Johan Willaert Posted January 22, 2011 Share #1 Posted January 22, 2011 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johan Willaert Posted January 22, 2011 Author Share #2 Posted January 22, 2011 This website describes the MOS772 as being for EM Liaison Pilots and states that Officer LP were not AAF but other BOS... http://en.allexperts.com/q/Military-Histor...ason-Pilots.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgtbrown Posted January 22, 2011 Share #3 Posted January 22, 2011 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johan Willaert Posted January 22, 2011 Author Share #4 Posted January 22, 2011 Thanks!! So a Liaison Pilot of an Artillery Bn would have worn Artillery BOS with the Liaison Pilot wing... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gliderman1 Posted January 22, 2011 Share #5 Posted January 22, 2011 Johan, FWiW, all F/O or higher rank glider pilots flew Ls. However, not to my knowledge as spotters for artillery. Charles Day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johan Willaert Posted January 22, 2011 Author Share #6 Posted January 22, 2011 Thanks Charles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Custermen Posted January 22, 2011 Share #7 Posted January 22, 2011 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgtbrown Posted January 22, 2011 Share #8 Posted January 22, 2011 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobrahistorian Posted January 23, 2011 Share #9 Posted January 23, 2011 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J_Andrews Posted January 23, 2011 Share #10 Posted January 23, 2011 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johan Willaert Posted January 23, 2011 Author Share #11 Posted January 23, 2011 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.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobrahistorian Posted January 23, 2011 Share #12 Posted January 23, 2011 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgtbrown Posted January 24, 2011 Share #13 Posted January 24, 2011 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johan Willaert Posted January 25, 2011 Author Share #14 Posted January 25, 2011 Thanks for reposting the link to that group, Jon!! Meanwhile here's some footage... http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=53381 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgtbrown Posted January 31, 2011 Share #15 Posted January 31, 2011 Here is an interesting story on a L-bird pilot having to use an L-5 instead of an L-4 to haul some rather important (heavy) cargo! Tom http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...1012902067.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgtbrown Posted March 24, 2011 Share #16 Posted March 24, 2011 The inevitable end to the story I posted about the liaison pilot who transported Goering. RIP Tom http://tinyurl.com/4tbl9g2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobrahistorian Posted March 24, 2011 Share #17 Posted March 24, 2011 :salute: Rest in peace sir! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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