UNITED STATES AIR FORCE (WW2)
302nd Fighter Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group “Tuskegee Airmen"
Ramitelli Airfield, Italy. 1944
RED TAILS Thunderbolt, flown by 1st Lt Gwynne Walker Peirson
P-47D "Thunderbolt"
serial: 39
Lt. Gwynne Peirson became famous when gunfire from his P-47D destroyed the Italian TA-27 minelayer, captured by Germans and in service with the Kriegsmarine, in the Trieste Harbour on June 9, 1944. Lt. Gwynne Peirson was one of the four pilots who attacked, and it is reported that his strikes were the ones to hit the magazine of the destroyer, resulting in the sinking. Peirson and his wingman, Wendell Pruitt, were awarded the DFC for this action.The 302 FS was based in Ramatelli, Italy, at the time.
