Wade, Lance Cleo

Wing Commander Lance C. Wade

RAF No.68717

In 1915, Bill and Susan Wade of Broaddus, San Augustine County, Texas, in a small farming community near the Louisiana border, had a second son, whom they named L.C.

In 1922 the family moved to Reklaw, Texas, where they continued farming and where little L.C. attended school. Airplanes often flew over their house, sparking a desire in the young boy to become an aviator.

In 1934, L.C. went to Tucson, Arizona, where President Roosevelt New Deal operated a company that offered young people jobs such as building roads and planting trees in national parks. L.C. also fulfilled a dream when he earned his pilot's license and flew over 80 hours.

So the next logical step was for L.C. to apply for USAAC. However, it was not accepted because Wade did not have sufficient training. However, the British RAF was recruiting volunteers in the U.S. at the time and Wade gave it a try. And to raise his hopes, he stated on the questionnaire that he had been flying since he was 17, when he and some friends bought a small plane, and that his father had been a fighter ace in World War I! It's hard to say whether this had any effect on the admissions committee, but in December 1940 Wade, who also put the name Lance Cleo on the questionnaire, was accepted and sailed to the UK via Canada. In all, the British managed to recruit over 200 American pilots who later formed three separate squadrons with the RAF.

In Britain, Wade underwent fighter training, which he completed in the summer of 1941 at 52. OTU, but was not assigned to any of the American "Eagle Squadrons". In fact, he was selected to join a group of airmen tasked with flying new fighters from the decks of the aircraft carriers Ark Royal and Furious to the island of Malta.

The operation was in two parts and Wade was involved in the second part, Status II, which was launched on 13 September 1941. On that day, a total of 46 Hurricanes Mk.IIs took off from the decks of both carriers and all but one arrived safely in Malta. At the time, however, the island was experiencing a relatively quiet period with no Luftwaffe presence and the twenty-three Hurricanes proceeded to Egypt under the command of Blenheim bombers. The first formation left Malta on the 19th and the second on the 25th, but no aircraft were left for Wade, who was flown to Egypt by Sunderland flying boat.

Here he was sent to 33 Squadron, which was however armed with older Hurricanes Mk.I. He then used these to intervene in Operation Crusader, the third attempt to liberate the besieged port of Tobruk.

The offensive began on 18 November 1941, and on that very day Wade won his first victory when he shot down two Italian Fiat CR.42 fighters during an attack on El Erg airfield. His first Luftwaffe aircraft was shot down four days later when a Ju 88 bomber, probably an L1+JH from the 1st /LG 1, fell victim to him near Girabub airfield. Later that day, Wade was involved in the shooting down of an Italian S.79 bomber.

Operation Crusader ended on 30 December 1941 with the liberation of Tobruk. Wade had by then gained 4+2-0-1 victories in the air. However, his squadron also engaged in attacks against ground targets, mainly due to being armed with older aircraft. One of these missions nearly proved fatal.

On December 5, 1941, the pilots of the 30th attacked Agedabia airfield. Wade first managed to damage three CR.42 fighters on the tarmac and then set fire to one S.79. But then the airfield flak opened fire and Wade's Hurricane took several hits. The American immediately turned to return, but about 20 miles east of his own airfield had to make an emergency landing. All was observed by Sgt. H. P. Wooler, who subsequently attempted to land next to Wade and wanted to load the unfortunate pilot to his side. Unfortunately, his Hurricane broke its tailwheel on the rough surface and was unable to take off. Both pilots had to make their way "home" without a drop of water. Fortunately, they were discovered by another British aircraft, which dropped some supplies, gave them a direction to go, and they were both able to return to their own airfield. Here they subsequently became members of the "Late Arrivals Club", an association of pilots who managed to return to their own after being shot down.

In January 1942, Rommel's Afrika Korps launched a counter-offensive during which the Brios lost all the territory gained during Operation Crusader. The pilots of 33 Squadron continued to launch attacks against ground targets and mainly retreated. In February 1942, the unit was at Gambut Airfield, where it finally began to rearm. First to American Tomahawk fighters, but it was soon decided to continue with Hurricanes, this time the Mk.IIB version. These were later, during June 1942, supplemented by several four-cannon Hurricanes Mk.IIC. As the Germans were at that time using Messerschmitt Bf 109 Fs and the Italians were beginning to adopt the new Macchi C.202, RAF pilots were still at a technical disadvantage. The squadron's main activity then became patrolling over the front and protecting the rear from air raids.

Wade was first successful in the new aircraft on 4 April, when he damaged a C.202 fighter. His first certain victory came on 28 May when he shot down one Ju 87 and one C.202 from an escort. He received his first hundred-nine on 9 June. Wade was by then already known for his aggressiveness during aerial combat, which earned him the nickname Wildcat. He was also promoted to the rank of Flight Lieutenant in June, and in April the British awarded him the DFC.

From July onwards he flew exclusively with the Mk.IIC cannon Hurricanes, scoring his first victory on the fifth, the victim being another Bf 109. His aircraft was reportedly decorated with a picture of a rooster wearing boxing gloves in front of an American flag, the same picture used by the 4th Fighter Group in England as its emblem.

It scored its last victory during its first operational tour on 11 August 1942. The RAF fighter formation then faced a large group of Ju 87 dive-bombers, which were under the protection of a hundred fighters from JG 27. But that didn't stop Wade from sending one of the bombers to the hot African soil. Five days later, Wade faced the enemy again, but this time it was an Italian C.202. Wade picked his target, but this time he encountered a pilot who was better than him. The Italian easily outmaneuvered him and hit him twice. It was the first time an enemy had ever hit him. The American pilot had no choice but to take his feet on his shoulders. This ill-fated flight was also his last operational one.

Lance was then given a well-deserved leave of absence, during which he learned of the award of a second DFC. He was very well known and popular in the US at the time and so his journey led home. He began it in October 1942 with a press conference at Rockefeller Center in New York and then moved on to see his family in Texas. He subsequently tested American P-39, P-47 and P-51 fighters at Wright Field in Ohio before joining an RAF delegation in Washington, where he met with President Roosevelt.

In January 1943, Wade returns to Africa, where he is sent to 145 Squadron armed with Mk.VB Spitfires. Initially as squadron commander, he takes command of the entire squadron before the end of the month. In February, a group of Polish fighters are assigned to his unit as C Squadron, forming the so-called Skalski's Circus (Polish Fighting Team "Skalski's Circus").

Before Wade fired on the enemy again, he almost became a casualty of enemy artillery. On 25 February 1943, Castel Benito Airport, where his unit was based, became the target of a fire raid and there was a danger that the airfield would be overrun by the Germans. Everything was therefore put into retreat, which was carried out by Wade in the cockpit of his Spitfire, whose wing had been damaged by a German shell.

Lance's appetite was repaired the very next day when a Hundred and Forty-five engaged the German 100s and he damaged one. However, during the flight back, he was hit by British anti-aircraft fire and Wade had to make an emergency landing with Spitfire AB502/IR-G, which was the personal aircraft of 244th Wing Commander W/Cdr Ian R. Gleed. He scored another 100th on 1 March, but his aircraft was again damaged, this time by "proper" German flak.

He had another victorious dogfight with Messerschmitts five days later. Wade got into a good position behind one of them during the dogfight, but his guns jammed during the firing and he could only use a quartet of Browning machine guns. But that was enough to force the hundred and nine to make an emergency landing. Wade, however, did not consider the damage he had done to the aircraft to be too serious and, as he assumed the enemy would be able to repair it, he claimed it only as damaged!

In March, when Wade extended his record to 4-1-2 victories, he was also awarded his third DFC.

He continued a similar streak of success in April, when he earned another 4-0-2 win, but was hit in aerial combat for the second time. This was on 30 April, by which time he was already flying Spitfire Mk.IX, during a dogfight with the Hundred Nines. Wade first shot one down, but then another one came looking for him and damaged his Spitfire EN186 with a precision shot.

On 13 May 1943, the remaining Axis forces in Africa surrendered and the fighting on the black continent ended. Wade became one of the most successful Allied fighters on that battlefield.

But the war went on, and the invasion of Europe was imminent. Sicily was chosen as the landing target, and in order to cover the action, 145 Squadron moved to Luqa airfield in Malta on 14 June 1943. In total, over 400 Spitfires from twenty-two RAF squadrons and one USAAF fighter group were concentrated in Malta.

The first wave began landing in Sicily at 2.45am on 10 July 1943 (Operation Husky), having already made a less than successful parachute drop during the night. At 4.24am the first enemy aircraft appeared over the beaches, which then returned in various sized groups throughout the day.

Wade also came into contact with the enemy during his patrol, carried out between 8.30 and 9.15. Four Mk.IX Spitfires of 145 Squadron were part of a twelve-man patrol over the landing area. Eight hundredweights suddenly appeared in the Cape Passeo area, which Wade, followed by his Number 2, immediately attacked. He managed to hit one of the enemy several times in the fuselage and right wing, but then one gun jammed and Wade lost control of the aircraft for a while. By the time he regained it, the Messerschmitt, which probably belonged to II./JG 53, was gone, and on his return was claimed as damaged.

Although 145 Squadron made several more patrols afterwards, it did not encounter the enemy again. All in all, the first day of the invasion of Sicily proved costly for the Spitfire units, as they lost 13 of their own machines and 7 pilots (one captured) while claiming 9 certain victories.

Wade's unit then continued to patrol over the battlefield, attacking all manner of ground targets, and by 13 July had moved to a field airfield built on the conquered territory of Sicily. The American, however, did not gain further aerial victories, but, for example, on 25 July damaged a pair of Italian fast boats at Milazzo.

Operation Husky ended on 17 August 1943 with an Allied victory, and Wade's squadron activity then shifted over mainland Italy. It all culminated on the 3rd. September 1943 with the landing at Salerno.

Wade's men continued to provide air cover for the advancing army and to attack enemy ground targets. In the air, the American was again successful on October 2, 1943.

On that day, Spitfires Mk.VIIIs of 145 Squadron encountered a formation of battle Fw 190 and after a brief fight their pilots claimed three kills, two of which went to Wade. However, the German III SG 4 lost only Ofw. Peter Pellander, who was killed.

Wade encountered the same opponents on 3 November. On that day he and his number were patrolling over the front line when a formation of Focek-Wulffs suddenly moved in and attempted to bomb the Allied positions. Although they were outnumbered, Wade attacked them and managed to damage three before he had to disappear from the battlefield. The Hundred and Ninety were probably from II /SG 4, which lost a Uffz aircraft to the Spitfires that day at Termoli. George Walz.

On 16 November 1943, Wade's second operational tour ended. He was the most successful RAF fighter in the Mediterranean at the time with 23+2-1-13 aerial victories. Perhaps because of this, the Commander of Desert Air Force A/V/M Harry Broadhurst[/url] stopped by the farewell party arranged for him at 145 Squadron and subsequently took him to his headquarters. At the same time, Wade was promoted to Wing Commander.

However, office work did not suit Wade's temperament and he frequently visited combat units at the front. And one of those trips proved fatal.

On January 12, 1944, he flew out on a staff Auster to join his old unit, the 145th Squadron, which was just based at Foggia Airfield. However, during the take-off to return, his aircraft went into a corkscrew and shattered at the end of the runway. The pilot was killed instantly.

Wade was initially buried in Italy, but after the war ended, his remains were taken home to Texas.

A month after his death, it was announced that he had been awarded the DSO.

Lance C. Wade became the most successful American to fight in the RAF. During his 1942 tour of the USA, he was offered a transfer to the USAAF, but Wade declined.


Sources:
Shores C., Williams C.: Aces High, Grub Street, London, 1994
Shores C.: Aces High, volume 2, Grub Street, London, 1999
Cull.B et al: Spitfires over Sicily, Grub Street, London, 2000
www.historynet.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lance_C._Wade

W/Cdr Lance C. Wade

Tabulka vítězství Lance C. Wadeho

Wade má přiznáno 23+2-1-13 vítězství ve vzduchu. Jedno jisté vítězství se však autorům pramenů níže nepodařilo dohledat a v seznamu chybí. Wade ho pravděpodobně dosáhl na Hurricanu.


Prameny:
Shores C., Williams C.: Aces High, Grub Street , London, 1994
Shores C.: Aces High, volume 2, Grub Street , London, 1999


Poznámky:
(1) - V záznamech jednotek v oblasti Středomoří se někdy nedochovala celá sériová čísla letounů, často z nich chybí písmeno.
(2) - Osobní letoun velitele 244. křídla I. R. Gleeda, který na něm dobyl poslední 1-0-2 ze svých 13+3-4+3-4 vítězství.