Phil, in front of his plane.
In this 24-minute file (derived from a much lengthier interview) Phil relates memories and highlights of his service as a military pilot. The “sections” of the interview are listed below.
1: 0:00 – 0:42 – Mother attending Graduation at Williams Field, Arizona; Saying good-bye to family and friends
2: 0:45 – 3:46 – Aircraft flown in training (PT-17, BT-13, P-322, AT-9); Encountering and overcoming antisemitism
3: 3:50 – 5:22 – Departing United States (via ship) for overseas from Hampton Roads, Va.; Encountering a rabbi before departure; Saying good-bye to family
4: 5:29 – 9:00 – Use of P-38s by 8th Air Force; Maintenance and flyability of P-38 in England (8th Air Force) versus Mediterranean (12th and 15th Air Forces); Losing engine on take-off while flying the P-38; Witnessing Tony LeVier fly P-38
5: 9:05 – 11:23 – Nature of combat flying (physical and mental aspects); Living conditions in North Africa and Italy (diet)
6: 11:28 – 13:00 – Personalities of fighter pilots (“Tiger” Jones and James W. Tipton); Opinion about movie “Top Gun”
7: 13:05 – 16:14 – Wingmen; Best wingman (Warren E. Semple); Incident over Ploesti; Three B-24s attacked by German fighters; Me-109s engaged by Goldstein and Semple; Claims not confirmed; Semple later killed in action. (Actually, incident with Semple occurred over Piacenza, Italy, on May 25. Goldstein shot down an FW-190; Semple shot down an Me-109 and FW-190. Phil actually shot down the Me-109 on April 2, over Steyr, Austria.)
8: 16:20 – 16:42 – Death of best friend (Edgar G. Hemmerlein)
9: 16:45 – 17:32 – Psychologically acclimating oneself to combat flying on a routine basis
10: 17:37 – 22:06 – Thoughts about implications of being a Jew flying combat missions over German-occupied Europe; Assumption that he would not survive war; Meeting rabbi at Hampton Roads; Saying good-bye to family; Most dangerous mission he flew (Wingman to Robert K. Seidman 5/14/14); Witnessing loss of B-24s over Munich
11: 22:09 – 23:42 – Getting his “own” P-38 and naming aircraft “JEWBOY”; Reaction of others to nickname
12: 23:47 -24:13 – Reading from the Tanach and saying Shema Yisrael every night; Wearing Mezuzah with dog-tags.
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This is a 1944 or 1945 aerial view of the 14th Fighter Group’s airfield at Triolo, Italy, looking south-southwest. (Photograph from Historical Records of 14th Fighter Group, in NARA Records Group 18.)
This is a very contemporary (2017) Google Earth 3-D view of the site of the Triolo Airfield, adjusted to view the location from the same orientation and perspective as the above photograph. Though the runway, taxi strips, and revetments no longer exist, the locations of these features can be distinguished by the areas of light-colored soil which have the same “shape” as these wartime features. Akin to the above image, south-southwest is towards the top.
This image shows the same area as the above photo, but in a conventional, vertical view. The locations of the taxi strips are readily distinguished by light-colored soil.
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Interview Part 4: Use of P-38s in 8th Air Force
According to Bert Kinzey, in P-38 Lightning in Detail & Scale – Part 2, difficulties with P-38s in England were attributable to the, “…poor quality of British fuels. These fuels did not cause problems in inline engines which had mechanical superchargers or even in radial engines with turbo-superchargers. But they simply did not work at high power settings in an inline engine that was turbo-superchargers. Wherever Lightnings were used with high grade American fuel, they performed admirably and established a great record for reliability.”
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Interview Part 6: Pilots of the 49th Fighter Squadron, May, 1944
The 49th Fighter Squadron is credited with 139 confirmed aerial victories attained between November 24, 1942, and March 22, 1945. Of the 184 pilots known to have been assigned to the squadron, 79 were lost, based on an examination of squadron records and Missing Air Crew Reports. Of the 79, 24 survived as POWs, 45 were killed in action, 8 were killed in non-combat related flights, 1 evaded capture, and 2 others survived under unknown circumstances.
This photograph of the squadron’s pilots was taken on May 22, 1944. The 27 men pictured comprise only those pilots assigned (or, at least present for the photograph!) at the actual time the image was taken. As mentioned above, many other pilots were assigned to the squadron before, and after, this date.
Front Row (L – R; seated)
Nathan M. Abbott, Major (Squadron Commander) 0-378458, 103 Shelburne Rd., Burlington, Vt.; 4 aerial victories.
John G. Schill, Jr., 1 Lt., 0-798170, 317 West Rockland St., Philadelphia, Pa., KIA 7/14/44 over Hungary (P-38J 42-104148, # 138, MACR 6868); 1 aerial victory; Buried at Lorraine American Cemetery, Saint Avold, France – Plot B, Row 23, Grave 20
Houston C. Musgrove, Jr., Lt., 0-802060, Box 431, Homer, La.
Warren L. Jones, Lt., 0-1703079, Box 112, Live Oak, Ca.; 5 aerial victories (ace)
Wesley L. Jule, 2 Lt., 0-1703109, 404 Baker St., Bellingham, Wa., POW 6/14/44; over Hungary (P-38J 42-104135, # 49, “Fighting Irishman”, MACR 6420); 1 aerial victory
Philip M. Goldstein, 2 Lt., 0-750574, 642 George St., Norristown, Pa.; 3 aerial victories
Second Row (L – R; seated)
Edgar G. Hemmerlein, 2 Lt., 0-75058, 423 Fourth St., Huntingburg, In., Died on May 27, 1944, after an accident at Serragio, Airdrome, Corsica the preceding day (P-38J 42-104236, # 53, No MACR); Buried at Fairmount Cemetery, Huntingburg, Indiana
Warren E. Semple, 1 Lt., 0-744772, 12 France St., Norwalk, Ct., KIA 6/15/44 France (P-38J 42-104266, # 54, MACR 6423); 2 aerial victories; Buried at Rhone American Cemetery, Draguignan, France – Plot B, Row 9, Grave 3
Harold Simmons, Lt., 0-659192, 580 Beach St., Revere, Ma.; 2 aerial victories
Jack Lenox, Jr., Lt., 0-1703108, 123 West Birch, Enid, Ok.; 5 aerial victories (ace)
Louis L. Benne, 1 Lt., 0-802235, Box 156, Listie (Somerset County), Pa., POW 6/14/44 Hungary (P-38J 42-104229, # 38, MACR 6031); 5 aerial victories (ace)
Wilson H. Oldhouser, Lt., 0-739662, 43 North Albermarle, York, Pa.; 3 aerial victories
Third Row (L – R; standing)
Quentin A. Teige, 2 Lt., 0-758887, 1529 Mary St., Marinette, Wi., KIA 5/24/44 Austria (P-38J 43-28261, # 60, MACR 5184); 1 aerial victory; Buried at Forest Home Cemetery, Marinette, Wi. – Plot K, 24, 1, 1
John D. Lewis, Lt., 0-754522, 1282 Oxford St., Berkeley, Ca.; 1 aerial victory
George T. Johnson, Lt., 0-817958, 582 Cate Rd., Pico, Ca.; 1 aerial victory
Gunvald B. Thorsen, Lt., 0-758891, 429 61st St., Brooklyn, N.Y.
Swanson T. Shortt, 2 Lt., 0-744776, Galax, Va., KNB 6/20/44 Triolo, Italy (P-38J 43-28450, No MACR); 3 aerial victories; Buried at Gladeville United Methodist Church Cemetery, Galax, Va.
Moses J. Long, 2 Lt., 0-816126, 513 S. Conception St., Mobile, Al., POW 8/14/44 France (P-38J 43-28643, # 42, MACR 7953, Luftgaukommando Report ME 2274); 1 aerial victory
William R. Palmer, Lt., 0-729052, 3565 Calafia Ave., Oakland, Ca.; 2 aerial victories
Rear Row (L – R; standing)
Thomas S. Purdy, Lt., 0-802343, 165 South 1st Ave., Alpena, Mi.; 4 aerial victories
Richard L. Fowler, 2 Lt., 0-750564, 1565 Chestnut St., San Francisco, Ca. / Indian Rock, Tx., POW 5/24/44 Italy (P-38J 42-104202, # 44, MACR 5638); 1 aerial victory
James W. Tipton, Lt., 0-750724, 324 1/2 South 18th Ave., Phoenix, Az.
Jackson R. Schetler, Lt., 0-799654, 526 Fairview St., Riverside, N.J.
John F. Cullen, Lt., 0-743922, 99 Knowles St., Pawtucket, R.I.; 1 aerial victory
Walter C. McConnell, 2 Lt., 0-816901, Box 58, Cornelius, N.C., KIA 8/14/44 France (P-38J 42-104123, MACR 7976); Tablets of the Missing at at Rhone American Cemetery, Draguignan, France – Possibly Buried as “Unknown X107”
Lawrence A. O’Toole, Lt., 0-760486, 387 Cross St., Akron, Oh.; 1 aerial victory
Clyde L. Jones, Jr., 2 Lt., 0-760324, 1104 S. Adams St., Fort Worth, Tx., POW 6/14/44 Hungary (P-38J 42-104262, # 48, MACR 6127); 4 aerial victories
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First Lieutenant James W. Tipton
“1st Lieut. James W. Tipton, 24, 324 1/2 South 18th Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona, and his crew chief S/Sgt, Maimone. The Lieut. has successfully completed 50 combat missions and returned to the United States.” (Image from Historical Records of the 14th Fighter Group – Headquarters Squadron, AFHRA Microfilm Roll BO079)
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Interview Part 7: Aerial victories of First Lieutenant Warren E. Semple, May 25, 1944
First Lieutenant Warren E. Semple (Image from FindaGrave.com)
These two accounts are transcribed from Combat Claim Forms in the Historical Records of the 49th Fighter Squadron, from AFHRA Microfilm Roll AO742.
“On May 25, 1944, I was flying number four position in White flight on a mission escorting B-24s to the A/D at Piacenza, Italy. As we entered the target area we engaged 8 to 10 Me 109s. During the combat I followed my leader down in a long dive. Due to the terrific speed of my plane I was unable to pull out at the same time my leader did. When I managed to pull out of the dive I was fairly far behind my leader. As I pulled up to join him a FW 190 crossed in front of me at 30 [degrees] and I made a slight turn as I fired. I saw three or four 20mm strikes around the cockpit and then the whole canopy seemed to be blown off. At this time the plane flipped onto its back out of control and it was still spinning as it passed thru the cloud level 5 or 6 thousand feet below. As there seemed to be no recovery, I judge that the pilot had been killed after my shells hit the cockpit. I did not follow him thru the clouds for it was imperative that I return and join the squadron.”
“On May 25, 1944, I was flying in white four position, escorting B-24s in a mission over Piacenza Airdrome in Northern Italy. As we entered the target area at approximately 25,000 feet, we saw a group of 8 or 10 Me 109s in flights of two. These enemy planes were a little high to us at three o’clock. One other Me 109 was flying at the same clock position as a decoy. The flight leader called out the flight which would engage the enemy. As the 109s broke toward us and down I got on one’s tail. From dead astern I fired a very long burst while closing in. I saw the plane burst into flame all along the engine and cockpit. I followed it through a cloud and saw it crash into the ground.”
Warren Semple was killed on June 15, 1944, during a strafing mission against Luftwaffe airfields at Lajasse (near Salon), Orange and Avignon, France. He is buried at the Rhone American Cemetery, Draguignan, France.
There were no actual witnesses to his loss; squadron records simply state that he was “…last seen in the target area at 44-08 N, 04-52 E.” He is among a group of five American fighter pilots – killed at the Plan de Dieu between June 15 and August 13, 1944 – who in April of 2005 were memorialized on a commemorative tablet at Travaillan, Vaucluse, France. According to the Kracker Luftwaffe Archive, he was shot down by 56 victory Luftwaffe ace Leutnant Eduard Isken of III / JGr (Jagdgruppe) 200.
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Here is the Combat Claim Form for Phi Goldstein’s aerial victory of May 25, 1944, from AFHRA Microfilm Roll AO742. The description of the combat is transcribed below.
“On May 25, 1944, I was flying blue three position on a mission escorting B-24’s to the A/D at Piacenza, Italy. As we entered the target area we sighted several enemy airplanes and immediately engaged them in combat. During this engagement a FW 190 made a head on pass at me. I gave him a quick burst and then pulled around to get behind him. As I completed my turn I noticed that his engine was on fire and then I saw the plane roll over and the pilot bail out.”
Unfortunately, 49th Fighter Squadron Combat Claim Forms only seem to exist (or least, to have been preserved) from May of 1944 forward. Thus, no such document is available for Phil’s victory of April 2. A Combat Claim Form does exist for his victory over an (apparent) IAR 80 on May 7, but is not presented here.
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Interview Part 8: Second Lieutenant Edgar G. Hemmerlein
Similar to the accounts for Warren Semple, this account is transcribed from a Combat Claim Form in the Historical Records of the 49th Fighter Squadron, from AFHRA Microfilm Roll AO742.
“On May 25, 1944, I was green three on a mission escorting B-24s to the A/D at Piacenza, Italy. As we escorted the bombers to the target area we were engaged by approximately 30 mixed enemy aircraft. I sighted one FW 190 in a dive. He was approaching us from head on. I lowered my nose to give him a little lead. I saw that I was giving him too much lead so I held my trigger and let him fly through my line of fire. I saw several pieces fly off the plane and also saw my cannon shells bursting on his fuselage. As the enemy plane passed under my nose I lost sight of him. Due to the enemy action I was not able to look for him, as I was too busy trying to keep away from the other enemy fighters.”
Edgar G. Hemmerlein, as an Aviation Cadet. He is buried at Fairmount Cemetery, in Huntingburg, Indiana. Edgar’s tombstone carries the inscription “2 LIEUT 49 AAF FIGHTER SQ – WORLD WAR II”
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Interview Part 9: Phil’s Combat Missions (From Historical Records of the 14th Fighter Group, in NARA Records Group 18.)
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Brigadier General Atkinson, Major Bright, and Colonel Oliver B. (“O.B.”) Taylor, the latter Commander of the 14th Fighter Group from September 26, 1943 to July 17, 1944. (Image from Historical Records of the 14th Fighter Group – Headquarters Squadron, AFHRA Microfilm Roll BO079.)
Interview Part 10: “With Seidman” – Phil is referring to the loss of 1 Lt. Robert K. Seidman, who was shot down by flak and killed during the 14th Fighter Group’s strafing mission against German airfields near Aviano and Villaorba, Italy, on May 14, 1944, on his 50th, and last scheduled combat mission. (P-38J 42-104259, #42, “Peg”, MACR 5049) From Pittsburgh, Robert is seen below, with fellow Pittsburgher Lt. Joseph Havrilla, in an official photograph taken on December 21, 1943. (Army Air Force Photograph 3A-49287 / C-27286)
From Lt. Seidman’s diary, “Dec. 21st: No mission today. Overcast heavy everywhere. All of our targets obscure. Photographer came out from Wing and took pictures of Colonel Taylor, Lt. Havrilla, Lt. Schoener and myself in front of a 38.”
Robert’s fate was resolved in 1948. He is buried at B’Nai Israel Cemetery, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
