Fred's Letters to Mary

1944

Four Letters postmarked 18 Aug 1944 when his ship arrived and all were mailed from England:

1- Misses her. Food OK. Looking for Bert on board, but thinks he may be on another ship.

2- Sleeping a lot. Started growing a mustache

3- Has a cold. Ox tail for dinner.

4- Bored, trying to find someone to play chess with him.

20 August

In England. Found MacDowell. Played card game “Red Dog”

23 August

Complaining about late mail. Asking her to take care of various Insurance policies.

26 August

Playing chess, sleeping a lot. Weather is bad.

28 August

MacDowell now stationed elsewhere. Can't talk about places he has been and seen.

3 September

In France regularly. Asks for her to send French/English Dictionary. Likes the French people.

5 September

He is getting Cookie II soon. Mentions Cookie I is his daughter. He is censoring enlisted men's letters now. Very muddy where he is. He has a very good ground crew.

8 September

Has not received any mail yet. The members of his class in flight school that are here are all ahead of him in hours and missions as they have been here almost a year and he just arrived.

10 September

Getting shot at a lot on missions, but 'they' are not very good shots.

12 September

Cleaned clothes with gasoline. Uniform pressed bythe French.

16 September

24 days since he has had mail. No electricity there right now.

20 September

Moved to a new base and getting situated. Finally received mail. Flying in a new P 47 Missouri Mule. It belongs to Kimball from K.C. Soon will have plane of his own will be Cookie II. Beautiful where he is now.

Send photos please.

22 September

Interviewed by a lady from St. Louis Post Dispatch. (See clipping) There is a swimming hole here.

2 October

He has now flown 35 combat hours. It is his 4th day with Cookie II. Two missions. Flew first time as element leader instead of wing-man. Next step Flight leader, then squadron leader, then group leader. He is now qualified for the European theater ribbon with 2 stars, one for war over France and Brest. Has Air medal with one cluster, 28 sorties, 17 missions now.

5 October

Flying the best plane, P-47. In a very good mood.

20 October

He has been away from home base. Restrictions on writing. In England right now. He has been in Paris, London, Liverpool, Belfast all on business and flying others in twin engine aircraft on rota leave. Disadvantage . . . is it is keeping him from getting combat time he needs to get home. MacDowell is flying the P-51. He flies 2 airplanes regularly now. Second is an AT-23, which is a converted B-26. He is the only pilot in his group qualified to fly it. (experience as Eglin Field test pilot and instructor for multi engine aircraft)

30 October

So much has happened. He is speechless to talk about it. Maybe in a year or two he will be able to talk about what has happened.

-Undated letter (Early November) Cookie II is no more. She got so badly shot up she had to be junked. The pilot was not hurt though. He was flying another pilot's plane and it got shot up too. A tank blew up in my face and the plane was also perforated by heavy flak. The P-47 can really take it and the pilots are well protected. Even though we may get badly disabled we are close enough to our own lines to get back to friendly territory. Waiting for Cookie III now. Must fly the other fellow's planes in combat.

Years later he told his daughter and son he and Cookie II were totally shot up in a horrific dogfight this day. Other pilots in his group were KIA. He was barely able to limp back to base. Cookie II was scrap metal but the plane and pilot also made it back. He claimed the fact that they both lived that day was a miracle.

4 November

Weather bad. Learned to weld. Developed some photos in the photo lab and sent them to her.

14 November

Sent STARS & STRIPES 10 November (Patton and 4 attacks)

23 November

Moved again. They are now a gypsy fighter group. All we do is move, move, move all in the mud. Has Cookie III now. She is all silver with an orange tail and yellow cowling. Bubble canopy. Will send photos. He is squadron Photo officer making Christmas cards for the squadron and personalized one for himself. (See cards)

1 December

In England again. Has been to Paris, London, Brussels and Belfast again. He has regrets that he has known some wonderful kids who died in this horrible time. The other regret is that the war happened at all.

7 December

Received another Christmas card from James Henkler (sp..)

8 December (3 letters postmarked same day)

-In Paris. Had a lot of instrument flying in old AT-23 now called TB-26 by AAF. The weather man in England gave him a bum steer and he darned near couldn't set down.

-Laundry is expensive. Received letters from friends.

-Back in the outfit again. Hope to get some rest and combat time rater than go scrounging with the Brass in twin engines for supplies.

9 December

Received a white wool scarf from Mother and a shower bar, now all he needs is a shower. Thanks for the personalized stationary and French/English dictionary.

15 December

Just about has another boy checked out on the TB-26. This is the 4th person he has trained on the plane. The others got out of flying it.

22 December

Just back from England 2½ hours of instrument flying. “Thought for a while we might have to leave the AT-23 and come down on the silk” But then we finally found our way down by the help of the radio and God.

27 December

Flying combat a lot now. Doing lots of good. Looking forward to receiving TIME magazine.

30 December

Big dogfight about two weeks ago. He got hostiles off some boys' asses. Sent her a 9th AF sleeve patch.

1945

1 January

Another Dogfight where he “got one” and damaged two more. Bragging on what a good plane Cookie III is.

3 January

Nasty day so spent it painting and dolling up Cookie III. Also put one Nazi Cross beside his cockpit. She goes like a scared rabbit. Now has the air medal with 5 clusters = 6 air medals.

5 January

Lots of snow there. Asks about how his brother John i the Pacific is.

6 January

Things are frozen. Sent clipping about his group downing 16 planes. (See clipping)

8 January

Very cold with 5 inches of snow. He received the first TIME issue.

9 January

Sent clipping about one of his old buddies evading Japs. (See clipping)

9 January

In France was stationed near Pontorson and Mount St. Michel. Somewhere else now. Another dog fight. He doesn't think the German pilots are aggressive or very skillful. Nasty flying weather. He is the squadron Chess Champ.

10 January

Miserable flying weather. Jerry stayed above all.

10 January

Sent color print of squadron insignia

12 January

Snowed in again. Lots of ground jobs. He is the squadron Photo officer and Gunnery officer.

14 January

Sent her a photo with cross painted on plane which represents his confirmed ME 109 kill.

14 January

Has over 90 combat hours. If it weren't for having to fly the AT 23 he thinks he would have 140 hours. But then he doesn't get shot at in the AT 23. Got a boy safely out of Germany so he could crash land in friendly territory.

17 January

Cookie III got a new left wing. A German tree got in his way on a strafing run.

18 January

I've seen plenty of worst over here . . . . worst time, money and greatest of all life. Young lives, the cream of our American race. When this is finished God help us never to have to repeat it. Ask him about T.T. Someday.

19 January

Sent photo of himself chopping wood. Lots of snow. Says Cookie III is a good instrument plane.

20 January

Under Col. Tipton now. Has some French perfume for her. Spent all day removing snow from runways so they could fly.

23 January

Cookie III went down. Another pilot was flying but he made it back to friendly territory before he bailed out. He is OK. Sorry to see her go down. He got 2 of his kills in her.

24 January

Got the photos she sent. Read Bob Hope's book “I never left home.”

24 January

Bad weather again. Can't fly. Clothing has gotten too large for him. Must weigh about 195 now.

Complaining about C rations.

25 January

Guard stopped him and a couple of guys on the way to the showers and quizzed them, asked who the 16th president of the U.S. was. He knew because of the History book Mary sent him, Lincoln.

27 January

Snow again. Little to do. Had some Scotch whiskey.

28 January

Won $40 playing Gin Rummy

30 January

Has passed halfway mark as far as having enough combat time to go home.

3 February

He is in charge of leading the squadron in bad weather. Instrument flying only, but doesn't like the responsibility.

4 February

Getting the National Geographic now and letters from friends at Eglin.

6 February

Weather continues bad. Someone on ground crew remarked when he landed that day only a “damned fool” would be in the air.

8 February

Big dog fight. They outnumbered us 2 ½ to one. We downed five aircraft. Went wild boar hunting with a Frenchman. No luck.

9 February

Cookie IV arrived. OD color instead of silver. Painted the Missouri “Show Me” state logo on the nose.

11 February

Flew some boys in an old TB-26 for the first time in two months. Buzzed the base. The new pilots who have never been in anything but single engine airplane think it's really a whopper.

12 February

STARS & STRIPES newspaper 28 Jan 45

13 February

Going to England tomorrow. Promoted to Flight Commander and Squadron Leader. Now one of five qualified to lead the squadron. Lives in a three story stucco apartment house and has his own room, desk, bed and closet.

25 February

Just back from England the Rivera and South of France. Flying taxi service again.

26 February

Good flying today.

5 March

Flew an A-20 today. First time in months. Being the only pilot checked out in one he was delegated to go pick it up. Went to the Rivera, Nice, Cannes, Marseilles. Made a recorded broadcast yesterday for a St. Louis station.

6 March

They might get a C-47 which he will get to fly. His form V, which means he can fly many airplanes, slows combat time as he is the designated pilot of the twin engine planes for the squadron.

9 March

Bad weather, no heat. Can't fly.

10 March

Cookie IV has a new engine and landing gear. Jerry used her for target practice. She wasn't the plane Cookie III was but maybe with the new engine she'll have new life. Spent spare time converting Army airplane beam receivers into a desk radio.

15 March

Very overworked. Compare today's date with the news to see why. (They were defending American troops on the Rhine Bridge the Nazi's were trying to demolish)

17 March

STARS & STRIPES 23 Feb 45

20 March

Started out leading flight, ended up having to take command of the squadron.

25 March

France. Going to Italy tomorrow. Jerry now avoids the Orange Tails. US kill stats are 4 to 1 in the Theater as a whole, compared to Orange Tail stats which are 20 to 1.

27 March

STARS & STRIPES 23 Mar 45

31 March

Moving. Will start to speak German again soon.

2 April

Cookie IV was shot down over Germany. The pilot bailed and waved at the other pilots in group so he is OK. Hoping to get another airplane as good as Cookie III was.

7 April

STARS & STRIPES

8 April

In Germany now. It is just like France, “all beat up”. Flew his new plane, Cookie V today, a fine airplane.

10 April

Today he got another confirmed Jerry kill that makes four now. Squadron got almost 20 kills. Flew seven combat hours today and can hardly even wiggle he is so tired.

14 April

Col. Tipton, Major General Webster and Brig. General Barcus photos. Now posted in a bombed out German Aerodrome. Must have been been a beautiful place before the war got to it. Lt. Scherer (Otto) is his roommate.

16 April

Sent photos of himself and his crew chief on the A-20.

18 April

Just returned from Paris.

19 April

Cookie V has is all silver now when finished it will have the orange tail, red nose and yellow cowling.

20 April

Can't see how the war keeps going on. Have added two more countries. Visited Czechoslovakia and Austria. Food is better lately, getting fat.

21 April

Boy we have it again! Cookie V is a dream airplane! Fast as a scared rabbit. He has over 200 combat hours now. Very little flak and very few Jerries.

22 April

Had a day off today. Second day off in the nine months he has been here. He's learned a lot and seen a lot of things that, incidentally I never wish to see again.

25 April

Germany. Painted Missouri Insignia on cowling of Cookie V it was on IV too. (Show me State logo)

26 April

The fellow who had to bail out of Cookie IV just showed up. He was a prisoner of war for a while but was recaptured. That means a ticket home for him. Also keeps the slate clean for all the Cookies.

28 April

STARS & STRIPES 26 Apr 45

30 April

War still going on. He has 94 or 95 missions now.

30 April

Two letters in one day, a record. This morning after I wrote I lost Cookie V. This evening (already) I have Cookie VI. The first time that has happened in the group. One of the other boys flew Cookie V over the Rhine on a mission and an enemy plane came out of the weather, which was bad and proceeded to crawl his tail and clobber him. He really did a good job of shooting up Cookie V. But not completely. The pilot fought him off and then came home (with much difficulty). You should have seen the plane. I don't know how it kept flying. The pilot landed safely, unscathed. The plane is a salvage job, but Cookie's reputation still clean. (Fred didn't want to tell Mary about this terrible dogfight so close to being able to come home so he invented a “pilot” that flew Cookie V for Mary. It was actually him.)

5 May

Looks like maybe the Jerries have given up. Plans for future. Happy to have made it intact.

8 May

Promoted to Operations Officer for the squadron. Traded for a beautiful German pistol. He has been recommended for the DFC.

10 May

Last mission!! This is when he got the T-Bolt kill and painted the American Flag on Cookie VI. Celebrated by buzzing every city they came to and buzzing home base too.“Got in trouble and was grounded (again) except for flying the Col. In the B-26 and A-20”.

12 May

Sent her a Hitler postage stamp. Flying on “brass business” B-26. Bought souvenirs, camera, pistol, Nazi Sword. Doesn't know how he will get it all home.

13 May

Cookie VI only got in one combat mission. Pretty expensive plane $100,000. one mission. Flew some boys to Paris. Bought Mary some more French perfume.

14 May

Moved quarters, very nice Billets. He is now chief pilot of our private (358th) airlines. Paris tomorrow, Tues, Wed & Saturday on to Marseilles on Sunday.

17 May

STARS & STRIPES 13 May 45

22 May 45

9:00 take off in the a.m. For Paris. He is without a doubt the busiest man in the group, maybe the E.T.O. Flying everyone all over Europe in the twin engine planes.

25 May

Mannheim Germany. It's going to be a slow process getting home. No more censoring of his letters.

27 May

Might be here quite a while with how the emphasis is now on C.B.I. (China, Burma, Indonesia)

28 May

Interviewed for an important job. If chosen it will be because of his flying experience. (Col. Watson interviewed him. He and Lt. Robert Anspach of the 358th were both chosen to pilot the captured Me 262s)

31 May

Sent clipping of a Me 262. Thinks he “got the job”.

1 June

Mannheim Germany: Flying and play dog fighting when the engine on the P 47 (Not Cookie VI) he was flying froze. Had to glide back to base.

3 June

ORANGE TALES 21 May 1945

5 June

Transferred to Augsburg Germany: Living out of a suitcase. Here to fly “that airplane”. Hope it's a ticket home.

11 June

Postmarked Augsburg Germany: (Describes how wonderful it was to fly the jet.) “So much has happened – all has been changed. I'll never be the same again as far as flying is concerned. I hope I never have to fly a conventional aircraft again. As you can guess I did it. I have taken the propeller off of my air corps insignia on my collar and it is wonderful. Such – such – such, oh it's indescribable. It's - ah – freedom, no limit, little noise, smooth, fast, oh heavenly. I had ptomaine poisoning today and it was still wonderful! As you must guess, I'm not with the 358th anymore, so as yet have no mailing address to send you. I'm in a small new outfit and I'm the wheel, Operation's Officer under a full Col. Who is in charge. The whole set up is perfect so far and it may get me home quicker than I would have in the 358. I may not get a leave when we get home for I will be as busy or busier than we are now if that is possible.”

Talks about possibilities of promotion and coming home.” “Just today I filled out . . at the Colonel's request, award papers for myself and all the 262 pilots. I can't tell you what it will be as yet but it's going to be quite a ceremony from what he says. Big wheels rolling Whee.” “People who have met our little group like our work and envy us, and that is inspiring” (He received the Distinguished Flying Cross).

22 June 1945

Melun, France: This afternoon is supposed to be a big review by General Spaatz and gang. He is supposed to make the award of the decoration I hinted of before. I'll still wait before I tell you differently what it is. I really don't know what it is or if the show will really come off. We are standing by now. General Spatz seems to be a very busy man. As you know he is head of Headquarters USSTAF (US Strategic and Tactical Air Forces) in Europe. Full general and all. Hope to get some pictures of the occasion. My address is changed it is:

Capt. Fred L. Hillis 0666175

c/o Director of Intelligence

USSTAF

APO 633

25 June

Melun, France: Review was called off . . . should take place in a couple more days. Been to Denmark and Holland expects to go to Norway next. (He was flying Watson to these places. General Spaatz ultimately reviewed three Me 262s flown by Hillis, Holt and Strobell. They lifted off in front of the reviewing stand, climbed out, then came back in at close to 600 mph, zoomed out of sight, then came back on another run.)

4 July

Melun, France: Back from Norway, New aircraft doesn't have a roomy pilot cabin. Bad weather.

7 July

End of Fred's letters. The Whizzers boarded the British carrier, HMS Reaper for the journey back to U.S. with the captured German aircraft. They landed in Newark N.J. eight days later. The Me 262s were then flown by the American pilots to Pittsburgh.

Home

Introduction

Biography

Wartime

The Mission

7 “Cookies”

The T-Bolt Kill

Letters to Mary

Post War