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4. The F-51 Mustangs from Dogpatch
- University Press of Mississippi
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Chapter 4 The F-51 Mustangs from Dogpatch Headquarters Twelfth Air Force, APO 噛650, General Orders Number 65, 13 October 1943. Section II—Awards of the Distinguished Flying Cross. Under the provisions of AR 600-45, . . . the Distinguished Flying Cross is awarded to . . . Charles E. Schreffler, 0-734000, First Lieutenant, Anderson, Indiana. For extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight in the North African, Sicilian and Italian Theatres of Operations as a Pilot of a P-38 type aircraft. On 30 August 1943, while escorting a B-26 type bombardment group over Lago di Patria, Italy, Lt. Schreffler’s flight of 4 P-38’s were attacked by thirty ME-109’s. Observing a lagging comrade in grave danger he unhesitatingly led his flight in an aggressive assault on the threatening enemy aircraft, destroying one ME-109 and probably destroying another. Lt. Schreffler so expertly maneuvered his small flight, despite one engine being disabled by hostile fire, that the flight safely rejoined his squadron. His outstanding ability as a flight leader and combat pilot has reflected great credit upon himself and the armed forces of the United States. By Command of Major General Doolittle 95 Korea, 1950 Colonel Charles E. Schreffler Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal (10) In the sunshine of southern California, where Charlie Schreffler settled after an eventful air force career, he recalled one particular June afternoon in 1950. ‘‘While sitting on the porch of my quarters at Clark Air Base in the Philippines, I saw innocent-looking puffs of smoke seeping out of the jungle foliage. It was an artillery duel between the communist Huks and the local constabulary, just beyond the Clark Air Base perimeter . A flight of four Philippine F-51 Mustangs passed overhead in echelon formation to join the fray. My unit, the 18th Fighter Bomber Group, had converted to the F-80 jet only recently, giving our World War II–vintage Mustang fighters to the Philippine air force. Maybe one of those attacking planes was mine, Sally Flat Foot. I could see the Mustangs descending one at a time, strafing what they thought were guerrilla positions. In the jungle it was hard to tell where anything was—I knew that from experience. The Mustangs pulled up sharply at the end of their high-angle strafing passes. I saw them reforming for a second run at the Huks. A feeling of nostalgia overcame me as I watched them. I missed flying the ’Stang, as we affectionately called the Mustang. But then I couldn’t remember any plane I flew I didn’t like. ‘‘I remember one of my last flights in the F-51, a routine training flight just before I transitioned into the F-80 jet. My wingman and I were on our initial approach to Clark when without warning we were jumped by a couple of F-51s from our sister squadron, the 12th. I flew with the 67th squadron. We maintained our flying skills by engaging each other in mock air battles, but this wasn’t quite the way it was supposed to happen, and the resulting midair collision bent Sally Flat Foot’s props and put a few dents in her nose. The other Mustang had its tail chewed up. We landed safely. It’s trite to say that flying is hours of boredom and moments of stark terror, but it is true. ‘‘That June my wife was making arrangements for our move back to the States. I was reading the paper and having a beer on our porch. I hated everything associated with moving. The packers were coming on 96 [174.129.93.231] Project MUSE (2024-03-29 12:56 GMT) The F-51 Mustangs from Dogpatch Sally Flat Foot V, Charlie Schreffler’s F-51, as it looked after a midair collision with another F-51 over Clark Air Base, the Philippines, 1950. C. Schreffler. Friday June 24. Our household goods were to be picked up on Monday, the 27th. That day I intended to clear the base and stay out of the way. After they picked up our stuff, we would spend a night in the base hotel and then embark on a boat at the nearby Subic Bay Navy Base for a leisurely trip back to San Francisco. I was looking forward to going home. I tried to go back to reading the paper, but I was still too distracted by idle thoughts as a result of the Philippine F-51s, who by...