EDWIN D. REINHARDT, born 24 March 1921 at Brecksville, Ohio. Graduated Ohio University in 1947 after WW II separation. Re-entered active duty in 1951 and remained on active duty until retirement with rank of Colonel in 1975.

After two years of college, enlisted as an Aviation Cadet in 1942 and trained in class of 43J & K; graduated and commissioned at Marianna, Florida. First assignment was to RTU at Richmond, Va., Goldsboro, NC and Wilmington, NC and then assigned to 353rd Ftr. Gp., 352 Ftr. Sq. in May 1944.

Completed 70 missions, 255 hrs. and returned to CONUS in November 1944. Credited with 5 V2 aircraft destroyed (ground). Awarded DFC with cluster, Purple Heart, Air Medal with four clusters. During subsequent service, awarded Legion of Merit, MSM and AFCM with two clusters. Married Marilyn Martin in 1947 and have two children, Kirk and Karen. Kirk was also an AF pilot, now flying with EAL. Karen currently in initial phases of obtaining a pilot's license.

Of the 70 missions flown, most can be recalled but two can be recalled in complete detail. They occurred on 10 and 12 June 1944. On the 10th, the Group's third mission of the day was led by Col. Glenn E. Duncan (a leading ETO Ace, my Group Commander, the best leader of men and the best fighter pilot I've ever known) to the Seine area to bomb and strafe. While glide bombing a tunnel, I received a direct hit in my right wing which knocked off the 1000 pounder, tore out three guns and knocked me into an inverted position in the Seine river banks.

I completed the roll, jettisoned the left wing bomb and struggled to keep it flying and get some altitude. Dick Keywan spotted me trying to maintain flight (they thought I had had the course when they saw the flash from the hit) and Hal Miller and Col. Duncan silenced the 88s and 40 mm gun emplacements which were still firing at the "cripple."

Dick came to my aid and gave me encouragement to keep trying to get it home. Col. Duncan sent the group home and then painstakingly brought me home to Manston where I bellied in at approximately 2330 hrs.

Had I not been flying a rugged P-47, and had I not had Col. Duncan to literally carry me home on his back, I would have become a statistic. I was later told that my "Jug" was the worst shot-up P-47 to make it to Manston.

I saw it the next morning and was scared all over again. The hole in the right wing was 32 inches in diameter and there were 108 holes in the fuselage and tail assembly starting just aft of the armor plate. No one should wonder why I loved flying a "JUG."

I returned to Raydon on 11 June and noted that I was scheduled to fly the first mission on the 12th. It was a 0430 takeoff to bomb in the Evruex area. I was flying with Clint Sperry, Jack Gabriel and Dick Keywan in Jockey Blue flight.

The Group was spread out over a large area and one of the Squadrons spotted some Bogies. We were to get rid of our bombs on a target of opportunity and get ready to tangle. We picked a triangular railroad intersection and Clint, Jack and Dick made their runs and destroyed the target. I was making my run to throw a couple more bombs on target when Clint called to get rid of everything and get on up.

There was a thin layer of clouds above our altitude and the Jerries came down through just when I had started my run. Due to cloud cover, sun position and the knowledge that there were some Bogies quite a distance to the East of our position, no one had seen this gaggle until they broke through the cloud layer, out of the sun and on our backs.

The 109s far outnumbered us and before I could get altitude, one of them stitched me across the right wing, into the cockpit and my plane caught on fire. Afraid to bailout at that moment, I dove to put out the fire. I saw Dick trying to help me and he was on the tail of one 109 and being chased by two. When I recovered at tree top level, the flames were gone, just some smoke coming from the right wing root, and everything seemed to be working except for some radio problems and no hydraulic pressure.

I looked around, saw no other aircraft so I I got a little altitude, called for a homing and proceeded to home base. I couldn't get the gear down and Jimmy Poindexter, who had come up in the tower to take a look as I flew I by, suggested that I try to shake it down.

Bill Weaver who was just returning with prop problems said that he would fly up under me and make a visual inspection. Bill strongly suggested that I not try shaking the plane and also suggested that I get it on the ground as soon as possible.

Hearing this, and not wanting to clutter up our base with a class 26 airplane; Jimmy told me to take it up to Wattisham (a sub-depot) and belly in there. This one was easy as I had control of the plane. I couldn't make radio contact and the fuel warning light came on so I just lined it up along the PSP runway in the grass, ignored the red flares from mobile control, watched the crash trucks take off down the runway and when I saw that I had it made over the P-38s that were waiting for takeoff; I put her in idle cut-off, opened the canopy, turned off the switches and slid her on in.

I crawled out on the wing, looked at the smoke and oil covered fuselage with its obliterated identification letters and gave a thumb's up signal to the P-38 drivers taking off on their mission. I'm sure the sight of my beat-up Jug was not a morale booster. Again, had I not been flying a Jug, my number would have been up.

Unfortunately, Dick Keywan was lost on this mission. Jack had to bailout and he evaded capture and Clint and I made it back to England. At a subsequent date, Lloyd Hunt was being identified by the French Underground and they asked him for the name of the pilot from his squadron who had bellied in two days in a row. He replied, Reinhardt and was assisted in evading capture. He didn't forget the two missions, or he too would have been a statistic, and you can bet your bottom dollar that I never have, nor never will forget them.

The Jug may have been big, heavy and ugly to some; but to me and a lot of others she is the best there ever was. We are here to attest to that.