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Superb site, thank you for your efforts. According to Accident Report dated 24th February 1945, P-47, 44-20435 was with the 22nd FS, 36th FG at Le Culot, coded 3T*. So the fin was probably yellow. Keep up the good work Bert Hague

Sir:

Your site on the 512^th Fighter Squadron is quite nice, and thank you for listing what you can on the 513^th, too (and 514^th). Attached is a picture of my father, Lieutenant Thomas J. Corcoran 0772786, a pilot in the 513^th from July, 1944 until the end of the war. The picture of him and ‘Danny Boy’ is a bit faded but I think will add to your roster of 513^th planes. I wish the tail or fuselage markings were clear, but we don’t have any pictures of that sort.

One of the 513^th planes you have in your roster is for Roger Koppang. He and dad were both from Wisconsin and posted to the 513^th at the same time. In my youth we camped close to his tavern in Mauston, Wisconsin and dad and he struck up an old-time friendship. Dad called him ‘Joe.’ ‘Roger’ wouldn’t work as a name for someone on the radio. Good to see his name again.

I have dad’s complete war documents, including flight school. Also have a photocopy of the 513^th unit history similar to the one you have of the 512^th . They distributed it at one of the reunions he went to in the 1980s…front cover is titled ‘513^th Fighter Group, Rockateers.’ Yes, they got a couple things wrong. I’m sure the old boys had fun with it.

If any of these records are of interest to you, please let me know.

Thanks for your efforts

Bill Corcoran

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Webmaster note: Photo posted with drawing as http://www.512thfightersquadron.com/images/corcoran.jpg

Contact_Name: Michael J. Hartmann Contact_email: mjhartmann@earthlink.net Contact_Cares_About: Cpl. Edward W. (Eddie) Hartmann (from Brooklyn, NY) B1: Submit Contact_Comments: My Dad's records indicate that he was a member of the 512th (as a mechanic, I think). I am interested in learning anything that I can about his experience in the War, if you have any suggestions on where to look. Thoroughly enjoying your web site. Don't know why it has taken me so long to search around. My Dad worked for Grumman after the War until his death in 1970. I served in the USN and USAFR ANG as an F-4J/N/C/D RIO/WSO...and never got to fly a Grumman product as aircrew!

Dear ladies and gentlemen,

my name is Edgar Schlimm and I am from Luedenscheid, Germany. Luedenscheid is situated near Bruegge. Or Bruegge near Luedenscheid.

Just got the link of your new website from Dan Cunningham, son of William A. Cunningham.

I had the luck that I got the name of William Cunningham and the date of his crash and crash location some years ago from a German historian, Horst Muenter (passed away). I searched at the location and found many remains of Don Whicker´s L3-T.
But I didn´t know about Whicker and the 512th FG at all. Nor I had an idea who the pilot William Cunningham was.

But I got the MACR and there was the report of Emerson Berical who reported the attack on the marshalling yard in Bruegge, Germany.

I started my research via "freshly installed" internet in 1999... I found the 406th FS website, reported what I was searching for and got contact to Jack Yarger. He forwarded my request to Cunningham and I got an e-mail from Dan Cunningham.

So William, his wife Lois, Dan, his brothers and I got familiar and William agreed to write down his memorials about the war and his experiences, and Lois typed them into the computer and sent it to me. It ist a great treasure to me.

While researching at the crash place I found many parts of Whicker´s plane, which Cunningham flew on 14.03.1945. His own plane was not ready to fly. I know that Emerson Berical and George Chin took part of the D-flight this day. Chin bombed a house in Bruegge and William was the unlucky guy that was hit by light flak. He was injured by the fire of the burning Thunderbolt and had to bail out. He was captured by some men with rifles (don´t know if soldiers or just civilians). They were not friendly and William was scared. They attacked him and led him through Bruegge... showed him what "he" had done to them...

So Cunningham got the punching and people were angry because they had been attacked and hurt. But fortunately Cunningham was taken away by a German officer with a car. This was probably his chance to survive...

Okay, at the end William and I got friends and Lois was the person, who kept the internet contact. I was able to send some remains via snail mail to William some years ago. He was reminded again of all this experiences. Among the parts there was the dial of the General Electric roundmeter gage and the housing and counter of the gun cam (Fairchild type). The roundmeter dial was what William wanted most. I was glad that he got it,

Now I am still in contact with Dan and Lois (but she is pretty quiet after William has passed away). I have lots of remains of William´s plane (or should I say "Whicker´s plane"?).

Interesting is, that the historian Horst Muenter who gave me the general information about the plane crash and date/name, was convinced that all planes of the 512th on 14.03.1945 were aluminium/silver with unit markings. But I found metals with olive drab, light grey and yellow painting (unit marking on cowling). But Muenter didn´t believe me. He thought I was a fool.

But William confirmed that on 14.03.1945 he flew not his plane, but Whicker´s. And the "Wee Willy" was originally from the 8th airforce, recovered after force landing by mechanics of the 512th FG. They repaired it, took the original olive drab painting and gave the plane the unit markings (yellow nose and stripes).

But what I wanted to remark: on your page regarding plane 433318 (Cox) is reported the attack near Duesseldorf and "Wohwinkel". Correct it is "Vohwinkel". Perhaps you want to correct it later?

Best regards

Edgar Schlimm

Contact_Name: WALTER LEE PERKINS, JR. Contact_email: WP123145@AOL.COM Contact_Cares_About: HISTORY, GENEALOGY B1: Submit Contact_Comments: MY FATHER, WALTER LEE PERKINS SR., WAS A P47 PILOT IN THE 512TH FIGHTER SQUADRON. HE DIED IN 1986 OF CANCER. I WOULD LOVE TO "DISCOVEER" ANY PHOTOS OF HIM WHICH MAY EXIST. I ONLY HAVE A FEW SMALL PHOTOS OF A P-47 WHICH I CAN'T IDENTIFY AND A FEW SMALL PHOTOS OF THE UNIT AND FRIENDS. I DO HAVE A COLLECTION OF TRAINING MATERIAL AND A LOT OF ORDERS AND A COUPLE OF UNIT HISTORY WHICH LOOK TO BE ORIGINAL. I WILL GLADLY SHARE WHAT I HAVE.

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Guest_Name: Jim Prunoske
Guest_email: rangerjim@twcny.rr.com
Guest_Cares_About: Lt. Leo J. Didas

Guest_Comments:

Thanks for your work. I am the nephew of Lt Leo J. Didas. He was MIA (KIA) on
02Jan45 near Bastogne. He was flying in Basher Blue 2 formation on a napalm
mission. His plane was Itsy-Bitsy ser#42-75435. I was given a set of his wings
when I was a small boy and was certainly proud to hand them over to my son who
is a pilot.

It's been difficult over the years to get information or pictures. Any
information that you have would be appreciated. I'm glad I found your site.

You may share this with others on the guestbook page. Thank you/ jim

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Guest_Name: Edwin "Ted" Beland
Guest_email: teddot@comcast.net
Guest_Cares_About: History
Date: 27 May 2010

Guest_Comments:

I was an Armorer in "C" Flight in the 512th Fighter Sqdn, and joined the squadron in January 1944 at the Congaree AFbase in S. Carolina. Left Europe for home from Antwerp,Belgium in early Nov 1945 on a Liberty Ship which took two weeks to reach New York because we had to detour south to avoid N.Atlantic winter storms.

Now in a Continuing Care Retirement Community in Portland, OR.

Enjoying this site very much. A great job by Steve Brandt!

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Guest_Name: Ian Wolverson
Guest_email: iwolverson1@toucansurf.com
Guest_Cares_About: History of 512/513/514 at RAF Ashford April - July 1944
Date: 27 May 2010

Guest_Comments:

I have assembled details of all 20 USAAF men who were lost whilst stationed at RAF Ashford. There is one of these officers for whom I do not have a photo, that of 1st. Lt. Louis A. Burton (514th) from Decator, Georgia who was lost on 17th June 1944. Any help to complete our records before we produce a long delayed remembrance plaque for our parish church here in UK would be of great help.

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Guest_Name: David Dorsey
Guest_email: ddorsey@mindspring.com
Guest_Cares_About: Brother was a pilot in the 406 FG 514 FS
Date: 22 May 2010
Guest_Comments:

A superb web site .. you have done a fantastic job on your research. Will visit often!
David Dorsey
http://freepages.military.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ddorsey/
Unofficial Web Site
Ninth Air Force,
406th Fighter Group,
514th Squadron

Guest_Name: Steve Brandt
Guest_email: sonof512thFS@aol.com
Guest_Cares_About: All
Guest_Comments:
I have created this site as a clearinghouse for information on the 512th Fighter Squadron. Please contribute!