Valor

By John L. Frisbee, Contributing Editor Gabby

After a shaky start, he be- tack. Since he spoke fluent Polish, his boot. The P-47 lost power due to came one of the greatest why not an assignment with one of the a damaged turbocharger. Gabreski Polish squadrons flying with the RAF? was about to bail out when he noted fighter pilots this country has After many delays, he was posted to that his engine was producing enough produced. the Polish-manned 315th Squadron power to keep him in the game. But at Northolt in the UK. The 315th was there was no way he could survive ll of us, in uniform or not, can delighted to see him and gave him unless he could reach a cloud bank A learn much from the career of operational training in Spitfires, under below. The enemy pilot followed, but Col. Francis S. “Gabby” Gabreski. combat conditions. Gabby finally lost him and turned for He was, as most readers know, the After some weeks with the Polish the UK, hoping he had enough fuel leading US ace in the World War II squadron, Gabreski was assigned to to make it across the North Sea. He European theater and is now the Zemke’s 56th Fighter Group, flying landed at Manston, on the English top living American ace, with 34.5 P-47 Thunderbolts. The group was still coast, just as his engine quit. victories. He was not a born fighter in training, so Gabreski held an edge Several months later, after he com- pilot—if there is such a thing—but a in operational experience when they pleted 193 missions, the Air Force sent man who reached the pinnacle of his entered combat in April 1943. Much him home. While waiting to board the profession by determination, dedica- to his disappointment, he flew several plane that would fly him to the US, tion, and intelligence. His aggressive missions when no enemy airplanes Gabreski discovered that a mission nature and competitive spirit were were sighted, and by chance he was was scheduled for that morning. He tempered by personal charm, good not on the board when the 56th did took his bags off the transport and humor, and what Col. Hubert A. “Hub” find targets. His frustration ended on wangled permission to “fly just one Zemke noted as Gabreski’s “natural August 24, 1943, when he scored his more.” While strafing an enemy airfield, exuberance.” first victory. From that day on, victories his prop hit a rise at the end of the Born of Polish immigrant parents in came frequently, often by doubles and field and he was forced to belly-in. He Oil City, Pa., he grew up bilingual, a triples, until he led both the group and eluded the enemy for five days. During fact that influenced the development all AAF fighter pilots in the theater. his run for freedom, he encountered a of his Air Force career and probably In his book, Gabby, A Fighter Pi­ Polish-speaking forced laborer whom saved his life many years later. While lot’s Life, he describes the mission he persuaded to bring him food and he worked his way through college at of December 11, 1943, as the most water, but he finally was captured and Notre Dame, he became interested exciting of his tour in Europe. Then was a POW at in in airplanes and used the few dollars a major, he was leading a squadron for eight months until the war ended. he could spare for flying lessons. He of P-47s on an escort mission. When After the war, Gabreski spent several did not excel. After his second year in they rendezvoused with the bombers, years in flight testing and in command college, he joined the Army Air Forces the B-17s were under attack by 40 Bf- of fighter units before he succeeded and squeaked through primary pilot 110s. In the melee, Gabreski became in getting an assignment to Korea as training after being recommended for separated from the rest of the squad- commander of the . elimination by his instructor. Determi- ron and found himself perilously alone He played a major role in developing nation and faith in his ability got him at 30,000 feet, when he spotted three tactics for a new kind of war—a jet through and, after graduation, to an more Bf-110s below him. Diving to the war—and shot down 6.5 MiG-15s assignment at Wheeler Field, . attack, he shot down one of them. between July 1951 and April 1952. He At Wheeler, Gabreski met Cath­erine By this time, Gabby’s fuel was is one of only seven USAF pilots who Cochran, who later would become his getting low and he was heading for were aces in both World War II and the wife. Their romance was interrupted on home, when he was attacked by a . He ended a distinguished December 7, 1941, when the Japa- single Bf-109 coming up from below. Air Force career as commander of nese attacked Pearl Harbor. As soon Clear­ly, this man was a hunter with several tactical and air defense wings as the rubble could be cleared from serious intent. Not having enough fuel before launching another successful the field, Gabby took off in an obsolete to mix it up with an aggressive enemy, career with the aviation industry and P-36 in pursuit of the departing enemy Gabreski decided the best tactic was as president of the Rail but too late to shoot or to be shot at by to run his pursuer out of ammunition. Road. anyone other than trigger-happy Yanks This would call for very precise timing No aspiring can become on the ground. and maneuvering. Twice, he eluded a 34.5-victory ace by reading about Gabreski spent the next several the -109 with steep climbing turns Gabby Gabreski’s combat career, but months perfecting his flying. After sev- as it began to fire. The third time, his his unflagging determination to reach eral requests for a combat assignment opponent got a hit that shot off one of the top of his profession is an inspira- were turned down, he tried another Gabby’s rudder pedals and creased tion for all. ■

AIR FORCE Magazine / July 1997 89