Alexander Milton Cosmos
Military ROLL OF HONOUR
359th Fighter Group collection
Moved biographical details to person record.
Object Number - UPL 38909 - Lt. Alexander M. Cosmos, from Antioch, CA, served with the 370th Fighter Squadron, 359th Fighter Group, from April 1943 until 10 February 1944 when...
Assigned to 370FS, 359FG, 8AF, USAAF. Crashed on a training flight due to bad weather near Somersham, Huntingdonshire on 10-Feb-44 in P-47D 42-74695. Killed in Training Accident (KITA).
Lt. Alexander M. Cosmos, from Antioch, CA, served with the 370th Fighter Squadron, 359th Fighter Group, from April 1943 until 10 February 1944 when he was killed while training.
10 February 1944: The Field Order stipulated a “milk run” - 169 bombers against Brunswick - but the Luftwaffe reacted violently, 10 of the 11 fighter groups had combat, knocking down 55, probably getting two more and damaging 42 for a loss of 29 bombers and 11 fighter pilots. A letter dated 12 February from General Kepner forwarded commendations from Generals Spaatz and Doolittle on the Command’s whole performance. The Group’s share in all this was six victories and 26 more minutes of escort of 180 3rd Division B-17’s than had been planned.
Awards: PH.
Connections
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Units served with
![Three P-51 Mustangs of the 369th Fighter Squadron, 359th Fighter Group fly together in formation. The aircraft foreground to background are: (IV-P, serial number 44-14543) nicknamed "Precious Pat", piloted by Lieutenant Ralston; (IV-Z, serial number 44-15007) piloted by Lieutenant Klem; and (IV-D, serial number 44-15394). First handwritten caption on reverse: 'November 15 1944- 369th FS Lts. Ralston (P), Klem (Z), [illegible] (D).' Second handwritten caption on reverse: '15/11/44 369th Fighter Squadron, 3](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-377226.jpg.webp?itok=RQw6Mu-P)
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
- Unit: 359th Fighter Group 370th Fighter Squadron
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
18 February 1923 | Son of Beatrice Annie [Fanaras] Cosmos. | |
|
Enlisted |
7 January 1942 | ||
|
Other Crashed |
6 June 1943 | Belly Landing Engine Failure 3 Miles Sth Belleport, NY Cat 4 damage 2Lt Alexander M Cosmos, 6-Jun-43. P-47D 42-8388 - 370FS 359FG | |
|
Other Crashed |
1 July 1943 | Structural Failure Mitchel Field, LI, NY Cat 3 damage 2Lt Alexander M Cosmos, 1-Jul-43. P-47D 42-22367 - 370FS 359FG | |
|
Died |
10 February 1944 | Crashed on a training flight due to bad weather near Somersham, Huntingdonshire on 10-Feb-44 in P-47D 42-74695. Killed in Training Accident (KITA). | |
|
Buried |
11 February 1944 | Interred Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial | |
|
Buried |
24 July 1948 | Re-Interred Oak View Memorial Park Antioch, Contra Costa County, CA | |
|
Other Promotion |
Promoted to 1st Lieutenant. | ||
|
Born |
|||
|
Based |
10 February 1944 | Assigned to 370FS, 359FG, 8AF, USAAF. |
Revisions
https://www.fold3.com/image/311039298?rec=300962148
https://www.fold3.com/record/84961070-alexander-m-cosmos
https://www.fold3.com/image/39058311?terms=Alexander%20M%20Cosmos
https://www.fold3.com/image/317461184?terms=Alexander%20M%20Cosmos
http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/dbapi.asp?Pilot=Cosmos%2C+Alexan…
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/82950275/alexander-milton-cosmos
AccidentReports.com, Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Ted Damick, VIII Fighter Command pilots list
