Lt. Col. Elywn G. Righetti, commander of the 8th Air Force's 55th Fighter Group, chats with his crew chief from the wing of their P-51D Mustang nicknamed "KATYDID". "Eager El" was known as the "King of the strafers" due to his eagerness for, and great success in, the very dangerous arena of aerodrome strafing. Fighter pilots considered strafing ground targets to be much more dangerous than aerial combat because, in addition to the numerous heavy caliber guns defending each airfield, "everybody including the cooks were shooting at you!" The risk increased for Mustang pilots like Righetti due to the P-51's vulnerable liquid cooling system.
His final score was 27 enemy aircraft destroyed on the ground, an 8th Air Force record. This includes claims for 9 made on his behalf by his wingman on the day he was lost. Lt. Col. Righetti was also an aerial ace, scoring 7.5 confirmed victories.
Righetti was shot down by flak while strafing Riesa airfield northwest of Dresden on his 30th birthday, April 17, 1945. He made radio contact with his wingman after the belly landing, stating that he was OK except for a broken nose, and to tell his family that he was fine. He was never heard from again, and his body was never recovered after the war. It is strongly believed that he was murdered by angry civilians in the area, but no hard evidence was found in this regard by postwar investigators.
Elwyn Righetti was posthumously promoted to the rank of full colonel. His awards include the Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, 2 Distinguished Flying Crosses, and 22 Air Medals.
Completed 2013
Collection of Barry Panasik
Lt. Col. Elywn G. Righetti, commander of the 8th Air Force's 55th Fighter Group, chats with his crew chief from the wing of their P-51D Mustang nicknamed "KATYDID". "Eager El" was known as the "King of the strafers" due to his eagerness for, and great success in, the very dangerous arena of aerodrome strafing. Fighter pilots considered strafing ground targets to be much more dangerous than aerial combat because, in addition to the numerous heavy caliber guns defending each airfield, "everybody including the cooks were shooting at you!" The risk increased for Mustang pilots like Righetti due to the P-51's vulnerable liquid cooling system.
His final score was 27 enemy aircraft destroyed on the ground, an 8th Air Force record. This includes claims for 9 made on his behalf by his wingman on the day he was lost. Lt. Col. Righetti was also an aerial ace, scoring 7.5 confirmed victories.
Righetti was shot down by flak while strafing Riesa airfield northwest of Dresden on his 30th birthday, April 17, 1945. He made radio contact with his wingman after the belly landing, stating that he was OK except for a broken nose, and to tell his family that he was fine. He was never heard from again, and his body was never recovered after the war. It is strongly believed that he was murdered by angry civilians in the area, but no hard evidence was found in this regard by postwar investigators.
Elwyn Righetti was posthumously promoted to the rank of full colonel. His awards include the Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, 2 Distinguished Flying Crosses, and 22 Air Medals.