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  • Col. Bernt Balchen

    "The last of the Vikings."- Lowell Thomas, 1973Col. Bernt Balchen was America's greatest Arctic expert in modern times. Born in Norway in 1899, he served as a cavalryman in the Finnish Army against the Russians in World War I before becoming a pilot in the Norwegian Naval Air Force in 1921 where he

  • Lt. Max Lewis Uniform

    Note:  This exhibit has temporarily been removed from display.Items worn by B-25 crewman 1st Lt. Max Lewis, a member of the 445th Bomb Squadron, 321st Bomb Group, 12th Air Force. Items include a sweater, nametag, pilot wings, navigator wings, distinguished unit citation for the 321st Bomb Group,

  • Lt. Anthony Savoca Uniform

    Note:  This exhibit has temporarily been removed from display.Items used by Lt. William A. Savoca, a B-26 Marauder bombardier-navigator with the 320th Bomb Group, 12th Air Force, including A-11 flying gloves, tan service hat, A-11 flying helmet and AN-6550-34 flight suit.Click here to return to the

  • Steadfast to the End: 1st Lt. Raymond L. Knight

    Note:  This exhibit has temporarily been removed from display. In April 1945 1st Lt. Raymond Knight was a P-47 fighter-bomber pilot with the 350th Fighter Group based out of Piso, Italy. Knight had already completed more than 80 combat missions, received the Distinguished Flying Cross and five Air

  • USAAF Tactical Ground Attack in Southern Europe

    The 12th Air Force was the U.S. Army Air Forces' tactical arm in southern Europe from 1943 to the end of the war in 1945. The 12th Air Force played a key role in the success of the four major amphibious landings in southern Europe and in breaking the enemy's entrenched defensive lines in

  • A-26 Invader Turret Gunsight

    This Mark 33 gunsight allowed a single gunner to aim the upper and lower turrets of the A-26. The upper sight provided the view for the upper turret, and the lower sight for the lower turret, with the gunner looking through the lens in the middle.Click here to return to the Tactical Ground Attack in

  • 9th Air Force Field Jacket

    Note:  This exhibit has temporarily been removed from display. Since 9th Air Force aircrews lived in field conditions, many wore the same jackets as their infantry counterparts. Lt. Robert Geyer wore the field jacket displayed in the museum's Air Power Gallery while serving in the 9th Air Force in

  • Maj. Gen. Otto Weyland

    Maj. Gen. Otto Weyland effectively led the XIX Tactical Air Command (9th Air Force), which worked very closely with Lt. Gen. Patton's 3rd Army. During the Normandy breakout, the 3rd Army's right flank was open to enemy attack, but Weyland's fighter-bombers provided for its defense. Working in

  • Maj. Gen. Elwood "Pete" Quesada

    Maj. Gen. Elwood Quesada, commander of the IX Tactical Air Command (9th Air Force), developed the highly successful "armored column cover" system used in France. This tactic involved a small formation of armed fighter-bombers that flew ahead of an armored unit and communicated with a USAAF flying

  • P-47 Armor Plate

    Note:  This item has temporarily been removed from display. Most tactical fighter-bomber units flew the Thunderbolt, which was an excellent aircraft for the mission. One important feature of the P-47 was its ruggedness, due in part to armor plating in vital areas. These pieces of armor protected