Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-01-03
U. 5. Fighter Pilots
In Africa Find P-38
Is Super Combat Ship
Americans Lose Only
Nine Planes While
Downing 40 Germans
BY IVES GALLAGHER,
Associated Press War Correspondent

ASSoSihtou IIosS WhI SUIICSpOHUcUt.
AN ADVANCED AMERICAN
FIGHTER BASE SOMEWHERE IN
NORTH AFRICA, Jan. Delayed
Flying from mountainside and
living on a diet of canned hash,
young American pilots, fresh from
colleges, factories and country
towns, have proved what a great
fighter plane the P-38 is by shooting
down 40 German planes with it for
a loss of only nine.
The pilots, who less than six
weeks ago were upset by the allega-
ton on both sides of the Atlantic
that American fighter planes were
inferior to the models of other
nations, declared the P-38 was
master of the Luftwaffe's highly
rated Focke -Wulf 1905 and Messer-
schrnitt 109-Gs.
Plateaus Soggy.
This field is so situated on the
side of a mountain that the con-
slant rains of recent days have
drained off and left the area clear
The fiat plateaus are soggy with
rain at this time of year.
The first six P-38s started opera
tions here without ground crews,
and even without tents for the fly
ers to live in.
Originally designed only as an
interceptor type to protect cities
from bombing raids, the P-38 has
proved itself capable of every rough
job assigned it.
Besides as a fighter, it is used in
strafing ground troops and posi-
tions. Two squadrons here shot
up 20 locomotives behind the Ger
man lines and ripped several motor
conveys to pieces.
The P-38 has also been used in
long-range escort for bombers and
in the last two weeks. while escort
ing Boston A-20 Douglas light
bombers, has not yet let German
plane through the fighter screen to
reach the bombers.
This record has been established
against the best the Germans have
to offer" said Maj. Stephen Avery,
48-year-old veteran of the last war.
who comes from Hollywood and is
the intelligence officer of this out
fit.
Faster than Nazi Ships.
Our planes are faster than any
thing the Germans have and can
out-maneuver them too, If neces-
sary," Mai. Avery said as he told
how one captured German pilot Of
a 1876, pursued 10 miles by a
P-38, expressed amazement at the
tenacity of the American fighters.
Maj. Avery asserted that the long
range of the P-38's enables them
to keep up the fight deep into enemy
territory instead of combining them
selves to the brief dog-1ghts which
have been characteristic of the
European theater.
Pilots at this field. who fly every
day and stay on the alert against
German raiders on their day of
rest, labeled as "Tommyrot' the
opinion of many experts that the
P-3S was hot ship, unmaneuver-
able, and its twin engines too much
for one pilot to handle.
Our ships were built for high
altitude work, but we have seen
fighting anywhere from the ground
up to high attitudes and our craft
have been good at any level said
1t. Virgil Lusk. Santa Rosa. N. Mex.
who has an aces rating for destruc-
ton of five Italian Savoia- Mar
chettis.
The new German 109-Gs," he
said. ARE extremely fast and ma
recoverable, while the Focke-Wu
100 Is great for high altitude fight
ing, but our group has been shoot
ing down both types"
Victors Named.
Besides 1t. Lusk, the pilots at
this field who have accounted for
the other Axis plane losses include
Its. Erving Ethel, Lawton, Okla,
with four planes destroyed; Will
liam Moore of Sacramento. Calf.
with two planes; James F. Butler,
four: Robert N Carlton, San Jose,
Calf, two. and Robert Eubank, Ma
bank, Tex, two.
Others with one plane to their
credit include Its Charles I. Earn
hart, Lebanon. Ohio: Redmond E.
Evans. Houston. Tex: Russell
Gustke, Port Huron. Mich; Will
liam J. Hcelle, San Mateo, Calf;
Thomas J. Morris, Los Angeles;
William Working, Nashville, Tenn;
Robert Woodward, Greenwich, N,
Y: Lewis H. Gregory, Quincy, Fla;
William P. Schettelkerb. Missoula,
Mont; Mark E. Shipmen, Fresno,
Calf: John w. Singleton. Anderson,
Calf; Wallace A. Serenson, La
Grade, Greg; John A. Goebel,
Grand Rapids, Mich, and Capts.
Wade C. WALES. jr.. Port Neches,
Tex, and Ralph J. Watson, Gen.
terburg, Ohio.