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against an armed enemy while serving as Pilot of a P-51 Fighter
Airplane in the 328th Fighter Squadron, 352d Fighter Group, Eighth Air Force, during a bomber escort mission over Germany, on 2 November 1944. On this date, Captain Bryan was leading his flight in escort to our heavy bombers when he observed a formation of approximately fifty enemy aircraft coming in to attack the bombers. Captain Bryan led his flight into the center of the attacking formation of enemy aircraft where he closed on one and hit it several times. He was now alone and in the midst of many enemy aircraft who were unusually aggressive and attacking vigorously. Captain Bryan made a pass from a stern at eight ME-109s and shot two down in flames and damaged another. He continued to fight with the enemy, being simultaneously attacked himself. He finally destroyed five enemy aircraft and damaged two others, having engaged the last enemy with but a single gun operating. His courage and outstanding aggressiveness in the presence of great danger were exemplary of the highest traditions of the Army Air Forces.
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The aircraft does the darnedest thing you ever imagined. First, the tail snaps end to end with the nose and you fly up against the canopy and then the aircraft corkscrews around underneath. You end up going 180 degrees in the direction you were originally—were headed. Much slower but still a 100
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The
President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Captain (Air Corps) Donald Septimus Bryan, United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations
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During World War II, Bryan was credited with destroying 13.83 enemy aircraft in aerial combat, while flying 140 combat missions. While serving with the 352d FG, his P-47 and P-51s were named in honor of wife
Frances Norman, bearing the names "Little One", "Little One II" and "Little One III".
320:. Bryan scored down his second and third aerial victories on February 24 and March 15, 1944, and scored another shared aerial victory on April 10, 1944. On April 18, 1944, he led a successful mission to find and rescue a fellow fighter pilot, who was forced to ditch in the
394:. On January 1944, he was appointed as commander of the 328th Fighter Squadron. He scored his 13th and last aerial victory of the war, when he chased and shot down an Ar 234 over Germany on March 14, 1945, after encountering it during a bomber escort.
467:. In the episode titled 'P-51 Mustang' features his "ace in a day" mission. The episode was the eleventh episode of the second season of the series, which recreated historical air combat campaigns using modern computer graphics.
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After returning to the U.S. and taking leave, Bryan served as
Operations and Training Assistant Air Inspector with the 342nd Base Unit in Florida from July to September 1945. After United States Army Air Forces became
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He managed to outmaneuver the attacking Bf-109s and continued to battle against them, managing to destroy a total of five enemy airplanes that day, making him one of the 38 USAAF pilots to become an "
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degrees—180 degrees off the other flight path. It is absolutely impossible for an aircraft behind you to see where you were—went.
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354:. His biggest day came on November 2, 1944, while leading a flight of P-51s on a bomber escort to attack oil refineries over
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Bryan died on May 15, 2012, at the age of 90. He was buried at the Christ
Episcopal Church Urn Garden in Valdosta, Georgia.
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Flying the P-47, Bryan was credited with a shared aerial victory on
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in 1947, Bryan served in a variety of command and staff positions over the next 17 years, including with the
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1279:"Air Force Historical Study 85: USAF Credits for the Destruction of Enemy Aircraft, World War II"
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Air Force
Historical Study 85: USAF Credits for the Destruction of Enemy Aircraft, World War II
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Bryan was born on 1921, to Ellis and Ethel
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transition training from July to
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in World War II, who was credited with 13 aerial victories while serving with the
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After his retirement from the Air Force, Bryan worked at an engineering firm in
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Interview with Donald Bryan by Georgia World War II Oral History Project
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Bryan and his wife Frances had four children and eleven grandchildren.
1392:"Dogfights: Legendary WWII Air Battles of the P-51 Mustang (S2, E11)"
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Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United States)
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A replica of his P-51D "Little One III" is on display at the
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Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)
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After the completion of his pilot training, Bryan completed
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328th Fighter Squadron, 352d Fighter Group, 5th Air Force
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pilot. In July 1943, the 352nd FG boarded the troopship
202:(August 15, 1921 – May 15, 2012) was an American
1312:"Donald S. Bryan Oral History Interview (Part 1 of 2)"
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jet bomber and on December 23, he shot a Fw 190 over
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United States Army Air Forces pilots of World War II
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439:during a discussion at 'Fantasy of Flight' (2010)
1066:named its academic honor society in his honor.
1049:National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force
945:European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
1161:Aces Against Germany: The American Aces Speak
457:In 2007, Bryan appeared on an episode of the
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450:. In 1981, he and his wife moved to
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1469:Military personnel from California
1429:Interview with National WW2 Museum
1163:. Pocket Books. pp. 324–328.
787:U.S. Air Force Command Pilot Badge
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1484:American World War II flying aces
1454:People from Hollister, California
1191:"Remembering South Georgia's ace"
1092:Date of Action: November 2, 1944
1038:Air Force Longevity Service Award
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238:and awarded his pilot wings at
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988:National Defense Service Medal
242:in Arizona, on July 26, 1942.
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1248:"352nd Fighter Group (USAAF)"
1134:Hiers, John T. (2005-09-30).
1086:Captain, U.S. Army Air Forces
435:Bryan (left) with flying ace
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1189:Poling, Dean (2018-10-21).
801:Distinguished Service Cross
373:Distinguished Service Cross
182:Distinguished Service Cross
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963:World War II Victory Medal
833:Distinguished Flying Cross
186:Distinguished Flying Cross
1368:"Lt Col. Donald S. Bryan"
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1464:Aviators from California
1140:New Georgia Encyclopedia
234:. He was commissioned a
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913:American Campaign Medal
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117:United States Air Force
1284:. 1978. pp. 31–32
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1159:Hammel, Eric (1993).
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200:Donald Septimus Bryan
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61:Hollister, California
1195:Valdosta Daily Times
774:His awards include:
586:Messerschmitt Bf 109
564:Messerschmitt Bf 110
318:Messerschmitt Bf 110
291:VIII Fighter Command
232:U.S. Army Air Forces
220:Paicines, California
1064:Lowndes High School
735:Elsaffthal, Germany
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380:Battle of the Bulge
260:337th Fighter Group
1372:Together We Served
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308:while en-route to
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140:Lieutenant Colonel
1224:"Donald S. Bryan"
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770:Awards and honors
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701:December 23, 1944
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557:February 20, 1944
522:P-47D Thunderbolt
508:Focke-Wulf Fw 190
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300:P-47D Thunderbolt
287:67th Fighter Wing
236:second lieutenant
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992:service star
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731:Arado Ar 234
469:
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437:Bud Anderson
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388:Arado Ar 234
377:
369:ace in a day
366:
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303:
273:
252:P-40 Warhawk
249:
246:World War II
229:
217:
199:
198:
172:World War II
168:Battles/wars
73:(2012-05-15)
71:May 15, 2012
1449:2012 deaths
1444:1921 births
591:Dümmer lake
545:Netherlands
378:During the
329:shore leave
38:Nickname(s)
1438:Categories
1401:2022-11-26
1377:2022-11-26
1353:2022-11-26
1322:2022-11-26
1288:2023-02-25
1257:2022-11-26
1233:2022-11-26
1200:2022-11-26
1145:2022-11-26
1106:References
897:Air Medal
427:Later life
279:RAF Bodney
240:Luke Field
214:Early life
204:flying ace
99:Allegiance
54:1921-08-15
1097:Citation:
883:Air Medal
755:SOURCES:
713:, Belgium
690:, Germany
688:Merseburg
665:, Germany
663:Frankfurt
593:, Germany
464:Dogfights
356:Merseburg
352:Frankfurt
322:North Sea
191:Air Medal
126:1942–1964
490:Location
402:Post war
160:Commands
107:Service/
1396:History
1062:of the
637:Dormans
614:Heusden
517:Belgium
461:series
258:of the
1318:. 1989
1167:
707:Fw 190
684:Bf 109
659:Bf 109
641:France
633:Fw 190
610:Bf 109
537:Fw 190
178:Awards
109:branch
93:, U.S.
85:Buried
80:, U.S.
63:, U.S.
1282:(PDF)
990:with
738:P-51D
716:P-51D
711:Liège
693:P-51D
645:P-47D
619:P-47D
596:P-47D
571:P-47D
549:P-47D
541:Emmen
513:Namur
417:Japan
392:Liège
1165:ISBN
1058:The
560:0.15
487:Type
481:Date
419:and
384:Y-29
272:RMS
193:(14)
146:Unit
131:Rank
68:Died
48:Born
43:Bush
1051:in
630:0.5
504:0.5
415:in
281:in
188:(3)
41:Don
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