downfordouble.zip (8.23 Meg) (downloaded 153 times)
P-51D 44-15255 was flown by Lieutenant-Colonel Gordon Graham of the 360th Fighter Squadron of the 356th Fighter Group. Following graduation from University of California - Berkeley, with BS Petroleum Engineering in 1940, he joined Army Reserves and commissioned a Second Lieutenant when he completed pilot training at Craig Field, Alabama in August, 1942. He served in Training Command and was promoted to Major before shipping out to ETO in late, July 1944. Graham's logbook had more than 2700 hours of single engine time. He was assigned to 354FS/355th FG in September, 1944 and became CO after Lenfest down on October 3rd and Marshall promoted to 355FG Deputy Group Commander on October 23, 1944. Major Gordy (Ace) Graham was a skilled and aggressive Squadron Commander and was able to shoot down his first 5 aircraft over a span of 20 days starting with an Fw 190 on Christmas Day, 1944 and ending on January 14, 1945 with a pair of Fw 190's near Meppen. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in February and finished his aerial scoring on April 8 shooting down two Me 109's near Oberphaffenhofen A/D. Graham became the groups' 17th air ace and one of the fastest to score five in the air, following only Bert Marshall in shortest time from first combat operation required to shoot down five. Following VE Day Graham stayed in the Air Force, received an MS from University of Pittsburg and promoted to Colonel January, 1951, then Brigadier General in 1962 and Major General in 1964. Following a tour in Viet Nam with 5AF HQ 1966-1967 he was promoted to Lieutenant General in 1968, commanding Fifth Air Force then Sixth Allied Tactical Air Force in Turkey before retiring in 1973. Graham's final score was 7 destroyed, one probable and 1 damaged in the air, plus 9.5 destroyed and 4 damaged on the ground. He flew 72 missions in WWII, 146 in SE Asia flying F-4's.
P-51D 44-15255 was flown by Lieutenant-Colonel Gordon Graham of the 360th Fighter Squadron of the 356th Fighter Group. Following graduation from University of California - Berkeley, with BS Petroleum Engineering in 1940, he joined Army Reserves and commissioned a Second Lieutenant when he completed pilot training at Craig Field, Alabama in August, 1942. He served in Training Command and was promoted to Major before shipping out to ETO in late, July 1944. Graham's logbook had more than 2700 hours of single engine time. He was assigned to 354FS/355th FG in September, 1944 and became CO after Lenfest down on October 3rd and Marshall promoted to 355FG Deputy Group Commander on October 23, 1944. Major Gordy (Ace) Graham was a skilled and aggressive Squadron Commander and was able to shoot down his first 5 aircraft over a span of 20 days starting with an Fw 190 on Christmas Day, 1944 and ending on January 14, 1945 with a pair of Fw 190's near Meppen. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in February and finished his aerial scoring on April 8 shooting down two Me 109's near Oberphaffenhofen A/D. Graham became the groups' 17th air ace and one of the fastest to score five in the air, following only Bert Marshall in shortest time from first combat operation required to shoot down five. Following VE Day Graham stayed in the Air Force, received an MS from University of Pittsburg and promoted to Colonel January, 1951, then Brigadier General in 1962 and Major General in 1964. Following a tour in Viet Nam with 5AF HQ 1966-1967 he was promoted to Lieutenant General in 1968, commanding Fifth Air Force then Sixth Allied Tactical Air Force in Turkey before retiring in 1973. Graham's final score was 7 destroyed, one probable and 1 damaged in the air, plus 9.5 destroyed and 4 damaged on the ground. He flew 72 missions in WWII, 146 in SE Asia flying F-4's.
