Payne, Carl Wilson

Colonel Carl W. Payne

* 09.01.1921 Lower Salem, Ohio.
† 09.01.1956 at the city of St. John's, Newfoundland

- the american fighter ace with 7 kills

Carl Wilson Payne was born on the 9th. January 1921 in the city of Lower Salem, Ohio.

Carl entered the air force in may 1941 and began his flight training, which successfully ended in January of the following year and at the same time he was promoted to the rank of Second Lieutenant. Already in February 1942 he became a member 309. Pursuit Squadron which fell to 31. Pursuit Group and flew on the machines Bell P-39.

In may 1942 the name change occurred when the Pursuit was changed to a Fighter. Now 31. Fighter Group (31. FG) has been allocated to 8. The USAAF and it was decided to her move to the british isles, where they arrived in June of the same year. To England arrived without aircraft and there were armed fighters Spitfire. The first combat years the group has carried out 26. July 1942.

19. August 1942 was performed combined surgery Jubilee, which took place in the area of the French port city of Dieppe. The primary objective of the operation was the conquest and occupation of the city and adjacent coastal battery. After the completion of these tasks should the away team download and after the embarkation back to England. To air support and cover the landing party was determined a total of 70 squadrons, among whom were all the three wings 31. FG. Operations, however, ended in failure and in addition high losses. Ground units have lost 4 260 dead, wounded and captured men. Navy lost 550 men, one destroyer and 33 landing craft. The air force had 103 machines and 87 of the fallen and captured airmen. Airmen reported 98 victories, but the German Luftwaffe was forced to write off the "only" 48 the destroyed machines.

The deployment was really hectic and squadron 31. FG passed the day four action. Lost eight machines, six pilots and have been granted two kills*. One kill won the 2nd Lt. Samuel F. Junkin, Jr., who "made" the first entry in the, in the meantime, the emptiness accompanying, list of kills, not only 31. FG, but also the entire VIII. FC. A few moments later however, the tables turned and he was shot down, but it took his life to save under the canopy of the parachute. Fortunately, he was out of the sea "fished out" and returned to the unit. The unit never returned Laverne Collins (309. FS), William And. M. Dabney (308. FS), Lewis P. Wells, Jr. (307. FS), and Robert G. Wright (307. FS). After the end of the war, freedom waited for Edward And. Provides visitors (307. FS) and Robert D. Ingraham (308. FS).

In October 1942, 31. FG changed the "employer" and from the ranks of the 8. The USAAF switched to 12. The USAAF, which brought even change the battlefield. The beginning of the following month Carl was promoted to the rank of First Lieutenant.

8. November 1942 allied forces landed in Morocco and Algeria. 308. and 309. FS were moved to the airport Tafaraoui, which was located a few miles from Oran in Algeria. 308. FS at rest at a given airport it landed, but when on the landing they were about pilots 309. FS, they were attacked by a group of four French Dewoitinů D.520 from the GC III/3. It was a battle in which Americans may have lost one Spitfire with pilot Joseph W. Byrd, however, they managed to get the hat-trick. The downing of the French machines, their Owner. Harrison R. Thyng, 1st Lt. Charles C. Kenworthy, Jr. and 1st Lt. Carl W. Payne, who thus scored his first kill. The French unit, which remained loyal to the vichy government, really lost three machines and two pilots. One of the lost pilots was commanding the GC III/3 Cdt. Paul Engler**.

Three days later, the French ended the resistance and 13. November 1943 switched to the side of the Allies. Of course it's already 11. November, the day when France ceased fighting against the Allies, landed in Tunisia, the first German units and disrupted so the allied plans, because the cast of Tunisia was to follow after the fall of Morocco and Algeria. 7. February 1943 was 31. FG moved to the base Thelepte in Tunisia, but already 17. February must be the airport was evacuated before the German units, which 14. February launched the offensive. After stopping the German advance, which occurred 22. February 11. march 1943 the group returned back to Thelepte.

Payne your "collection" catches expanded 21. march 1943. That day the group escorted bombers Douglas A-20 and ran into a group of seventeen Junkersů Ju 87 of III/St.G.3, accompanied by German fighters. Pilots 307. FS hired the escort and the pilots 309. FS is a "bite to eat" to Stuk. From the fight to american pilots, when the loss of one machine, "took" four kills. The missing machine was a Spitfire 1st Lt. Maurice's To. Langberga, which after the profit of the two kills he was forced to abandon the aircraft by parachute. After the jump has been by the Italian soldiers captured, but to you it was released and about two dmy later he was back with his unit. Carl in the fight gained a half victory, if for help 1st Lt. Robert E. Mccarthy, Jr. he shot down one Stuku.

Another one won the Payne 22. April, when he, in cooperation with Capt. Frank And. Hill managed to shoot down the German fighter Bf 109, which probably belonged to I./JG 77. Day 6. may, 1943 31. FG could in his records to register the first fighter ace, which became the Owner. Frank And. Hill, who managed to get in midday action of the group of fourth and fifth kill***. In the afternoon, shortly before half past five, he shot down another fighter Bf 109, which for him meant the sixth one. Frank And. Hill shot 10. June 1943, one hostile machine in the cockpit of a Spitfire. Ended the war in the rank of a Lieutenant Colonel and with seven kills as the most successful fighter 31. FG on the machines Spitfire.

On the same day, at five o'clock in the afternoon, Carl has gained a separate victory. One of the eleven victories, which the that day the group has achieved. He was granted to shoot down fighter Bf 109, but most likely he managed to shoot down an Italian fighter plane MC.202. These were his last victory over northern Africa, because 13. may 1943 Axis forces, which were located in Tunisia, capitulating and thus ended the fight on the black continent. A few days later was Payne promoted to the rank of Captain.

Even before the Allies landed in Sicily, they decided to occupy the island of Pantelleria. Its strategic location 90 km from the tunisian coast and 110 km from Sicily, you even said yourself. In addition, it was a modern airport Marghana. Campaign against the island began 18. may 1943. 10. June 1943, accompanied the pilots 31. FG bombers B-24 and an air raid on targets on this island. Italian pilots from 151°, 153° and 161° Gruppo Americans tried this task impossible, but the pilots of the accompanying Spitfires their efforts were thwarted. After landing, pilots from 31. FG reported seven kills in the loss of one machine even with the pilot 1st Lt. George In. Gooddingem, which was shot down, as reported by his comrades, a fighter, [url=/topic/view/15845/Curtiss-P-40]Curtiss P-40 of the the black 99. FS operating in the framework 33. FG. One of the winning pilots was also Carl W. Payne, who chalked up a kill one fighter MC. 202. Overall, the day, the group wrote on its account 12 kills in the loss of the previously mentioned machines. The next day the crew of the island capitulated, and have now had the Allies a clear path to Sicily.

Operation Husky, the code name for the invasion of Sicily, "started" 10. July 1943. A day later Spitfires 31. FG participated in the aerial cover of invasive vessels and units. When one action is Payne managed to win over the German fighter. Claim while the shoot Fw 190, but, in fact, shot down a Bf 109 of JG 53, whose pilot, Lt. Karl-Heinz Messer this match have survived. The group that day received seven kills, but for the success of the paid loss in one machine, for which the pilot Augusta L. Goldenberga this day was the last in his life. The profit of this victory, Carl became the sixth fighter ace of the group. 13. July Payne took command 309. FS and the following day the group moved to the sicilian airport to Ponte Olivo. The fighting in Sicily lasted until the 17th. August 1943.

After a successful campaign in Sicily came to a number of very Italy. British forces in the apennine peninsula land 3. September 1943, units of the american army is followed by 9. September. A few days later Carl was promoted to the rank of Major. 20. September the group moved to the Italian airport of Monte Corvino. However, Payne your account already has not spread, 14. October 1943 handed over the command of the 309. FS into the hands of a 1st Lt. Robert E. Mccarthy, Jr. and returned back to the States.

His experiences of the USAAF took advantage once again, when Payne's name 24. October 1944 to head the 34. FS 413. FG, which was activated a few days earlier and it 15. October 1944 at the base of Seymour-Johnson Field state of North Carolina. The group, which was headed by Lt.Col. George H. Hollingsworth, was armed with the fighters P-47 Thunderbolt and fell to 1. The USAAF. In addition to the already listed 34. CF group further consisted of 1. and 21. FS. However, already 1. November has been a change on the post of the commander, the command took over the reins Carl's old friend Lt.Col. Harrison R. Thyng**** and further changes should follow. 2. November was 413. FG downgraded from series 1. The USAAF into a state of 20. The USAAF and a week later it was decided to change the base and to the airport, Bluethenthal Field, also in the state of North Carolina. While 413. FG went through training before combat deployment in the Pacific was a Payne in march 1945 promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

19. may 1945 1. FS and 21. FS moved to the airport on the island of Ie Shima, which was located less than 4 miles west of the coast of the island of Okinawa. From this island could airmen Mustangs and Thunderboltů not only accompany the bombers to the royal air force on targets in the japanese islands, but also to subvert their infrastructure and attack other ground targets. These tasks are performed also 413. FG. 34. FS on this island came from the island of Saipan 14. June and engaged in the actions.

This unit also Carl closed his account and 8. August 1945. On that day, 413. FG escorted bombers B-29 an air raid on targets, which were located on the island of Kyushu. Over the city of Yawata he managed to shoot down one fighter Zero, but apparently, his victims become the jet fighter Kawanishi N1K2 George of Kókútai 343*****. In a few days, exactly 15. August, the Japanese accepted the terms of unconditional surrender and give up further resistance. The surrender was signed 2. September 1945 in Tokyo bay and this day ended II. world war, which lasted six years and one day.

Even after the end of the war continue to Carl W. Payne remained in the ranks of the USAAF and later in the ranks of the USAF. In August 1951 he was promoted to the rank of the Colonel. However, a few years later, the 9th. January 1956, died at the city of St. John Newfoundland in a crash of an aircraft Lockheed T-33A the serial number of the 53-5143.

Carl during his service in the air force he became a carrier of 2 x Distinguished Flying Cross, 29 x Air Medal.


* in the number of kills the strands diverge. Some sources indicate two kills, the other only mention a single victory.

** Paul Engler was a veteran of the Battle of France in 1940. Then as a member of the Armée de lAir served in the ranks of the GC II/4 and a stick fighter Curtiss H. 75 chalked up four certain kills and one probable hit machines of the German Luftwaffe. Which was also his total score achieved.

*** the first fighter ace of the USAAF on the Spitfires became the Capt. Arnold E. Vinson, a member of the 2. FS 52. FG, who became the ace 3. April 1943, however, the same day he was shot down and his name was credited with the missing in action (missing in action). The total reached 5,33 victory, all on Spitfires.

**** Harrison R. Thyng was Paynův the commander of the 309. FS 31. FG. To Spitfires at 31. FG has reached five victories and became the second fighter ace 31. FG, however, the first ace of the 309. FS. Your ii account you already spread, but during the war in Korea recorded another five kills Mig-15 on the machine F-86 Sabre in the ranks of 4. FIW.

***** with this victory the strands diverge, if he was granted. Eg. AFHRA this shoot at all does not and ascribes to him only kills in 31. FG



Sources:
personal archive
the magazine HPM no. 9/2008
J. Rajlich - in The sky proud of Albion 1942
forum.12oclockhigh.net
www.geocities.com
www.spitfiresite.com
www.star-games.com
http://jpgleize.club.fr/aces/ww2usaf.htm
en.wikipedia.org
forum.valka.cz
.

Kills Carl W. Payne



Sources:
HPM no. 9/2008.