![]() “When I asked what my wife thinks, she said, ’Have you ever thought about the Air Force? You know, the branch known for flying?’” said Byrd, who joined the ranks of the Air Force in 1972. To this next generation dreamer, it sounded obtainable. When the time came and he began talking to recruiters, he was given a list of tasks to complete before he could finally reach the sky. His initial direction when heading into the service was to join the U.S. (Ret.) Thomas Byrd, grew up in Corpus Christi, Texas, reading about naval aviation and dreaming of the skies, just like his uncle did all those decades ago. The family made sure the legacy of Byrd’s sacrifice would not be forgotten. For 37 years, the wings sat as a static display, but the break in service wouldn’t last forever. Upon their passing, the weathered aviator’s wings were handed off to Byrd’s sister. There the wings sat idle in safe keeping as a family heirloom. When Byrd’s plane went down, they recovered his personal effects, including the wings, and sent them home to his parents. The family carries on his story, keeping it alive Louis, Mo., which reportedly destroyed between 16-18 million official military personnel files. Much of the information regarding Byrd’s service was lost in the July 12, 1973, fire at the National Personnel Records Center, in St. Even with the minimal losses to men and equipment during the operation, the Allied forces efforts were a complete success in seizing control of Northern Africa from the Axis powers. Anti-aircraft battery downed three of the four enemy aircraft, but one escaped harm, delivering a burst of rounds into Byrd’s cockpit, killing him. 8, 1942, in Northern Africa during Operation Torch, Byrd was on flaps down short final for a landing when a flight of four Vichy French aircraft suddenly appeared over a hill to engage the Allied squadron. (Ret.) Thomas Byrd, the nephew of Joe Curtis Byrd. “The British really liked the P-40’s for the ground attack abilities, and the Americans really wanted the Spitfires for the bombing escort capabilities, so they switched aircraft,” said Lt. Though not confirmed officially, family tradition also declares the lieutenant swapped his P-40 with a British counterpart into the British Supermarine Spitfire. Byrd participated in some early forays into France where he delivered ordinance and is credited with a half-kill on a German Messerschmitt, according to family history. 23, the VIII BC moved to England, first to Daws Hill and later to High Wycombe, where it established its wartime headquarters in the Wycombe Abbey school for girls. The modern day Eighth Air Force traces its lineage to the VIII BC, which came to life on Feb. When he graduated, he was assigned to the P-40 Warhawk, where he was eventually stationed with the VIII Bomber Command in England. The wings that were pinned to his chest kicked off a more than 75-year-long lineage of aviators to come. After attending basic training at Goodfellow Field, San Angelo, Texas, and preliminary flight training at Hicks Field, Fort Worth, Texas, he began his career as an American aviator. The pair Asbury received first took flight in 1941, only a few hours’ drive away from here-or less than an hour as the pilot flies.Ī native of Waco, Texas, Lieutenant Joe Curtis Byrd commissioned with Baylor University’s first class of “war birds” into the U.S. ![]() With each generation to pass their wings, the history of that particular pair deepens like the patina on the metal. ![]() “Humans instinctively pass on things of significance because history is tangible through these objects.” “Pilots have been passing on their wings since the wings became a thing,” said William McEvoy, 47th Flying Training Wing historian. ![]() And the passing of wings is a time-honored tradition focused on the pedigree of pride and honor. Air Force pilots inherently ground themselves with their tradition, as does the rest of the aviation community. (ret.) Thomas Byrd May 18, 2018, as the third pilot to wear the set dating back to 1941. Asbury, who recently graduated the Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training program at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, had a pair of aviator’s wings pinned by Lt. Colin Asbury, 47th Flying Training Wing pilot, the wings he now wears on his chest are a vivid reminder and direct link to those WWII sights and sounds. Those jarring images of WWII have a more grave meaning to the Byrd family. The World War II era conjures visions of monochromatic film flickering in sync with the distinctive pop of a reel-to-reel projector, coupled with a monotone voice-over description of planes roaring overhead, gunfire whizzing back and forth and explosions dealing real death and destruction.
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