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My Father-in-Law was a P-47 Pilot

Discussion in '☆☆ New Recruits ☆☆' started by jonmwatson, Jul 10, 2010.

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  1. jonmwatson

    jonmwatson Member

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    Hi all,
    My interest in WWII has greatly increased with my in-laws moving in with us in 2007. Luther (Lu) Hoesten (now 89) was a P-47 pilot with the 492nd Fighter Squadron of the 48th Fighter Bomber Group that flew out of RAF Ibsley field (now a water reservoir in Hampshire England) in early 1944, then on into France and Belgium after D-Day (he flew second wave in his squadron along the beaches). After 80+ missions he moved on to an Air-Ground cooperation/comms unit that followed the front lines until V-E day. For his service, he received a DFS and many air medals. He didn't talk about it much (like most of his peers - just doing their job), but he did keep his flying records, and we have a few binders of pretty neat stuff and photos from his flying time.
     
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  2. C.Evans

    C.Evans Expert

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    Hi John, welcoem to the site and if you feel like posting this stuff? please do so and please do so in the Militaria section which will be easier to find there.

    Also, please give him my best regards and thanks for serving.

    Take care--Carl.
     
  3. Biak

    Biak Boy from Illinois Staff Member

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    Welcome to the forum jonmwatson,
    I have a feeling you'll be hearing some interesting stories and like Carl said, post away. We can never get enough of the individuals side.
     
  4. Slipdigit

    Slipdigit Good Ol' Boy Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    Welcome Jon. Do you have an photos of the old boy?
     
  5. brndirt1

    brndirt1 Saddle Tramp

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    As already mentioned, welcome to this fine place and give the gentleman our personal thanks for his service! Please post as much as you can, we here never tire of the accounts of those who were there.
     
  6. sniper1946

    sniper1946 Expert

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  7. jonmwatson

    jonmwatson Member

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    Here's two photo's of CAPT Hoesten in his P-47 (Fanfare) at Ibsley (1944)
     

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  8. Erich

    Erich Alte Hase

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    welcome aboard John

    the 492nd squadron colour was red. will be interested to see if Lu flew a Jug with the famous checkerboard pattern on the engine cowling later in the war with the 48th f.g.
     
  9. Greg Canellis

    Greg Canellis Member

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    Great photos! Thanks for posting.

    Greg C.
     
  10. jonmwatson

    jonmwatson Member

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    I added other photos of him (during the day) - two below and more to my gallery.
     
  11. jonmwatson

    jonmwatson Member

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    His P-47 a/c nose and rudder were red - he flew olive drab razorback first - through D-Day, then the bare metal bubbletop. His 492nd Squadron a/c hull number was F4 P. Those red checkerboards on cowling came later. Attached model picture of his a/c he made (I helped with some paint and decals) last year. v/r, JMW
     

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  12. LadyLawyer

    LadyLawyer New Member

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    Pretty sure my Grandfather, Col. Leonard C. Hoffmann, served with your father-in-law from 1944 onward. I have some old Dispatch articles, and orders from his later career, but not too much from Grandpa's time in England. I did find a copy of his first Distinguished Flying Cross award (he had seven oak leaves, and not being in the military, I'm not as clear how that all works), this being from March 19, 1945. I believe I saw your FIL credited with a victory on another website, and they were rare at this point for our flyers. Was your FIL shipped to Okinawa, later that year as well? My Grandfather said little but every so often, he'd sit and share with me. Grandpa said that he truly never believed his number was up until the day they stuck him on a transport for Japan. He also told me that he saw his best friend, a fellow flier, shot down and survived ejection only to be brutally killed by Nazi ground forces, and that he recalls that he ran out of ammunition and everything else he had trying to hurt those who killed his friend, and barely made it back. He said he was flying low enough he remembers the faces of all of those people. He was such a charitable soul but he came away from England with a distinct dislike for the American Red Cross after the war, something about they wouldn't spot him a cup of coffee after he ditched a shot up plane and hiked miles with injuries, his wallet incinerated with his coat in the plane he lost. Please thank your FIL for his service- I miss my Grandfather every single day. Cherish your time with these special people.
     
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  13. Poppy

    Poppy grasshopper

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    Small tidbits like this make WW2F great. Thanks LL, JW.
     
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  14. LRusso216

    LRusso216 Graybeard Staff Member

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    While this thread is six years old,the amount of crossover is amazing. There are so many cases where there is someone who knows someone else. IIt always astounds me. Thanks for posting Lady Lawyer.
     
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