European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - October 25, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse Chuck Yeager the Day he shot Down five German me 109s in 1944 in hit p-5 Mustang the first Ace in a Day of world War ii. Ike s decision saves Yeager flying career in order to protect members of the French underground pilots who were shot Down and subsequently escaped were not allowed to resume combat missions. In part three of his autobiography. Yeager. Chuck Yeager tells How he convinced Gen Dwight d. Eisenhower to allow him to return to combat alter his escape irom France. Editor by Chuck Yeager and Leo Janos special to the stars and stripes w Hen i returned to England in the Middle of May 1944. The Guys in the Squadron could t believe what the saw. Not Only did they never expect to see me again but i was 20 pounds heavier and Brown As a hog in mud. I was the first Evadee to make it Back. Yenger obie o Brien said greeting me. When Are you Gonna do things right when you re shot Down you re supposed to stay my shoulders were peeling from the Spanish Sun while the Guys were Pale and Skinny. Flying daily above the weather. They got sunburn circles around their eyes contoured around the outlines of their oxygen masks and flying helmets and looked like a pack of damned raccoons. When i handed out a Bunch of Ripe bananas i brought Back Lor them Man. They were speechless they had t seen a banana since we left the states. That s How i Gol so fat i told them eating bananas in Spain while soaking up Sunshine at a resort hotel. All expenses were paid by Uncle Sam. Including civilian clothes room food and booze. By the time i was finished they could t wait to bail out Over Spain. I was sent Back to England to pack my bags i was going Home. No More combat. The regulations were strictly enforced to protect the underground in occupied countries who assisted Allied airmen. German intelligence kept dossiers on most of us and knew who had been shot Down belie they d go right to work on your fingernails if you were shot Down again. In Spain. I looked Forward to going Homo and marrying my Girlfriend Glennis but from the moment i arrived Back Al Leiston air base. I knew thai this was where i belonged until i had done my share of the fighting. I Felt like a Bug out artist. And the idea of Silling out the War As a damned Light instructor in Texas somewhere Tore me up. Guys like Bud Anderson and Don Bochkay were already double aces who completed their Tours and then volunteered Lor More. I no raised to finish what i started not Slink of Aller Hying Only eight missions. Screw the regulations. And when i said As much to friends like o Brien they looked at me As if my brains had been boiled into Oatmeal by the Spanish Sun. Group put me in for the Bronze Star for helping Pat the bomber Pilot who escaped with Yeager to make it Over the pyrenees and my friends told me to take my medal and run. I was scheduled to Fly to new York on june 25. No Way i said. Evadee Rule or not i figured the War had been Cut out from under me before i could make worthwhile All those hard and expensive months of combat training. There was t a Rule Ever invented that could t be Bent. So i marched on group Headquarters and began Rny Light. Without realizing it i was about to take charge of my life and push it in a direction where everything that happened in later years was a logical outcome Lor a career lighter Pilot who had compiled an outstanding combat record. Iii had submitted to being sent Home. I doubt whether the army air corps would have been interested in retaining my services when the War ended. I would be been just another noncommissioned officer who had spent most of the War instructing Young fighter pilots How to Fly. Not very impressive. I would probably have been mustered out and my flying career abruptly ended. But i was t consciously thinking about my future i was just being stubborn about the present. I knew the Odds were stacked against Rue. But in the end events and Luck came together for me. And one Man the Only one who could decided Rny Fate Gen. Dwight d. Eisenhower i was Brassy and pushed my Way up the Chain of Page 14 the stars and stripes command at group arguing my Case. And born us i was the firs Ovadee to make it Back the majors and colonels i to were Kinder thai they a Jet Boon and helped to to keep climbing the ladder a allowing me logo to London nil talk to the , at supreme Headquarters. Everyone i saw told Rue i could t stay but the brass enjoyed mooting a vary Junior officer who of god to to Homo we d like o help i was Lold but Iho won t allow while i was Bein i pcs Mil around Amory colonels and generals Al Shaft. The Allic -. Launched the invasion of Jorni indy of Juno 6. And th1"1 i Ondon newspapers reported that Iho French Maquis were now openly bal hmm the Gorton in in the Hodg rows of Normandy behind the Linos. Wei there you Rio i Recomb or telling a colonel at shape. The Mcquir no Oul in the open now and there s no Way i can blow them to the Gestapo it i wore shot Down on Juno 11. I had an appointment with a two Star general and was joined by a bomber Captain named Fred Glover who had evaded Buck through Holland and did t want to be sent Home either. The general listened to our arguments sighed and finally told us that Only Eisenhower Cou d decide the Mailer. I think Ike would like to moot you the general . Ill Soo what i can do " to got us an appointment for 11 the next morning. I woke up scared to death. But at exactly 11, Glover and i were saluting smartly in Iron of the supreme Allied commander s desk in his map lined of acc. I just wanted to meet two Guys who think they re gelling a raw Deal being sent he said with a Grin. I was so in Awo. I could barely talk. i said. I Don t want to leave my buddies Afler Only eight missions. Ii just in t right. I have a lot of lighting left to Glover who was a pretty Sharp College boy did most of the talking and Eisenhower kept nodding in agreement. Finally he said. I just Don t have the authority to keep you Here. That s a War department regulation not mine. Bui i can ask Washington ii they will give me the authority to make the decision. That s All i can i resumed to Lois Lon nol knowing what to think. The Guys were impressed that i had actually seen Eisenhower and they figured that the Odds were now in my favor. Meanwhile they let me Fly above England practising dog fighting Wilh new replacements. Through attrition and losses there were Only about a dozen of us left irom the original gang and i was considered one of the old Heads. I was flying Over the base Wilh three new Guys when the control Tower ordered me to Lead the others Oul Over the North sea near Heligoland to provide air cover to a couple of shot Down b-17 crewmen in a Dinghy awaiting Rescue by a patrol boat. We headed out and Lound them Bobbing in the swells. We began circling above them when i spotted a junkers Ju-8b approaching irom the East. He was heading or us. Probably to Strale the crewmen and without even thinking of saying a word to the others in my flight. I turned toward him when he finally spoiled me. He turned Tail but i robbed my engine and caught up Wilh him right on the coastline of occupied Heligoland. German ground gunners were firing flak by him trying to scare me off but i closed on him Al about 200 Yards and opened up. He burst into Lames and rolled up on he Beach. I Gol spectacular gun camera him As the Ju-88 exploded. And i received a spectacular ass chewing when i landed. I reported Loed Hiro. Now a major and our Squadron s operations officer. When i told de what i had done he reminded me i was under strict orders to avoid combat. Goddamn it Yeager he shouted can t you do anything right de took the gun camera film irom my plane and gave it to e die Simpson who had four kills Eddie wrote up a claim and became an Ace. We gave the combat Lime to a Young Guy in the Squadron. As for me i was grounded. I kept a Low profile for a any or two. And then was summoned Back to hire s office. I remember thinking Christ what now de handed me a message filtered Down irom group. My travel orders were rescinded. The War department had allowed Eisenhower to decide whether or not i could stay and he decided in my Lavor within two weeks my Tan was gone and i had lost the 20 pounds i gained in Spain. I was Back to being skin and Bones with two Sunburst circles around my Friday. O
