287:. His men called themselves the "Joker Squadron" because the squadron had been designated as "J Squadron" in the plan for the landings in North Africa. In December, 1942 he took the 58th Fighter Squadron into the captured advanced airfield at Thelepte, an airfield in western Tunisia. His Deputy Commander called him "a colorful individual, a natural leader. He was aggressive, but not ambitiously so". Cochran was soon mentioned in press reports. While flying from Thelepte, Cochran dropped a 500-pound bomb; it skipped directly into the German headquarters at the Hotel Splendida,
357:, invading Japanese-held Burma. Some of these forces were designated to fly in by towed gliders; all required re-supply by regular airdrops during their missions, as well as air support. Under Cochran's command, the 1st Air Commando's C-47 pilots perfected the tactic of snatching loaded gliders from small areas of ground cleared of jungle vegetation into the air using stretchable nylon ropes, all while flying at 15 to 30 feet using breaks in the jungle canopy. Upon witnessing one of these demonstrations, the Allied theater commander, Admiral
365:
94:
322:. In a meeting between Cochran and Giraud after the battle, Giraud shouted at Cochran, "There should be more planes, hundreds more!" Cochran retorted, "You got to fight on the ground! You can't hide behind a rock and have planes do the whole job." A few days later, Cochran received a letter from General Giraud, conceding the former was correct. Not long after, Col. Cochran was awarded the
35:
376:"The commanders' hopes and the soldiers' morale rose sky-high. Now, if we got hit in the middle of Burma, we would not be left under a bush to die." Cochran's infectious confidence and unstinting support for Allied operations in Burma caused Admiral Mountbatten to remark to Cochran: "My boy, you are the only ray of sunshine in this theatre this year."
373:
lackluster support from hard-pressed Royal Air Force squadrons. In particular, the news
Cochran would make light planes and gliders (snatched from the ground by low-flying C-47s) available to evacuate wounded men from combat greatly-increased the morale of the long-range jungle penetration forces. One Brit commander summed the change:
372:
Col. Cochran ordered the 1st Air
Commando to support ground troops without reservation: his sense of humor, aggressiveness, and willingness to risk his planes and pilots in daring support missions soon won the admiration of many officers and men of the Indian Army, who, up to that point, experienced
310:
Bridge in
Tunisia. He and his squadron unsuccessfully attempted to destroy the bridge by dive-bombing. He got lost during the night operation, and dropped the paratroopers in the wrong direction from the bridge; most of them were killed or captured. Prior to his return to the US, he was assigned to
383:
failed to down a single telephone line on wooden poles using bombs, the P-51's used a daring tactic: "The lead plane swooped and banked...his lower wing tip ripped momentarily across an open space in the jungle, perhaps three feet above the ground...the second plane swerved...straight at us out of
348:
as co-commanders of the 1st USAAF Air
Commando Group. (While an informal agreement existed between Cochran and Alison over who was effectively Commander and Deputy Commander , this arrangement was unofficial. To this day, USAF records indicate Col Cochran and Col Alison as 'co-commanders'.) The
295:. He destroyed telegraph wires by flying over them with a lead weight on the end of a wire attached to the wing of his pursuit plane, a tactic he employed later in Burma. By the end of hostilities in the theater, he had shot down two German fighter planes.
260:.) After watching Cochran's squadron, Caniff thought Cochran and his squadron had potential as characters for comics. Cochran became famous during the war as the model for the character Flip Corkin, a character in the comic strip
413:
Col. Cochran eventually retired from the USAAF, returning home to Erie, Pennsylvania, US. There he joined his brother John's company, Lyons
Transportation Lines, where he would eventually become chairman of the board.
845:
875:
850:
860:
835:
870:
314:
Cochran developed a reputation for 'getting the job done', and had little respect for those he believed were obstructing him, regardless of rank. On one occasion, Cochran clashed with
General
840:
318:, commander of French forces in North Africa. French ground forces, for whom Phil's squadron was flying air support, were mauled by army units under the command of General
379:
1st Air
Commando was also called upon to perform ground support missions for the Long Range brigades, including bombing and strafing attacks. In one incident, the group's
865:
311:
XII Training
Command; he trained new fighter squadrons, including the 99th Fighter Squadron, just come over after completing their training at Tuskegee, Alabama.
813:
Liebling, A. J. GUERRILLA FROM ERIE, PA in NEW YORKER BOOK OF WAR PIECES, New York, Reynal and
Hitchcock, 1947, pp. 136–144. From The New Yorker, 2/13/1943
880:
495:
185:
256:
Cochran knew Milton Caniff at Ohio State, so he approached him in 1941 to design an insignia for his 65th
Fighter Squadron (predecessor of the modern
214:
855:
303:
177:
527:
432:
Cochran also became active in charitable organizations such as the Pennsylvania Heart Association. He was a consistent supporter for Erie's
227:
803:
470:
559:
693:
650:
384:
the land in a tight turn, wing tip brushing the ground... telephone wire hanging around in festoons at the edge of the jungle."
779:
324:
189:
210:
116:
213:. Cochran developed many tactical air combat, air transport, and air assault techniques during the war, particularly in
350:
206:
111:
253:
in 1935, Cochran enlisted as a pilot in the Army Air Corps because "it looked like a good way to make an easy living."
181:
270:. Cochran's character was named General Philerie; a combination of his first name, Phil, and his hometown, Erie.
364:
283:
Major Cochran led the 33rd Fighter Group's "advanced attrition" fighter planes and replacement pilots to the
257:
135:
358:
284:
222:
160:
145:
564:
341:
250:
830:
825:
537:
752:
655:
202:
57:
799:
775:
664:
590:
466:
441:
433:
77:
17:
609:
398:
81:
491:
532:
697:
672:
337:
218:
165:
819:
788:
425:. White declined his marriage proposal; later dating Cochran and her future husband
393:
238:
99:
795:
426:
380:
349:
1st Air Commando, among other missions, was assigned the task of supporting Allied
319:
315:
266:
233:
155:
61:
634:
515:
264:. Later, Cochran became the model for another character in the Caniff comic strip
437:
418:
407:
34:
694:"95 Year Old Air Commando Legend Shares History with Today's Special Operators"
403:
345:
668:
594:
422:
436:, and attended many USAAF reunions. Cochran died of a heart attack while
354:
288:
307:
292:
750:"Col. Philip G. Cochran, War Hero and Model for 2 Cartoon Figures".
363:
299:
585:
O'Leary, Michael (October 2003). "We Fought With What We Had".
429:
simultaneously, until her romance with Ludden became serious.
846:
Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
876:
Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)
205:; January 29, 1910 - August 26, 1979) was an officer in the
463:
Bunker Hill to Bastogne: Elite Forces and American Society
861:
Ohio State University Fisher College of Business alumni
836:
Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army)
636:
Phil Cochran: The Most Unforgettable Character I've Met
302:
on Christmas Eve 1942, airdropping paratroopers of the
225:. Cochran was the inspiration behind characters in the
871:
United States Army Air Forces pilots of World War II
851:
Recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1939–1945 (France)
368:
Philip Cochran in his P-51A (background) over Burma.
173:
151:
141:
131:
123:
105:
87:
67:
44:
25:
787:
709:
707:
298:Although a fighter pilot, Cochran flew the lead
628:
626:
841:Companions of the Distinguished Service Order
496:Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
421:in the early 1960s after being introduced by
392:Cochran was director of aerial scenes in the
361:exclaimed, "Jesus Christ All Bloody Mighty!"
8:
217:during operations as co-commander (with Col
336:Cochran, by now a lieutenant colonel, and
33:
22:
486:
484:
482:
453:
39:Colonel Philip Cochran, USAAF, in 1944.
866:United States Army Air Forces officers
740:Masters, 1979, p. 198–199.
722:Masters, 1979, p. 146–148.
713:Masters, 1979, p. 197–198.
249:After earning a business degree from
7:
881:Military personnel from Pennsylvania
610:"Colonel Philip G. Cochran, USAAF"
560:"Flip Corkin, 1943 Fighting Heart"
14:
340:(former deputy commander of the
328:medal by the French government.
92:
856:People from Erie, Pennsylvania
756:. August 27, 1979. p. D7.
1:
461:Busch, Briton Cooper (2006).
351:Long Range Penetration Groups
211:United States Army Air Forces
536:. 1947-01-13. Archived from
207:United States Army Air Corps
774:Potomac Books, Inc., 2006.
731:Masters, 1979, p. 146.
182:Distinguished Service Order
178:Distinguished Service Medal
897:
558:Maeder, Jay (1998-06-15).
465:. Brassey's. p. 176.
186:Distinguished Flying Cross
15:
651:"The All-American Airman"
344:) were picked by General
32:
772:Bunker Hill to Bastogne.
353:, of the British Army's
516:Letter from Col Cochran
304:509th Infantry Regiment
258:65th Aggressor Squadron
16:For the biologist, see
790:The Road Past Mandalay
786:Masters, John (1979).
770:Busch, Briton Cooper.
417:Cochran dated actress
369:
359:Lord Louis Mountbatten
285:North African campaign
223:1st Air Commando Group
161:North African Campaign
146:1st Air Commando Group
492:"Col. Philip Cochran"
367:
342:75th Fighter Squadron
262:Terry and the Pirates
251:Ohio State University
228:Terry and the Pirates
199:Philip Gerald Cochran
124:Years of service
27:Philip Gerald Cochran
608:Weber, Mark (2008).
117:U.S. Army Air Forces
612:. Erie Hall of Fame
540:on October 24, 2012
112:U.S. Army Air Corps
753:The New York Times
656:Air Force Magazine
370:
203:Erie, Pennsylvania
663:(3). March 2000.
442:Geneseo, New York
434:Gannon University
196:
195:
119:(1941–1945)
114:(1935–1941)
18:Philip A. Cochran
888:
809:
793:
782:, 9781612342733.
758:
757:
747:
741:
738:
732:
729:
723:
720:
714:
711:
702:
701:
696:. Archived from
690:
684:
683:
681:
680:
671:. Archived from
647:
641:
640:
630:
621:
620:
618:
617:
605:
599:
598:
582:
576:
575:
573:
572:
555:
549:
548:
546:
545:
524:
518:
513:
507:
506:
504:
503:
488:
477:
476:
458:
107:
98:
96:
95:
74:
55:January 29, 1910
54:
52:
37:
23:
896:
895:
891:
890:
889:
887:
886:
885:
816:
815:
806:
785:
767:
762:
761:
749:
748:
744:
739:
735:
730:
726:
721:
717:
712:
705:
692:
691:
687:
678:
676:
649:
648:
644:
633:Allison, John.
632:
631:
624:
615:
613:
607:
606:
602:
584:
583:
579:
570:
568:
557:
556:
552:
543:
541:
528:"Escape Artist"
526:
525:
521:
514:
510:
501:
499:
490:
489:
480:
473:
460:
459:
455:
450:
390:
377:
334:
325:Croix de Guerre
306:to destroy the
281:
276:
247:
190:Croix de Guerre
188:
180:
127:1935–1945
115:
93:
91:
76:
72:
71:August 26, 1979
56:
50:
48:
40:
28:
21:
12:
11:
5:
894:
892:
884:
883:
878:
873:
868:
863:
858:
853:
848:
843:
838:
833:
828:
818:
817:
811:
810:
804:
783:
766:
763:
760:
759:
742:
733:
724:
715:
703:
700:on 2013-11-04.
685:
642:
622:
600:
577:
550:
519:
508:
478:
471:
452:
451:
449:
446:
389:
386:
375:
338:John R. Alison
333:
330:
280:
277:
275:
272:
246:
243:
219:John R. Alison
194:
193:
175:
171:
170:
169:
168:
166:Burma Campaign
163:
153:
149:
148:
143:
139:
138:
133:
129:
128:
125:
121:
120:
109:
103:
102:
89:
85:
84:
75:(aged 69)
69:
65:
64:
46:
42:
41:
38:
30:
29:
26:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
893:
882:
879:
877:
874:
872:
869:
867:
864:
862:
859:
857:
854:
852:
849:
847:
844:
842:
839:
837:
834:
832:
829:
827:
824:
823:
821:
814:
807:
805:0-553-12662-8
801:
797:
792:
791:
784:
781:
777:
773:
769:
768:
764:
755:
754:
746:
743:
737:
734:
728:
725:
719:
716:
710:
708:
704:
699:
695:
689:
686:
675:on 2007-11-05
674:
670:
666:
662:
658:
657:
652:
646:
643:
638:
637:
629:
627:
623:
611:
604:
601:
596:
592:
588:
581:
578:
567:
566:
561:
554:
551:
539:
535:
534:
529:
523:
520:
517:
512:
509:
497:
493:
487:
485:
483:
479:
474:
472:1-57488-775-0
468:
464:
457:
454:
447:
445:
443:
439:
435:
430:
428:
424:
420:
415:
411:
409:
405:
401:
400:
395:
394:Howard Hughes
387:
385:
382:
381:P-51 Mustangs
374:
366:
362:
360:
356:
352:
347:
343:
339:
331:
329:
327:
326:
321:
317:
312:
309:
305:
301:
296:
294:
290:
286:
278:
273:
271:
269:
268:
263:
259:
254:
252:
244:
242:
240:
239:Milton Caniff
236:
235:
230:
229:
224:
220:
216:
212:
208:
204:
200:
191:
187:
183:
179:
176:
172:
167:
164:
162:
159:
158:
157:
154:
150:
147:
144:
140:
137:
134:
130:
126:
122:
118:
113:
110:
104:
101:
100:United States
90:
86:
83:
79:
70:
66:
63:
59:
47:
43:
36:
31:
24:
19:
812:
796:Bantam Books
789:
771:
751:
745:
736:
727:
718:
698:the original
688:
677:. Retrieved
673:the original
660:
654:
645:
635:
614:. Retrieved
603:
587:Air Classics
586:
580:
569:. Retrieved
563:
553:
542:. Retrieved
538:the original
531:
522:
511:
500:. Retrieved
462:
456:
431:
427:Allen Ludden
416:
412:
397:
391:
378:
371:
335:
323:
320:Erwin Rommel
316:Henri Giraud
313:
297:
282:
279:North Africa
274:World War II
267:Steve Canyon
265:
261:
255:
248:
234:Steve Canyon
232:
226:
198:
197:
156:World War II
152:Battles/wars
73:(1979-08-26)
62:Pennsylvania
831:1979 deaths
826:1910 births
444:, in 1979.
438:fox hunting
419:Betty White
408:Janet Leigh
820:Categories
780:1612342736
765:References
679:2008-06-08
616:2008-06-08
571:2008-06-08
565:Daily News
544:2008-06-08
502:2008-06-08
404:John Wayne
346:Hap Arnold
245:Early life
88:Allegiance
51:1910-01-29
669:0730-6784
595:0002-2241
423:Jack Paar
402:starring
399:Jet Pilot
221:) of the
201:(born in
355:Chindits
289:Kairouan
209:and the
192:(France)
142:Commands
106:Service/
82:New York
388:Postwar
308:El Djem
293:Tunisia
136:Colonel
78:Geneseo
802:
778:
667:
593:
498:. 2003
469:
174:Awards
108:branch
97:
448:Notes
396:film
332:Burma
215:Burma
184:(UK)
800:ISBN
776:ISBN
665:ISSN
591:ISSN
533:Time
467:ISBN
406:and
300:C-47
231:and
132:Rank
68:Died
58:Erie
45:Born
440:in
237:by
822::
798:.
794:.
706:^
661:83
659:.
653:.
625:^
589:.
562:.
530:.
494:.
481:^
410:.
291:,
241:.
80:,
60:,
808:.
682:.
639:.
619:.
597:.
574:.
547:.
505:.
475:.
53:)
49:(
20:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
