William Bradford Hoelscher
MilitaryAssigned to 334FS, 4FG, 8AF USAAF. Lured over aerodrome defenses by Me262 which he was attacking, sustained damage to cooling system, glycol streamed from P-51D 44-15347 for 10 minutes before Lt Hoelscher baled out. Evaded capture EVD. 25-Apr-45. MACR 14047.
Awards: DFC [2 OLC], AM [8 OLC], WWII Victory.
Post War: Flew with 4th FIW I Korea, completing 100 missions, Served in Vietnam. Retired as Lt Colonel.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
- Nicknames: The Deacon
- Unit: 4th Fighter Group 334th Fighter Squadron
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Indianapolis, IN, USA | 6 October 1921 | |
|
Other Assigned |
Debden, Saffron Walden, Essex CB11, UK | 12 August 1944 - 25 April 1945 | Assigned to 334FS, 4FG, 8AF USAAF. |
|
Other Promotion |
Debden, Saffron Walden, Essex CB11, UK | 26 October 1944 | Promoted to 1st Lieutenant. |
|
Other Shot down |
Czech Republic | 25 April 1945 | Lured over aerodrome defenses by Me262 which he was attacking, sustained damage to cooling system, glycol streamed from A/C for 10 minutes before Lt Hoelscher baled out. Evaded capture EVD. 25-Apr-45. MACR 14047. |
|
Other Evaded |
Czech Republic | 24 May 1945 - 5 June 1945 | Evaded for 13 days, including stealing a motorcycle to cross back to friendly lines. |
|
Died |
Garrison, NY 10524, USA | 7 January 1984 | |
| Indianapolis, Indiana, USA | |||
|
Buried |
Putnam County, NY, USA | Saint Philip's Church Cemetery Garrison Putnam County New York, USA. |
Revisions
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 14047 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database / Ted Damick, VIII Fighter Command pilots list