36th
Fighter
Group

 

Air Forced Assigned To:    9th (March '44 - end WWII)
   
Stations Flown From:   Kingsnorth, England (April '44 - July '44)
  Brucheville, France (July '44 - Aug '44)
    Le Mans, France (Aug '44 - Sept '44)
    Athis, France (Sept '44 - Oct '44)
    Juvincourt, France (Oct '44)
    Le Culot, Belgium (Oct '44 - March '45)
    Aachen, Germany (March '45 - April '45)
    Niedermennig, Germany (April '45)
    Kassel/Rothwesten, Germany (April '45 - end WWII)
     
Campaigns Flown in:   Antisubmarine, American Theatre
  Air Offensive, Europe
Normandy
Northern France
Rhineland
Ardennes-Alsace
Central Europe
     
Awards Won:   Distinguished Unit Citation: France, 1 Sept '44
  Distinguished Unit Citation: Germany, 12 April '45
    Cited in the Order of the Day, Belgium Army - 1 Oct '44
   

18 Dec '44 - 15 Jan '45
    Belgium Fourragree
     
Claims against aircraft in Air:   Destroyed   Probable   Damaged
37   1   11
 

Aces Were:
(Some Aces may have scored other victories while flying for other groups and/or squadrons)

   HQ: none      
 
     
 368th FS: none   369th FS: none 370th FS: none
         
Squadron Insignia and Codes:
22nd FS   23rd FS   53rd FS
  3T   7U   6V
Planes Flown: P-47
 

 

3T-X 'Patty' of the 22nd FS, piloted by Wilton H. Earle. Here is Tony Donato's recollection of the event- 

The date was around 3-2-45 I just had my 25th birthday I don't recall the the Exact place in Germany. Here's what happened. I was in my machine gun truck when saw this P47 hit by enemy ack ack & black smoke coming from his engine. I am sure he saw me and tipped his wings to get my attention - I ran down to the Auto Bonn, and motioned the pilot to drop down, when he did I crossed my arms to cut his engine, he did -- he landed , his wing tip 5 ft. from me. When I pulled him out of the P47 we both fell to the ground. The pilot said thanks - I wanted to take a picture of him next to his P47, but the pilot said hell no "I am not the hero you ar!" The photo you see are all taken by the pilot.  I was in A Battery. 5th Art, first Inf. Div. [Big Red One} The camera was a Kodak 116 Box Camera - Tony

Tony Donato photo

Tony Donato standing in front of the downed P47 'Patty'

Tony Donato photo

photo showing an overall look at where 'Patty' came down.

Tony Donato photo

3T-W of the 22nd FS

Jim Sterling Collection

3T-L of the 22nd FS

Jim Sterling Collection

3T-S of the 22nd FS #44-20211

Jim Sterling Collection

3T-S of the 22nd FS

Jim Sterling Collection

P47's of the 22nd FS

Jim Sterling Collection


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