Assigned to 351FS, 353FG, 8AF USAAF. Transferred to 352FS, 353FG, 8AF USAAF. Assigned as personal aircraft for 1Lt. Raymond Hilgenberg. The a/c's first combat mission was with Lt. Hilgenberg on Dec. 10th, 1944. He flew 23 missions in this aircraft. He christened it "Sunshine" after his nickname Ray Of Sunshine! 1Lt Hilgenberg was sadly KIA on his 40th mission whilst filling-in a for a fellow pilot who was ill, he was shot down by antiaircraft fire returning from a successful escort and strafing mission deep into Germany. The plane he was flying that day, Feb. 24th, 1945 was Captain Gene Markham's P-51D 44-14949 YJ -Q "Mr. Gary", named after his young son. The story of that fateful day is told in Fallen Heroe's "Mr. Gary's" Last Flight.