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Colonel Hubert Zemke and Lieutenant Colonel David C Schilling, formerly of the 56th Fighter Group, with a T-33 Shooting Star at a celebration after Schilling flew the aircraft across the Atlantic. Zemke has handwritten on reverse: 'Lt to Rt 1950 Summer, Col "Pete" Lucian Dade Opns Officer, 2nd Air Div, Landsberg Germany, Col John "Jack" Crostwaite Wing Co 36th Fighter, Fursten Feldbruck, Germany, Lt Col Erwin H Degreny Flying Ex 56th Frt Group, Selfridge AFB, Michigan, Col Hub Zemke CO 56th Fitr Group Fursten Feldbruck, Germany. Col David C Schilling co 56th. The occasion of the photo was the re-supply of each T-33s provided to the 36th Fighter Group by flight across the Atlantic. Schilling leading.'
This contains information written on the back of the original print and some of it may be inaccurate.
Colonel Hubert Zemke and Lieutenant Colonel David C Schilling, formerly of the 56th Fighter Group with a T-33 Shooting Star at a celebration after Schillign flew the aircraft across the Atlantic. Zemke has handwritten on reverse: 'Lt to Rt 1950 Summer, Col "Pete" Lucian Dade Opns Officer, 2nd Air Div, Landsberg Germany, Col John "Jack" Crostwaite Wing Co 36th Fighter Fursten Feldbruck, Germany, Lt Col Erwin H Degreny Flying Ex 56th Frt Group, Selfridge AFB, Michigan, Col Hub Zemke CO 56th Fitr Group Fursten Feldbruck, Germany. Col David C Schilling co 56th. The occasion of the photo was the re-supply of each T-33s provided to the 36th Fighter Group by flight across the Atlantic. Schilling leading.'
Group
The Group, as the 36th Pursuit Group, were part of the defence force for the Caribbean area and the Panama Canal in 1941, flying P-39s and P-40s out of Puerto Rico. By May 1944 the 36th Fighter Group were flying their first missions out of England...
Group
Flying P-47 Thunderbolts throughout their time stationed in England, the Group, known as "the Wolfpack", had more ace pilots than any other Eighth Air Force Fighter Group. The 56th Fighter Group also destroyed more enemy aircraft in air combat than any...
Military | Colonel | Commanding Officer
Pete Dade served as a fighter pilot with the 62nd Fighter Squadron of the 56th Fighter Group, flying missions from Boxted, England. He became an ace, credited with shooting down 5 enemy aircraft in aerial combat. After the war he remained in what soon...
Military | Colonel | Pilot; Commanding Officer; Assistant Director Intelligence
Schilling flew P-47 Thunderbolts and was one of the leading aces of the war. He was Commanding Officer of the 56th Fighter Group between August 1944 and January 1945, taking over from Colonel Hubert A Zemke.
...
Military | Colonel | Fighter Group Commander; Pilot
17 air victories with 56th FG flying P-47s, 2 1/2 with 479th FG flying P-51s. Lost 30 October 1944 when P-51 broke up in storm. Prisoner of War (POW) in Stalag Luft I. Was appointed as head of American Prisoner of War (POW)s while in camp. Retired from...
