Assigned to 368FS, 359FG, 8AF USAAF, and earning two aerial victories, Lt. Boyd N. Adkins Jr. of Stiltner, WV, flew 69 combat missions with the 368th FS, 359th FG, from September 1944 through April 1945. Ended Tour of Duty (ETD).



1 January 1945 mission: "On January 1st we furnished ramrod support for the 1st Force, 1st Air Division, Capt. Ralph L. Brown leading. The target was Magdeburg. Rendezvous was made by “A” Group at 1145 in vicinity of Ratzburg, but we lost the bombers at 1150 when an Me 109 attacked Lt. Billy D. Kasper. In the dog fight that followed Lt. Kasper destroyed this enemy aircraft. We followed the bomber course but were unable to pick up our assigned bombers. “B” Group made R/V with assigned bombers at 1115, East of Meldorf, but immediately lost them when the formation was attacked by two Me 262s and six+ Me 109s. Another Me 262 made a shallow diving attack at “A” group at 1200, in vicinity of Hamburg. All our ships landed safely. Capt. J.B. Hunter’s flight landed on continent at Laon/Couvron airdrome, but returned to home base same day, at which time we learned that Lt. Leonard D. Carter and F/O Boyd N. Adkins Jr. got into a “dog fight" with a FW 190 in vicinity of Havelberg, Germany at 1155. Lt. Carter attacked the enemy aircraft and observed several strikes on him, his canopy clouded up, and F/O Adkins came in and knocked the enemy aircraft down." ~ Excerpt from the 368th Fighter Squadron report dated 31 January 1945.



On 3 April 1945 Adkins was part of a friendly fire incident where yellow flight engaged and fired upon P-51s of the 3rd Scouting Force, after mistaking them for enemy aircraft.



Awards: AM (8OLC), WWII Victory, EAME (2 x Battle Stars).