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Sunsetters - Pilot groupings of the 7th Air Force and more


Waltz41
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I have a few more odds and ends to add, but those 4 groupings make up the majority of my collection. I'm happy and proud to share them and their stories here on the forum. Thanks for reading!!

 

Publication photo of a 21st FG P-51 with really poignant nose art

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post-89245-0-60277500-1458790734.jpg

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Very nice! It's great to see this group get some attention. They played a big part in the war and often get overlooked by their ETO counterparts. Thanks for sharing your great items.

 

JD

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On this date in 1945, during the dawn hours, the Japanese launched a brutal surprise attack which was about 300 soldiers in force on the 2nd airfield, which housed officers of the 21st FG as well as the newly arrived 549th NFS of the 7th AF. There were also other Army and Marine soldiers nearby. Many of the 21st FG men grabbed whatever weapons they could, and baricaded themselves in their tents firing at any Japanese soldier they saw. Grenades flew around from bomb craters on the field to tents, back and forth. It was pure chaos, each man trying to fight to stay alive.

 

There are many amazing stories from this raid. When it was over, the 21st FG alone lost 14 men and had 50 wounded. In a B-29 grouping I was able to pick up from a member here, and with it there were a few neat pieces that were included that went along with this story.

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Since this post got a little long, I decided to put some other items up in different places. Just posted some cool April 7th 'First VLR' mission paper items over the epehmera and photographs section.

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/264544-april-7th-1945-7th-aaf-1st-vlr-mission-to-japan-paper-items/

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  • 1 year later...

Giving this a bump for the tragic Black Friday mission for the Fighter Groups, which occurred on this day in 1945.

See pages 2 to 3 for a grouping of 47th FS pilot 1st Lt. White, who was lost that day.

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 10 months later...

Waltz41:

Thanks for this awesome thread! I have been researching my relative 2nd Lt. Emil Schroeder who was in the 7th, 15th Fighters, 47th Squadron. I started my research a few years ago after retiring and doing my families genealogy. I found out my Great Aunt Edith had a son Emil I never meet. I asked my mom his story and she said "He died in WW2 and we didn't like talking about it because it is so sad." She did not know his story beyond that maybe he was a pilot. My research lead me to the 7th Fighters Sunsetters website where the admin gave me the contact info for every pilot he thought was alive. I wrote them all a letter and got responses from 3 pilots and 1 wife. I hit the jackpot with getting to talk to Lt. Leon Sher, Emil's best friend from Classification school in 1943 and served on Iwo Jima with him. His memory was pretty good for his own stuff, not so great for Emil's. Emil joined the Army Air Corp in Sept 1942 and originally was in 15th Fighters, 45th Squadron. He transferred into the 47th on Aug 16 1944. He went to Saipan till I believe Mar 6th when he arrived on Iwo Jima. He served there till June 1st 1945 when he was lost on Black Friday on his way to Oska, Japan. I am really interested in his time on Iwo Jima can you point me in the right direction, like where to find the mission reports? You have already helped as I see from your posting that he was on the April 30th mission to Tokyo. I may be able to pick him out of some of the photos you have posted. At least now through my research our family will know his sacrifice and he will not be forgotten, I feel very good about that, but I would really like to find out about his time in combat. He had a pretty crappy life with no friends up till he joined the Army. 2 pilots told me the 47th was tight group and Emil was well liked. He died with friends and was a hero in my eyes.

Gary

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Hi Gary,

Send me a pm with your email address and I'll contact you there, as it will be easier to send files and such. I'll see what I have and what we can find out!

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  • 10 months later...
  • 1 month later...
  • 9 months later...

Bringing this back up for today.....March 6, 1945......first 7th FC P-51's from the 15th Fighter Group land on Iwo Jima.

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