Col. Francis Gabreski dead

v35

A moment of silence for Col. Gabreski who died today. He was an ace fighter pilot in WW2 and Korea.

Rembrandt

Sad news....I remember reading his combat mission accounts when I was in grade school..."Great American Fighter Pilots of WWII"...."Gabby", Pappy Boyington, Richard Bong, and many others were legends of the air....I think Gabby had 36 or 38 kills.Heard recently that another ace, Joe Foss had a run in with some airport security personel...they took his Congressional Medal of Honor and threw it around when he failed to make it past metal detectors....he had to strip down to his underwear like Dingle...hip or knee joint replacement set off the alarms....

Xracer

Gabby Gabreski was the top scoring American ace in the ETO during WWII with 28 enemy aircraft to his credit. He flew P-47 Thunderbolts.He went on to fly F-86 Sabres in Korea, and once again become an ace, being credited with 6 1/2 enemy jets destroyed.Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earthAnd danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirthOf sun-split clouds - and done a hundred thingsYou have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swungHigh in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,I've chased the shouting wind along, and flungMy eager craft through footless halls of air.Up, up the long, delirious, burning blueI've topped the wind-swept heights with easy graceWhere never lark, or even eagle flew -And, while with silent lifting mind I've trodThe high untrespassed sanctity of space,Put out my hand and touched the face of God.Rest In Peace, Gabby....you were one hell of a pilot! [This message has been edited by Xracer (edited 02-02-2002).]

Rembrandt

Here is something I found on Gabby at the National Air Force Museum web site: http://www.nationalaviation.org/enshrinee/gabreski.htmlOne of aviation's outstanding pioneers, Francis Stanley "Gabby" Gabreski , begins flying lessons while a pre-med student at Notre Dame. Then, when World War II erupts after Nazi Germany invades Poland, his ancestral homeland, he joins the Army Air Corps and earns his wings in 1941. Assigned duty in Hawaii with the 45th Pursuit Group, his life there is almost like belonging to a country club.December 7, 1941. Gabreski's idyllic existence is shattered when Japan launches an infamous attack on Pearl Harbor. In the months that follow, he works hard to perfect his skill in the air.1942. Seeking action, Gabreski is assigned to a Polish Air Force Squadron flying with the RAF in England , so he can learn its combat tactics and teach them to American pilots arriving in Europe. It is part of the group Churchill praised during the Battle of Britain when he said, "Never in the field of human conflict have so many owed so much to so few." Assigned a "Spitfire," Gabreski begins escorting bombers to the French Coast. But when he finally meets the enemy in the air he does not get to fire his guns. "Get in close so you can not miss," the Poles advise, words he never forgets. After flying 20 missions, Gabreski has gained aggressiveness in the air and is assigned to the American 61st Fighter Squadron. Learning to fly its P-47 "Thunderbolt," best known as the "Jug", he is respected for his skill and affectionately called "Gabby." Before long he teaches his men every tactic learned from the Poles. Then, after completing 10 more combat missions, he is awarded the Air Medal and is presented the Polish Cross of Valor by General Sikorsky, the Polish Premier in exile.June, 1943. Soon after becoming Commander of the 61st, Gabreski leads his Allied bombers on their historic raid on ballbearing factories at Regensburg and Schweinfurt. Finally on August 24th he scores his first air victory, the beginning of an incredible string. On his 75th mission, he becomes an Ace and receives the Distinguished Service Cross. In a subsequent mission, Gabreski nearly goes down when a 20 millimeter shell explodes at his feet, sending him tumbling down out of control. Fortunately, he recovers and makes it back to England.January, 1944. When the Allies set out to * the Luftwaffe Gabreski becomes Deputy Flying Executive Officer of the 56th Fighter Group and before the month is out he is a double Ace. Then, after "Operation Big Week" is launched to destroy enemy aircraft production, he scores his first triple victory.June 6, 1944. D-Day. Gabreski leads his squadron in long sweeps over the beaches of Normandy as free men find honor in both living and dying. Three weeks later, he surpasses Rickenbacker's World War I record and on July 5th scores his 28th victory making him America's leading Ace. When Gabreski 's total reaches 30 victories he earns a leave back to the States. But while awaiting orders, he volunteers for "just one more mission." After his plane is armed for battle, he meets no opposition over the target. Seeking targets of opportunity, he spots enemy fighters parked on an airdrome. During his second strafing pass, his plane suddenly begins to vibrate violently and crash lands. Uninjured, he jumps to the ground and runs toward a deep woods with German soldiers in pursuit. Eluding them, he begins to make his way toward Allied lines. But eventually he is captured and interrogated by the famed Hanns Scharff. Finally transferred to Stalag Luft I, a permanent prisoner of war camp holding Allied air officers, he is barracked in one of the 20-man shacks surrounded by two rows of barbed wire fence. There he shares the bad food, hunger and punishments, if possible. But he is proud of the men's spirits under such miserable circumstances, for they have their own clandestine radios to listen to war news, a newspaper printed under the very noses of their guards, and supervision of the simultaneous digging of as many as 100 escape tunnels, few of which lead to freedom.By March, 1945, after Gabreski is given command of a newly completed prisoner compound, food is at rock bottom. But he does not lose faith. Soon he begins to hear artillery to the East. When Russian soldiers arrive, it is a joyous occasion and soon American planes evacuate the airmen to freedom. The war and its privations are over! Returning home a hero, as America's top Ace in Europe, Gabreski marries beautiful Kay Cochran and then is assigned to Wright Field where he attends the Engineering Flight School and qualifies as a test pilot. But in 1946, he leaves the service and takes a job with Douglas Aircraft, promoting sales of its transports throughout South America.1947. When the independent United States Air Force is formed, Gabreski re-enlists. After receiving a degree in Political Science from Columbia University, he becomes commanding officer of his World War II unit, the 56th Fighter Group at Selfridge Field, where he learns to fly jet fighters.1951. After war erupts in Korea, Gabreski reports there for combat duty as Commander of the 4th Fighter-Interceptor Wing. But, when he flies his first mission against a target in "MIG Alley", South of the Yalu River, for the first time in his life he can see the enemy but is not allowed to attack them in their privileged sanctuary in Manchuria. It is a hell of a way to fight a war. But in July 1951 he scores his first victory in a jet and in the next few months adds two more. Taking command of the 51st Fighter Interceptor Group, Gabreski converts it to F-86 Saberjets and introduces the concepts of a flight of four and hot takeoffs to increase combat effectiveness over targets. They are highly successful and enable his Wing to attain a 14 to 1 kill ratio.1952. On the humane side, Gabreski 's Wing adopts an orphanage in Korea with 300 ill-fed, poorly clothed, sick children. Before they are finished, it becomes a haven of happiness.April 7, 1951. Gabreski becomes an Ace in Korea with 5 1/2 victories and General Ridgway flies in to congratulate him. Then, after one more victory, his combat days are over and he arrives home to a ticket tape parade and Secretary of the Air Force Finletter presents him the Distinguished Service Medal.1955. After serving as Director of Safety Air Operations, then Chief of Combat Operations and finally Chief of Special Projects at Norton Air Force Base, Gabreski completes the command and Staff School, and becomes Deputy Chief of Staff Operations in the Ninth Air Force.1960. Gabreski goes to Okinawa to become Commander of the 18th Tactical Fighter Wing. Two years later he serves as Director of the Secretariat for the Commander-in-Chief of the Pacific Air Forces in Hawaii, and later as its Inspector General.1964. Gabreski is named commander of the 52nd Fighter Wing on Long Island, from which he retires from the Air Force in 1967 bringing to an end a brilliant military career with 37 1/2, air victories and nearly every military air honor.But Gabreski 's career in aviation is far from over, for he joins the Grumman Aerospace Corporation, serving in Public Relations and Customer Relations before becoming assistant to the corporation's president.Copyright c 1997 by NAHF. All Rights Reserved. [This message has been edited by Rembrandt (edited 02-02-2002).]

Bullzeye

I'm a big fan of WWI pilots, personally.Planes in those days were basically wood and lacquered canvas with an engine and a machine gun strapped on.About as easy to fly as a barn, they said. Lost more pilots to stalls on takeoff then in battle.Eddie Rickenbacker was the only US ace (ace status being at least 25 enemy planes shot down), but then we entered the war much later than the Brits or French.My personal favorite was the leading British ace, Edward Mannock. He flew like an absolute madman, and hated the Germans with a passion."I sent one of them down to hell in flames today . . . I wish Kaiser Bill could have seen him sizzle.""I'll put a bullet through my head if the machine catches fire . . . they'll never burn me."

gunpaq

Sorry to hear of Col. Gabreski passing. Met him at an air show we were jumping at several years ago. He was a very nice man.

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Pack slow, fall stable, pull high, hit dead center.

beachmaster73

My head is bowed....simply put he was one of America's great heros. He was one of my personal heros growing up and I guess one of those guys I never thought would die. Well I guess Saint Peter and the pantheon of American heros has formed ranks to welcome him aboard. We are a lesser group for his passing. Beach

beachmaster73

Bullzeye....didn't want to put this in my comments about Colonel Gabreski...you need to calibrate your criteria for aces. Beach

aby80

Col. Gabreski was the top ranking flying pilot with the 51st Fighter Interceptor Wing flying out of K-13 Air field south of Suwon Korea in 1952. I was with the 8th Fighter Bomber Wing that also flew out of this Air Field. The 51st flew Fighter cover for the 8th. The 51st flew F-86s and the 8th flew F-80s. I was watching the planes land the day Col. Gabreski came back from the mission when he shot down his 5th MIG. He flew low down the runway and about half way he flew straight up and out of sight doing a victory roll. I still remember the sight today as it was the only time when I was there that I saw a pilot do a victory roll.

varmit hunter

Aby80,Thanks for sharing such a special moment.It sadens me to see the word hero so deluted as it is today.I know you will never say it,But I have a very strong fealing,You were also one.

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A unarmed man is a subject.A armed man is a citizen.