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Former NCO Fighter Pilot KIA SS/AM/PH Group


Kadet
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Andy,

 

One other thing... do you have or have you tried to get copies of the reports generated when he shot down those two aircraft? If memory serves me right, I believe post-mission intel briefs were fairly detailed, and written / recorded and kept, and still to this day quite accessible. They must be, as every now and then one will read a news story about how some WW2 fighter pilot was recently credited with a victory based on a review of records, claims, and reports... Those victories would only come with verification generally, so there was most certainly documentation to support them.

 

Would the American Fighter Aces Association be the place to go for that? I realize your man may not be an ace, but I would think they would have an archivist or researcher who may be able to either pull those records for you and direct you to who can.

 

http://americanfighteraces.org/

 

Anyway, just some random thoughts in the event you have not already gone down that road. My suspicion is that maybe his Silver Star is tied to or related to his two kills, thus this coming to mind.

 

MW

 

The historian for the American Fighter Aces Association is Dr. Frank Olynyk and he researches all victories for the association. He has access to the after action reports and the VCB (victory credit board). That being said, he could probably help you. There is no contact info for him on the AFAA website, but you could possibly get that contact information from the Museum of Flight by emailing Harold Rubin at [email protected]. If not, next time I talk to Frank I'll try and send him your way.

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Walter L Sweeny, 1LT

10-14-44 1042 1 Oscar near Maggar Airstrip, Borneo; ICR, M1065-6/1939

10-14-44 1042 1 Zeke near Maggar Airstrip, Borneo; ICR, M1065-6/1939

 

ICR, M1065-6/1939 = Individual Combat Reports, Reel M1065-6 frame 1939

Frame = page, that is the one page ICR Sweeny filed for the above action.

Record group 18, includes the M1065 series reels are at the National Archives - Modern Military Field Branch, Suitland MD

 

No, I'm not that smart and, no, I'm not familiar with these records. Snagged this information from Frank Olynyk's USAAF (Pacific Theater) Credits for the Destruction of Enemy Aircraft in Air-to-Air Combat World War II.

 

Frame 1939 is undoubtedly what Andy posted in message 23.

 

Good Luck!

 

Rich

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  • 10 years later...

I've been after this award card since 2005. Now that NARA has a searchable data base of award cards I can request the GO/citation. I think It was never found before because the middle initial is wrong on the card

post-110-0-33364000-1580593415_thumb.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...

Excellent! Isn't it amazing the NARA couldn't deduce what you figured out on the Initial even though you had his service number.

 

Kurt

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