The Last Time I Saw Gabby

by Jim "Twitch" Tittle

Article Type: Feature
Article Date: February 12, 2002


We all know the stats. Francis Stanley “Gabby” Gabreski shot down 28 enemy aircraft in the air and 2.5 on the ground during WWII and 6.5 more in Korea. Originally his tally was 31 in the air but the Victory Revue Board has the ultimate decision to acknowledge more or less claimed and they revised it to 28. Either way, he is third behind Dick Bong and Tommy McQuire. Until his heart attack at age 83 on January 31st 2002, that made him America’s greatest living ace.

The quintessential Gabreski photo

Wolfpack Days

Gabby flew with the famous Wolfpack led by Hub Zemke. Their exploits are legendary stuff. They carved out their niche in history flying the Republic P-47 over the war torn European skies. Gabreski flew with the 56th Fighter Group from April 1943 until June of 1944. Ironically he went down on his last scheduled mission, his 166th, before he was to ship out for home and marry his sweetheart, Catherine Cochran.

After escorting B-24s to their target, the P-47s had free rein to attack targets of opportunity and mix it up with any enemy planes sighted. With a full load of ammo and plenty of gas Gabby scanned the ground near Koblenz. Gabreski’s armorer, Cpl. Joe DiFranza, had always loaded 250-300 RPG instead of the maximum 425 RPG as per his pilot’s instructions to aid maneuverability.

Gabby instructed Yellow Flight to check out an airfield and they reported He 111s and Me 110s parked there with light flak resistance. Blue Flight made their run next and finally Gabreski’s White Fight eased down picking up speed. They leveled off at treetop level a couple miles north east of the airdrome and headed in.

In a few seconds he came to the edge of the field and saw a 111 undamaged and gave it a long burst. Slicing past he looked over his shoulder to see it explode. Tempting the rules of one pass only he decided to go around. Another 111 loomed into view and he cut loose a hail of fifties. Noting that he’d aimed high he twitched the stick to drop the nose slightly and he felt a thump. He immediately realized that his big prop had hit the ground.

Hydraulic fluid streamed onto his windscreen and the Pratt & Whitney began dancing in its mounts. Gabby bellied in as far from the field as possible and began his attempt at escape and evasion. No German had brought him down. It was a simple accident.

Once captured, the famous interrogator of Allied pilots, Hanns Scharff, told him in perfect English how they’d been waiting for him and produced a recent issue of Stars and Stripes with Gabby’s pictures in it. Gabreski ended up in Stalag Luft I for the duration of the war.

In his book, Gabby: A Fighter Pilot’s Life, he told of his 6.5 Korean War kills and some of his peacetime Air Force life and his time with Grumman Aviation. Curiously enough, in the details of the book I counted more than 2.5 ground kills. And he always seemed to know that 28 was his count even though 31 victories were later attributed to him to then be adjusted once again. During WWII his tally equaled squadron mate Bob Johnson’s.

In Gabby: A Fighter Pilot’s Life a scant sixty pages detail Gabby’s actual combat missions, but they’re testimony to his ability. He took down German planes from 600 yards and from so close he got oil on his wing and could smell the smoke. The dive speed of the P-47 is recalled along with its ability to take damage and get home. He scored doubles on multiple occasions and a triple once. One double used only 400 rounds total. Excellent considering the eight .50s combined rate of fire spat API at about 104 rounds per second.

His descriptions of strafing runs may have, in actuality, accounted for as many as six aircraft on the ground. Damaged claims were few and no probables are cited. His targets were either destroyed or slipped away by chance.

In fact I got the feeling that Gabby’s own narrative was quite modest after reading of his exploits in Thunderbolt by Bob Johnson and Zemke’s Wolfpack by Hub Zemke. Johnson especially, related many anecdotes and gave a view of Gabreski from another cockpit in the squadron for comparison of dialogues about the same mission.

Klibbe, Rankin, Mahurin, Gabreski, Johnson & moderator ace Bill Allen

Gabby Speaks

At a fighter pilot symposium held last year by the Friends of American Aces Southern California I expected some pearls in his oration. Other 56th aces were on hand: Frank Klibbe, Robert “Shorty” Rankin, Gerald Johnson and Walker “Bud” Mahurin. Unfortunately, Mike Gladych, the colorful Polish expatriate that flew with them did not make it due to ill health. I anticipated hearing from Gabreski some details on a kill or combat-related stuff. I was, at the time, disappointed.

Wheeler Field Hawaii 1941

As other pilots from the 56th told of harrowing combat and fun times Gabreski simply spoke about his fond memories of Hawaii in pre-war days. He told of flying P-36s, P-40s and P-39s over some of the most beautiful scenery on the planet. Of course his tenderness for the islands is compounded since he met his wife, Kay, there.

The greatest living American fighter pilot didn’t have much to say overall. He spoke not a word about aerial combat. Looking back and listening to my tape again I realize his main message regarding WWII holds true today and I feel much less disappointed.

Gabby signed lots of autographs

With a firm, commanding voice Gabreski said he is often asked what he learned from his experiences in the war. He continued, “What I learned is teamwork. Not one person. Not two. It's everybody. When I’m talkin’ about everybody I’m talkin’ about the operational force. I’m also talkin’ about everybody back home. They did their part. In other words, they built the equipment. They built the airplanes, and so forth, so the people in the field could do their job.

“We were doin’ a job with, not inferior, but not superior aircraft,” he stressed. He related that eighteen of the 56th’s pilots were killed learning the unproven virtues of the P-47. He said they were test pilots, as such.

HV-A takes out a 210 ['One for the Big Friends' painting by Roy Grinnell]

“We were drawn into the war and were in an emergency and it had to be done. We weren’t equipped for it,” Gabby continued. “It took teamwork and it took one other thing—everybody workin’ toward the same objective! And if you have everybody workin’ toward the same objective in the United States of America, we’re the greatest in the world in everybody’s eyes! Financially, we’re the greatest. Technologically, we’re the greatest. But when we take the things that are most important in life, and I’m going to mention those things,…we’re deteriorating. That’s all I have to say. It’s great being here.”

I feel he was speaking of the decline of the family unit as so many sociologist have, especially since he came from a strong-knit family of Polish immigrants. At any rate, those were his words of wisdom. Hmm? Sounds like that WWII attitude is still valid for today as current Allies prosecute the war against a new Axis power block. We rest assured that there are many people serving in military units around the world with the skill and determination of guys like Gabreski and his fellows of the 56th Fighter Group.

Kay Gabreski was tragically killed a few years ago as she and Gabby returned from an appearance at the annual Oshkosh Wisconsin air show in an auto crash.

Gabby & Kay

I’m certain that if all is right in the universe Gabby is soaring above Diamond Head in a pristine P-40 right now as Kay relaxes on the beach below him shielding her eyes from the Hawaiian sun to glimpse up at one of the great ones in his favorite element.

Resources

• Gabby: A Fighter Pilot’s Life can be found at Barnes and Noble for $45 hardbound ISBN: 0764304429
  
  
• Thunderbolt is still in print at B & N in paperbound for $20 ISBN: 1885354053
  
  
• Zemke’s Wolfpack by Roger Freeman is out of print but if you look at links you might find it used. ISBN: 0671727141

Gabby's HV-A P-47

• The above print by Jim Laurier is signed by Gabby and Zemke for $135. More info.
  
  
• “One for the Big Friends” painting by Roy Grinnell at RoyGrinnell.com
  
  
• AcePilots.com has many 56th FG photos and bios

 Printer Friendly