1st Lt Van E. Chandler and his P-51D Mustang 'Wheezy', He destroyed an Fw 190 and a Bf 109 during the Christmas Day 1944 mission, and he followed these kills up with another Bf 109 destroyed on New Year's Day to become an ace. Almost 60 years would pass before Chandler discovered that this feat had made him America's youngest fighter ace at just 19 years of age.