I don't know how it was or is with other generations but when I was growing up all of the kids I hung out with knew what D-Day was. Sort of, we didn't really know or care that it was the Allied invasion of France at Normandy or that it was called Operation Overlord. It was simply D-Day and when we were in the woods or the empty lot playing D-Day half of us were Germans and half were American. When we were "killed" all we had to do was count to 100 and we became a "new man" and could rejoin the battle. It was great fun.
I was born smack in the middle of the baby boom and many of the fathers of my mates participated in that event. My dad didn't, he was a Korean War vet and neither did my uncles, they were all too young but my godfather did. He went ashore at Omaha Beach with a heavy machine gun strapped to his back.
I was born smack in the middle of the baby boom and many of the fathers of my mates participated in that event. My dad didn't, he was a Korean War vet and neither did my uncles, they were all too young but my godfather did. He went ashore at Omaha Beach with a heavy machine gun strapped to his back.
This evocative photo titled "Into the Jaws of Death" was taken by Chief Photographer's Mate Robert F. Sargent. It is mind boggling to imagine what those infantry men thought when the ramp was lowered and they saw that ominous vista. There were about 2,000 American casualties at Omaha Beach that day. My godfather was not one of them. The reaper caught up with him two decades later in steamy south east Asia. He was one of the first American advisors sent by JFK to Vietnam and one of the first Americans to die there. But that is another story.
In 2012 a four year research and writing project culminated with the publication of Gold Star Aces, volumes I & II.
In 2012 a four year research and writing project culminated with the publication of Gold Star Aces, volumes I & II.
Gold Star mothers and families have been in American news headlines a bit the past few years. Gold Star families are those who's daughters, sons, husbands or wives have died while on active duty in the US military. My books are about the 114 USAAF ace pilots, those who destroyed five or more enemy planes but were killed overseas during WWII. Seven of those pilots were killed on 6 June 1944. The highest scoring ace and the first to die and earn a Gold Star for his family on 6 June 1944 was nowhere near Normandy. When time ran out for him he was half a world away, in what was then Burma.
He was Captain Walter F. "Wally" Duke and he is credited with 10 air and 8.5 ground victories. On 6 June 1944 he took off from his base at Chittagong, India on a fighter sweep to attack Maiktila and Heho airfields in Burma. The Americans had been visiting the two airfields regularly and on 6 June the Japanese were waiting for them in superior numbers at a higher altitude. When the Lightnings neared the target they were bounced by Ki-43 Oscars from 64th Sentai. Outnumbered and in an unfavourable tactical situation the Lightning pilots had to fight their way out of the trap. After the scrap Captain Duke could not account for his wing-man Lt Baumeister. He went back into the combat area to look for him. Meanwhile Baumeister called over the R/T that he was flying over the wreck of Lt. Goodrich’s P-38 after the latter had crash landed in a dry river bed. Captain Duke acknowledged him but was never heard from again.
Captain William Broadfoot was on the mission that day. After the Lightnings finished their runs on the airfields they were bounced. Captain Broadfoot described the events. “At the western edge of the airfield we were jumped by ‘many’ Oscars and Zeros. We had some ammunition but not enough gas to fight. The total effort was to shake them off and go home. 1 Lt. Goodrich was shot down at this time. When he was finally clear and headed over the mountains, Capt. W.F. Duke radioed that he was missing his wingman. 2 Lt. Baumeister Jr. that he had sufficient gas to make a circle back to make sure Baumeister wasn’t in trouble. Baumeister returned to base OK but Duke didn’t.”
In May 1945 after hostilities had ended in Burma, Duke’s squadron mate Captain Hampton Boggs visited Japanese air bases and interviewed Japanese pilots and intelligence officers. They reported that on 6 June 1944, A6M Zero fighters were waiting for Duke when he circled back. They bounced him and he surprised them by turning into them. In the ensuing dogfight he shot down three of them before he was finally shot down, this brought his unofficial score to thirteen. Captain Duke’s final official score was ten confirmed aerial victories eight probably destroyed, thirteen damaged.
Captain Duke’s crash site remained undiscovered for six decades. Wally was officially declared dead on 8 February 1946 and is listed on the Tablets of the Missing at Manila American Cemetery in Manila, Philippines. It was after the turn of the 21st century, during deforestation in Myanmar (formerly Burma), that an American P-38 Lightning was discovered and reported to U.S. authorities. In December 2012 a team from the U.S. Army arrived at the crash site and found that the serial numbers matched Duke's aircraft. Walter's remains were recovered from the wreckage and his sister, Eleanor Ann Fearns provided a DNA swab for positive identification.
Captain Duke was awarded the Silver Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross with two Oak Leaf clusters, Air Medal with two Oak Leaf clusters, Purple Heart, the Canadian War Medal (1939-1945) and the British Burma Star.
By coincidence the runways at the airport in Duke’s home county are numbered 11 and 29. Captain Duke’s last mission course was 110 degrees out and the reciprocal, 290 degrees back. Wally Duke is now buried in the family plot at old St. Aloysius Cemetery in Leonardtown, Maryland. It was a long journey home.
Captain William Broadfoot was on the mission that day. After the Lightnings finished their runs on the airfields they were bounced. Captain Broadfoot described the events. “At the western edge of the airfield we were jumped by ‘many’ Oscars and Zeros. We had some ammunition but not enough gas to fight. The total effort was to shake them off and go home. 1 Lt. Goodrich was shot down at this time. When he was finally clear and headed over the mountains, Capt. W.F. Duke radioed that he was missing his wingman. 2 Lt. Baumeister Jr. that he had sufficient gas to make a circle back to make sure Baumeister wasn’t in trouble. Baumeister returned to base OK but Duke didn’t.”
In May 1945 after hostilities had ended in Burma, Duke’s squadron mate Captain Hampton Boggs visited Japanese air bases and interviewed Japanese pilots and intelligence officers. They reported that on 6 June 1944, A6M Zero fighters were waiting for Duke when he circled back. They bounced him and he surprised them by turning into them. In the ensuing dogfight he shot down three of them before he was finally shot down, this brought his unofficial score to thirteen. Captain Duke’s final official score was ten confirmed aerial victories eight probably destroyed, thirteen damaged.
Captain Duke’s crash site remained undiscovered for six decades. Wally was officially declared dead on 8 February 1946 and is listed on the Tablets of the Missing at Manila American Cemetery in Manila, Philippines. It was after the turn of the 21st century, during deforestation in Myanmar (formerly Burma), that an American P-38 Lightning was discovered and reported to U.S. authorities. In December 2012 a team from the U.S. Army arrived at the crash site and found that the serial numbers matched Duke's aircraft. Walter's remains were recovered from the wreckage and his sister, Eleanor Ann Fearns provided a DNA swab for positive identification.
Captain Duke was awarded the Silver Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross with two Oak Leaf clusters, Air Medal with two Oak Leaf clusters, Purple Heart, the Canadian War Medal (1939-1945) and the British Burma Star.
By coincidence the runways at the airport in Duke’s home county are numbered 11 and 29. Captain Duke’s last mission course was 110 degrees out and the reciprocal, 290 degrees back. Wally Duke is now buried in the family plot at old St. Aloysius Cemetery in Leonardtown, Maryland. It was a long journey home.