraft fire west of Schleiden, Germany on September 6, 1944. He was subsequently captured and executed by an Schutzestaffel SS officer, who was tracked down and prosecuted for murder after the war. Quince Brown was inducted into the Oklahoma Aviation and Space hall of Fame in 1994. On July 30, 1943, Quince Brown was credited for the first strafing attack by an 8th Air Force P-47 pilot.
P-47D-21, b/n 42-25698, WZ-J, "Okie" was the second 78th Fighter Group aircraft assigned to Major Quince L. Brown.(Picture source: "Thunderbolt Aces of the Eighth Air Force", Jerry Scutts, Osprey Publishing Ltd., 1998, ISBN: 1-85532-729-5)
Capt. Alwin M. Jucheim, Jr - 9 air victories (15 total )
Max Jucheim was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant and rated as a pilot on March 25, 1943. He was assigned to the 83rd Squadron of the 78th Fighter Group in the ETO on November 30, 1943. He was a 83rd Squadron Flight Leader and assitant Operations Officer at the time of his capture on May 28,1944 as a result of a collision with another P-47. He flew 76 combat missions prior to this event. Max Juccheim was released from active duty in October of 1945.
P-47D-6, b/n 42-74690, HL-J was the aircraft used by Capt. Jucheim when he scored his first five victories. Note the single auxilliary fuel tank under the fuselage. Wing mount pylons were still under development by Republic at this time. (Picture source: "Thunderbolt-from Seversky to Victory", Warren M. Bodie, Widewing Publications, 1995, ISBN: 0-9629359-1-3)
Lt. Colonel Eugene P. Roberts - 9 air victories ( 9 total )
Eugene Roberts was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant and receivd his wings on February 7, 1941 at Kelly Field, Teaxas. He spent time with the 14th and 20th Pursuit Groups prior to transferring to the 84th Squadron, 78th Fighter Group as Operations Officer on May 10, 1942. He was the CO of the 84th Squadron from August, 1942 to September 28, 1943 and Deputy Group CO from then until December 17, 1943. He flew 89 combat missions with the 78th Fighter Group before being transferred to a Staff assignment at 8th Fighter Command. He returned to combat for a second tour as Group CO for the 364th Fighter Group through to November, 1945. On July 30, 1943, Lt. Colonel Roberts was credited with the first triple kill in a single mission by an 8th Air Force pilot.
P-47C-5, b/n 41-6630,WZ-Z, "Spokane Chief" was Col. Roberts assigned aircraft in 1943 with the 84th Squadron. (Picture source: "Thunderbolt Aces of the Eighth Air Force", Jerry Scutts, Osprey Publishing Ltd., 1998, ISBN: 1-85532-729-5)
Lt. Colonel Roberts during his tour with the 78th was well known for his popularity with the Press.
Lt.Colonel Roberts(then a Major) is photograhed with the "Spokane Chief" (WZ-Z) displaying eight victory marks in late October, 1943. (Picture source: "Thunderbolt Aces of the Eighth Air Force", Jerry Scutts, Osprey Publishing Ltd., 1998, ISBN: 1-85532-729-5)
Capt. John J. Hockery - 7 air victories (8.1 total )
John Hockery was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant and was rated as a pilot on November 10, 1942. He joined the 82nd Squadron of the 78th Fighter Group in November, 1943. He became A Flight CO on October, 1944. On November 26, 1944 , near Rheine, Germany he was engaged with 3 FW-190 s and lost part of his wing in the fight. He crashlanded and was captured. It shoud be noted that Capt. Hockery got two of the FW-190s before they got him. In 1952 , he joined the51st FTW, 39th Fighter Interceptor Squadron where he earned a DFC and an Air Medal in Korea. He died in May, 1967.
Capt. James W. Wilkinson - 6 air victories ( 8 total )
James Wilkinson was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant and was rated as a pilot in 1942. He served with the 4th Fighter Group from January 20, 1943 to April 27, 1943. He injured his back in a flying accident and after recovery transferred to the 82nd Squadron of the 78th Fighter Group on September 12, 1943. He was CO of the 82nd Squadron from May 18, 1944. On June 4, 1944, Capt. Wilkinson, during a strafing training mission crashed into some high ground near Llandovery, Carmarthenshire and was killed .
Lt. Wilkinson inspects cannon fire damage to his P-47D in a Duxford hangar. Note the three kill markings painted on the fuselage. (Picture source: "Thunderbolt Aces of the Eighth Air Force", Jerry Scutts, Osprey Publishing Ltd., 1998, ISBN: 1-85532-729-5)
Lt. Col. Jack J. Oberhansly - 6 air victories ( 7.6 total )
Jack Oberhansly was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant and received his wings on Decenber 12, 1941 at Luke Field, Arizona. He joined the 14th Pursuit Group, 48th Pursuit Squadron and then transferred to the 78th Fighter Group, 82nd Squadron on May 11, 1942. He was CO of the 82nd Squadron from August 7, 1943 until May 18, 1944. He became Deputy CO of the 78th Fighter Group on August 28, 1944 and served in that capacity until December 3, 1944. He joined the 4th Fighter Group on December 4, 1944, serving as Deputy Group CO until February, 1945. After the war, he served as the CO of the 191st Fighter Squadron with the Utah Air National Guard from 1946 until August, 1948. He died on September 6, 1982.
P-47D-1, b/n 42-7883, MX-X, "Iron Ass", was the personal aircraft of Maj. Jack Oberhansly during December, 1943. (Picture source: "Thunderbolt Aces of the Eighth Air Force", Jerry Scutts, Osprey Publishing Ltd., 1998, ISBN: 1-85532-729-5)
" Iron Ass", MX-X, b/n 42-7883 shown leaving dispersal at Duxford in 1943. Note the small 250lb. bomb attached to the lower fuselage, indicating a practice bombing mission was probably in order.(Picture source: "Thunderbolt Aces of the Eighth Air Force", Jerry Scutts, Osprey Publishing Ltd., 1998, ISBN: 1-85532-729-5 via Warren Bodie)
1Lt. Grant M. Turley - 6 air victories ( 6 total )
Grant Turley was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant and was rated as a pilot on March 25, 1943 at Craig Field, Alabama. He transferred to the 82nd Squadron of the 78th Fighter Group in September, 1943. He flew 47 combat missions, before being shot down and killed in a dogfight near Haselvenne, Germany.
Lt.Col. William H. Julian - 5 air victories ( 8 total )
Bill Julian was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant and rated as a pilot on November 25, 1942. He joined the 78th Fighter Group, 83rd Squadron in March, 1943. He was C Flight CO from Decenber 7, 1943 and Squadron Ops Officer from March 23, 1944. He became CO of the 83rd Squadron on July 13, 1944 and served through March 20, 1945. He joined the 339th Fighter Group, 504th Fighter Squadron on March 25, 1945 as the CO and served in that capacity until September 8, 1945.
Capt. Peter E. Pompetti - 5 air victories ( 7 total )
Peter Pompetti was warranted a Flight Officer appointment and rated a pilot on November 10, 1942 at Spence Field, Georgia. He served with the 78th Fighter Group, 84th Squadron from February 16, 1943 until March 17, 1944. During his 95th combat mission, he was shot down by flak while strafing the Beauvais Airdrome near Paris. He was captured and made a POW. He retired from the Air Force Reserves at the rank of Lt. Colonel on July 31, 1960. He died on April 25, 1985.
Capt. Charles P. London - 5 air victories( 5 total )
Charles London has the distinction of being the first recognized ace of the 8th Air Force. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant and rated as a pilot on July 11, 1941 at Brooks Field, Texas. He joined the 14th Pursuit Group, 49th Pursuit Squadron, but transferred to the 78th Pursuit Group on May 8, 1942. He served with the 83rd Fighter Squadron from May 11, 1942 until November 1, 1943, where he was A Flight CO from July 15, 1943. He died on November 15, 1991.
Major Jack C. Price - 5 air victories ( 5 total )
Jack Price was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant and rated as a pilot on October 31, 1941 at Mather Field, California. He joined the 14th Pursuit Group, 50th Pursuit Squadron but soon transferred to the 78th Pursuit Group on May 8, 1942. He joined the 84th Squadron on May 10, 1942. He was Squadron CO from September 28, 1943 until February 25, 1944. On a second tour of duty, he served as 55th Squadron CO with the 20th Fighter Group. On April 19, 1945, he served as Deputy Group CO until the end of the war. Jack Price flew 104 combat missions during his tours of duty. He retired from the Air Force in January, 1968.
P-47D-6, b/n 42-74641, WZ-Z, " Feather Merchant II " was the personal aircraft of Major Jack Price in November, 1943. (Picture source: "Thunderbolt Aces of the Eighth Air Force", Jerry Scutts, Osprey Publishing Ltd., 1998, ISBN: 1-85532-729-5)
" Feather Merchant II ", WZ-Z, b/n 42-74641 with the rest of the 84th Squadron waiting for takeoff clearance at Duxford. Note that the aircraft are fitted with "Babies"(belly tanks) indicating a long mission into enemy territory. (Picture source: "Thunderbolt Aces of the Eighth Air Force", Jerry Scutts, Osprey Publishing Ltd., 1998, ISBN: 1-85532-729-5)
( Source credit, biographical notes: "Stars and Bars - A tribute to the American Fighter Ace 1920-1973", Dr Frank Olynyk, Grub Street, 1995, ISBN 1-898697-15-5 )
( Source for pilot photographs: "Duxford Diary", East Anglian Avaition Society, reprint, 1975)
This page was last revised on 2 / 2 / 01
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