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Liaison Pilots


Johan Willaert
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Johan Willaert

In view of an exhibit later this year, I'm educating myself on WW2 Liaison Pilots who flew the Piper and Stinson planes within the Infantry Divisions...

Now after googling, most sites describe these pilots as being Enlisted Men however looking at T/O&E 6-26 about the Operation and Fire Direction Section/HQ&HQ Battery/Field Artillery Bn/Inf Div I see that there were two 1st Lts listed as Liaison Pilots...

 

 

What is correct? Was that function limited to EM, or were Officers also flying these little AC...

 

Any good websites with definite info??

 

How about Liaison Pilot Wings? Highly faked? How to recognise originals??

 

Thanks,

 

Johan

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As you note, AAF liaison pilots were mainly NCO's. For the most part, they flew the L-1 and (mainly) the L-5 Stinsons. They served as "jacks of all trades" on the battlefield, delivering goods and personnel, air ambulance, observation. etc. Most flew alone.

 

The majority of non-AAF liaison pilots were artillery officers flying observation/forward control duties for artillery batteries. They often flew in two-man teams in each plane, providing two sets of eyes. Their primary bird was the L-4 Cub, though there are photos extant of L-3 Aeroncas being used in the Philippines.

 

The only thing I can say about L wings is that NS Meyer brought out a reproduction sterling wing during the 50th anniversary. As for other repops/fakes, I cannot tell you.

 

Tom

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Johan, FWiW, all F/O or higher rank glider pilots flew Ls. However, not to my knowledge as spotters for artillery.

 

Charles Day

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If you want to read some detailed first-hand account, check out this book. Staff Sergeant Ernest Kowalik was the only NCO pilot in his division and any others that he knew.

 

"Alone and Unarmed" by John Bayer

Story of Ernest Kowalik a Liaison pilot with 88th Infantry Division in Italy.

 

Here is what he wrote in the book.

 

"The pages that follow are the WW2 memoirs of the Third Liaison Pilot in Div. Arty of the 88 Infantry Division. The First and Secon Liaison Pilots were the Commanding and Executive Officers, but the Third Liaison Pilot was a spare pilot. As such, my duties were mostly what I made them. Unlike the pilots in the battalions, I did not have an observer, so I plied the skies alone."

 

He also writes a lot of good details about the Italian Campaign and the advance of the 88th Infantry Division. He gives some interesting accounts of how he delivered messages and searched for units "lost" behind enemy lines.

 

Google Book Link with several pages accessible:

http://books.google.com/books?id=c3wYW8MzH...p;q&f=false

 

 

Steve

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Thanks!!

 

So a Liaison Pilot of an Artillery Bn would have worn Artillery BOS with the Liaison Pilot wing...

 

Yes.

 

Tom

 

P.S. As far as books on the subject, Fighting Grasshoppers is the topper.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Fighting-Grasshopper...5/dp/0904597784

 

Unfortunately, rather pricey as an out-of-print book.

 

As for Alone and Unarmed, personal opinion but I feel the book was written by someone with a very serious ego problem. I certainly could be way off base but that is how I came away from it.

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Cobrahistorian

Johan,

 

I've got a massive grouping from an L-4/L-5 pilot from the 195th Field Artillery Group. Let me know if you need any info.

 

Jon

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Where the USAAF had so-designated and numbered LIAISON Squadrons --perhaps allotted at the rate of one per Army (Field and Theater types), as there were only a dozen or so during WWII -- the aircraft types they operated included but were not limited to the L-series.

 

They also used UC-64 Noorduyn Norsemen a lot, and some Cessna UC-78 Bobcats and Beech C-45s. They also flew a few P-40s and A-20s in Stateside ops.

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Johan Willaert
I've got a massive grouping from an L-4/L-5 pilot from the 195th Field Artillery Group. Let me know if you need any info.

 

Hi Jon,

 

Could you post some pictures showing the insignia?

 

To all others, thanks for the leads and tips..

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Cobrahistorian

Johan,

 

I've got all of his certificates from Artillery Spotter school and tons of paperwork. He was an artillery officer and remained so after the war. Flew L-4/5s in WWII and L-19s in Korea.

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...00&hl=clime

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...05&hl=clime

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Where the USAAF had so-designated and numbered LIAISON Squadrons --perhaps allotted at the rate of one per Army (Field and Theater types), as there were only a dozen or so during WWII -- the aircraft types they operated included but were not limited to the L-series.

 

They also used UC-64 Noorduyn Norsemen a lot, and some Cessna UC-78 Bobcats and Beech C-45s. They also flew a few P-40s and A-20s in Stateside ops.

 

Very correct, however the pilots flying those aircraft - especially mulit-engine - would not be liaison pilots (wearing "L" wings) per sae. They would be "regular" pilots certified in complex aircraft and/or multi-engine craft. L-bird pilots were certified for simple liaison aircraft only. In other words, a liaison squadron could have more than just liaison pilots.

 

There are also certainly cases of "regular" pilots completing flight training and being assigned to fly L-birds due, perhaps, to pi$$ing off the wrong person at the wrong time. After all, AAF liaison squadrons made up of enlisted pilots needed officers, too, to run them.

 

Tom

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