U.S. Legends: 8th Air Force Gabreski's P-47
Bassenheim near Koblenz, 20. July 1944

Lieutenant Gabreski was a fighter pilot assigned to the 45th Pursuit Squadron, 15th Pursuit Group, at Wheeler Army Airfield, Territory of Hawaii, flying Curtiss P-36 Hawks and P-40 Warhawks, when the Imperial Japanese Navy attacked there on 7 December 1941.

On 1 March 1942, he was promoted to First Lieutenant, Air Corps, Army of the United States, and to Captain, 16 October 1942. He was sent to Britain with the 56th Fighter Group.

Because of his Polish lineage and his fluency in the language, Gabreski requested assignment to a Polish fighter squadron fighting with the Royal Air Force. His request was approved and he was assigned to No. 315 Squadron, based at RAF Northolt, London, England, where he flew the Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IX. One of those Spitfires, Spitfire Mk.IXc BS410, is currently under restoration at the Biggin Hill Herritage Hangar.

As American involvement in the European Theater increased, “Gabby” returned to the 61st Fighter Squadron, 56th Fighter Group, and flew the Republic P-47C Thunderbolt. He was promoted to the rank of Major, 19 July 1943.

Major Gabreski took command of the 61st, 13 April 1944. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, 23 January 1944.

By July 1944, he had shot down 28 enemy fighters in aerial combat and destroyed another three on the ground, making him the leading American fighter ace up to that time.

Having completed his combat tour and waiting transport to the United States, on 20 July 1944 Gabreski decided to take “just one more” combat mission. As he made a low strafing run across an enemy airfield near Bassenheim, (or Niedermendig? see: luftkrieg-grossraum-..Stanley+Gabreski.pdf: "griffen drei Flights der 61. FS einen deutschen Flugplatz14 an, von dem die US-Piloten der Meinung waren, es würde sich um den Flugplatz Bassenheim handeln, tatsächlich befanden sie sich jedoch im Angriff auf den in unmittelbarer Nachbarschaft gelegenen Flugplatz Niedermendig") the tips of his propeller blades hit the ground, causing a severe vibration. He crash-landed in a wheat field, and after spending five days moving through the countryside, he was picked up by a farmer and turned over to German authorities.

An interrogator told him, ''We have been expecting you for a long time,'' and showed him a file that held a copy of the military newspaper Stars and Stripes describing his milestone 28th kill.

He was held as a Prisoner of War at Stalag Luft I until April 1945.

Bassenheim and Niedermendig are about 5km away from the Place where I live (Koblenz).