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Claude Weaver the 3rd was born August 18th 1923 in Oklahoma
City, Oklahoma. By the end of 1940 the war in Europe had been raging for
over a year and like many Americans, he was unwilling to wait for the
US Government's commitment any longer. Eager to fight fascism, and maybe
for a little old fashioned adventure, he went to Windsor, Ontario and
enlisted in the RCAF on the 13th day of February 1941 [but only after
a hard fought battle to convince his parents to let him sign up]
He earned his wings in October 1941 and was posted overseas
immediately. After a brief period with a fighter squadron in Britain he
was posted to Malta. There he flew with No. 185 Squadron from July to
September, 1942.
In August, Sgt Weaver was decorated with the DFM, for
destroying five enemy fighters and sharing in the destruction of a
bomber within a period of one week
He ran his Malta score up to ten before being shot down
over Sicily and Taken prisoner on September 9th 1942
A year later he escaped from his POW (Prisoner of War)
camp and Walked 300 miles to freedom
He was appointed a commission and immediately returned
to operations with No. 403 (RCAF) Squadron in Western Europe, late
October 1943
He won two more victories before he was shot down and
killed in air combat while on a "ranger" mission in the
Amiens area on January 28, 1944
Gerhard Vogt [48 victories KIA 14 Jan 1945] watched
as Weavers 'chute got caught in his tailplane and dragged him to the
ground. Miraculously, Weaver was not killed on impact but died several
hours later in the hospital!
March 1944, the award of the DFC was published
June 1944, P/O Weaver was mentioned in dispatches
_______________________________________________
American in the RCAF;
born in Oklahoma City, 18 August 1923; home there.
Enlisted in Windsor, Ontario, 13 February 1941.
Trained at No.3 ITS (graduated 9 June 1941),
No.17 EFTS (graduated 27 July 1941), and
No.8 SFTS (graduated 10 October 1941).
Arrived in UK, 14 November 1941.
Attended Advanced Flying Unit, Cranwell, 6 December
- 1941 to 5 January 1942;
No.56 OTU, 10 February to 15 April 1942;
No.412 Squadron, 15 April to 31 May 1942;
Middle East; No.185 Sq, 29 June to 9 Sept. 1942.
Shot down over Sicily and became a POW;
escaped from POW camp and reported safe, 1 May 1943
arrived in UK, 18 October 1943.
Invested with award by King George VI, 30 Nov. 1943.
With No.403 Sq., 27 October 1943 to 28 January 1944
KIA 28 January 1944, flying Spitfire MA642
Downed by Gerhard Vogt of 7.JG26)
Buried in France.
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WEAVER, Sergeant Claude (R83374) - Distinguished
Flying Medal - No.185 Sq.
Award effective 8 August 1942 as per London Gazette dated 18 August 1941
and
AFRO 1412/42 dated 4 September 1942.
This NCO has shown great zeal and initiative in combat.
He destroyed a German fighter on his first flight over Malta on 17 July
1942. On 22 July 1942 he destroyed two German fighters on one flight and
repeated this performance on 23 July 1942. On 24 July 1942 he shared in
the destruction of a German bomber with another pilot of his squadron.
During his first week of air fighting over Malta this gallant young airman
destroyed five and shared in the destruction of a sixth German bomber.
Though relatively inexperienced he has, by his dash and personal courage,
been an inspiration to the other fighter pilots of his unit.
_______________________________________________
Captured Malta Ace Escapes, Rides donkey Through Nazi
Line
Algiers, Nov. 7, 1943 - (AP) - A year to the day after
he was clapped into an enemy prison camp after being shot down in the
defense of Malta, Pilot Officer Claude Weaver, 20, of Oklahoma City, an
R.C.A.F. Spitfire pilot, rode through German lines in Italy to safety.
He was perched on the back of a donkey, he wore a jaunty Alpine hat, he
was carrying a shepherd's crook and running a temperature.
Weaver, who had shot down more than 10 enemy aircraft in a few Weeks just
prior to his being taken captive was accompanied by Lieut. Harold Rideout,
Ashburnham, Mass., who insured the safe Completion of their journey when
he hid his injured companion and went through British lines to obtain
help.
Weaver gained fame in two months at Malta. Once he shot down four victims
in 36 hours. He crash-landed twice and was shot in the leg once.
Then on Sept. 8, 1942, his Spitfire squadron went on a sweep over Comiso
airdrome, in Sicily. Weaver shot down an Italian Macchi fighter before
his engine failed and he landed with one wing on a beach and the other
in the water.
He was treated respectfully by his Italian captors. He tried several times
to escape from his prison camp. Finally a changeover of guards from Italians
to Germans gave him and Rideout a chance to duck through the barbed wire.
___________________________________________________
Flt. Lt. Beurling Down's 31st Plane Over French Area
London, December 30, 1943 – (CP Cable) –
Canada's top ranking fighter ace flight lieutenant George Beurling
of Verdun, Quebec shot down his 31st enemy plane today, one of four destroyed
by RCAF fighters.
One of Beurling's squadron mates, F/O William Bliss of Toronto, shot down
another while the other two successful pilots were F/O Hart Finlay of
Montreal and P/O Claude Weaver of Oklahoma City.
The combats, from which all the Canadian Planes returned, took place southeast
of Paris, where enemy fighters attempted to intercept United States heavy
bombers returning from an attack on Germany. Beurling and Bliss shot down
Focke-Wulf 190s, while Finlay and Weaver destroyed Messerschmitt 109's.
___________________________________________________
Hugh Godefroy meets Weavy from the book Lucky 13
At this time, I received a rather unusual replacement,
Pilot Officer Claude Weaver, DFM. He had been shot down on a strafing
expedition over Sicily when stationed at Malta. He had been interned
in an Italian Prisoner of War Camp. The Italians treated their prisoners
without the slightest respect for the Geneva Convention. Disregarding
the fact that it is the duty of a captured combatant to try to escape,
the Italians brutally beat Claude after his first two attempts to
gain his freedom. At last he escaped and made contact with the advancing
Allied Troops in Italy. Claude was an American trained by the Commonwealth
Air Training Scheme, who wanted to stay in the RAF. Having heard
of the treatment he had endured at the hands of the Italians, I
fully expected to meet a very subdued character. When he presented
himself at my office, I found myself faced with a tall blond keen-looking
fellow in his early twenties. He had a neatly trimmed moustache,
bright eyes, and his uniform, buttons and shoes were in impeccable
order. The only sign of past Military experience was the DFM ribbon
below his wings. It was evident in talking to him that he wanted
to get back on Operations as quickly as possible. I delegated him
to 421 Squadron and told him to get checked out on a Spitfire IX
and fly around and get familiar with the country.
On the day he did his first solo, the Wing was grounded
by bad weather. Just after tea, I got a phone call from Alex Hamilton,
the Engineering Officer.
'Hughie, have we had anybody flying operational today?'
'No, Alex, there's just been the odd fellow doing local
flying. Why?'
'One of the aircraft in 421 Squadron came back with
the spinner missing from its prop. It's obviously been blown off
by a cannon shell. Who is this guy, Weaver?'
'He's a new second tour replacement; was he flying
the aircraft?'
'He was!'
'Have them send him up to my office immediately!'
Twenty minutes later, Claude Weaver came into my office
looking a little sheepish.
' Weaver, I told you to go local flying. Where did you go?'
'It didn't take me long to get familiar with the area,
sir, so seeing that I was up, I went over to France and did a little
strafing.'
' If that's the kind of thing you're going to do, Weaver,
you might as well pack your bags and go back to Air Force Headquarters.'
For a moment, I thought he was going to cry. In pleading
with me to let him stay, he did everything but go down on his knees.
'Okay, Weaver, I'll give you one more chance. From
now on I will decide if, and when, you venture over enemy territory.
Do you understand?'
'Yes, sir, I promise — I promise!'
This was not the last time I would have to deal with
Claude Weaver. Inwardly I was delighted with his keenness; and,
with his reaction to the threat of being turfed, felt sure that
he wouldn't play this trick again. |
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Allies Batter Pas de Calais Through Day
January 21, 1944 - (AP) - Hundreds of Allied planes blasted
the French invasion coast today, following last night's R.A.F.-R.C.A.F.
raid on Berlin, the largest aerial attack ever made on the Nazi capital,
and German long-wave radio transmitters left the air tonight, possibly
indicating Berlin was under attack for the second successive night.
In a new attack cycle with reinforced strength, many types of R.A.F. planes
and United States heavy and medium bombers raked mysterious Nazi forward
defenses during the day in the Pas-de-Calais area.
Perhaps 2,000 tons of bombs crashed down on the French coast targets.
In its attack Thursday, night the R.A.F.-R.C.A.F, hit Berlin with more
than 2,300 tons.
Eleven Plants Smashed
A responsible informant in Stockholm said 11 war factories in the German
capital's east end were struck and the Borough of Neukoelln to the southeast
was badly damaged. Many Berliners with whom travelers talked said the
raid was the worst yet on the Reich's heart. They reported there were
at least 30 huge fires at one time, 11 of which still were blazing furiously
today.
In a combined announcement the Air Ministry and the United States Army
gave an unusual play-by-play of the day's operations against the Pas-de-Calais
area, which now has been attacked on 22 of the last 31 days and which
popularly is supposed to contain German rocket gun emplacements.
The announcement stated that when the first favorable weather in several
days arrived, the bombing was begun by R.A.F. Hurricane and Typhoon bombers.
These were quickly followed by United States medium bombers, braving flak
fields without loss. Bombs from R.A.F. Bostons, Mitchells and Mosquitos
then began to fall and two Mosquitos were lost in low-level bombing and
cannon attacks.
Topped Of by Heavies
United States heavy bombers delivered the final blow, while throughout
the attacks squadrons of Spitfires and Typhoons splattered enemy airfields
to keep Nazi fighter planes on the ground.
R.C.A.F. pilots escorting the American heavy bombers shot down two German
Focke-Wulf 190’s. F/O Hart Finlay, of Westmount Que. and P/O
Claude Weaver of Oklahoma City, Okla. were the successful pilots.
As dawn rose over England, watchers saw Spitfires, then RAF fighter bombers,
then United States medium bombers and finally large formations of United
States heavy bombers under escort cross toward military installations
in a 50-square-mile French zone. Returning aviators disclosed that the
Germans were heavily reinforcing the anti-aircraft defenses of the Pas-de-Calais
area, which now has been attacked on 22 of the last 31 days. Eight types
of bombers pressed home the attack all day against undisclosed targets
popularly supposed to be rocket-gun emplacements.
Few Fighters Up
Despite the heavy antiaircraft fire, few enemy fighters were reported
as the attack fleet, returning after a week's absence, sowed with bombs
the barricaded, forest-dotted promontory 25 miles across the Channel from
England.
Perhaps 2,000 tons of bombs crashed down on the French targets, which,
with more than 2,300 tons dropped by the RAF and RCAF on Berlin, made
an unusually heavy load of explosives and incendiaries dumped on the enemy
in less than 24 hours.
The 11th of a series of obliteration raids on Berlin was delivered by
an estimated 800 heavy bombers, including nine Canadian squadrons, which
unloaded an average of 77 tons of bombs each minute during the half-hour
attack. The previous record load was the 2,300-ton bombing of Berlin Nov.
22.
Thirty-five bombers, including Canadian, failed to come home as the Germans
made frantic efforts to save their capital.
The big bomber fleet took off from England in the late afternoon 18 days
after the last attack. First a group of swift, twin-engined Mosquito bombers
laid down a feint bombardment of Northwest Germany. Then the "heavies"
came in, plowing through overcast weather that hampered Nazi fighters
but failed to interfere with Allied aim. German fighters made flare-paths
in the sky and occasional rocket-shells burst like big balls of fire.
As the bombers ran in and unloaded, flames licked the sky from the burning
city, and clouds flickered with light from the block-busters exploding
below.
Gigantic Fires Started
Many fliers minimized the opposition they encountered. They said: "Jerry
simply wasn't there. It wasn't like the Jerry we've run into before."
Others called the antiaircraft barrage "loose" and said the
nightfighters were "late."
But the losses—second highest of the campaign against Berlin—made
clear the Germans were fighting back, and Swedish reports said the Germans
had steadily augmented their anti-aircraft batteries in an attempt to
save what was still left of Berlin.
Gigantic new fires started, belching smoke thousands of feet into the
air. One unconfirmed report said the Friedrichstasse Station in central
Berlin was hit and surrounding area devastated, dislocating traffic and
reducing bus service this morning to skeleton service.
The Canadian force, made up of Lancaster and Halifax bombers, dropped
the heaviest bomb loads since the Canadian bomber group was formed a little
more than a year ago.
It was the operational debut of the group's newest squadron —the
Porcupine— which has been adopted by the Township of Tisdale and
Timmins, on Northern Ontario's famed Porcupine gold mining district. An
English wing commander, C. B. Sifton, D.F.C., who enlisted in the R.C.A.F.
at Vancouver, led the squadron. Other squadrons in the raid included the
Thunderbird, Leaside, Iroquois, Bluenose, Lion, Goose, Bison and Ghost.
___________________________________________________
WEAVER, P/O Claude III, DFM (J18784) - Distinguished
Flying Cross - No.403 Sq.
Award effective 2 March 1944 as per London Gazette dated 17 March 1944
and
AFRO 766/44 dated 6 April 1944. Award presented to next-of-kin, 5 May
1945.
Within recent months this officer has taken part in numerous
low level attacks against a variety of targets, such as airfield and gun
emplacements, and throughout has displayed great determination in air
fighting. He has destroyed a further seven enemy aircraft bringing his
victories to twelve. His successes are an excellent tribute to his great
skill, courage and resolution.
_________________________________________________
Air force Casualties
Ottawa, March 8 1944 — The Department of National
Defense for Air has issued casualty list No. 825 of the RCAF showing next
of kin of Ontario men as follows:
Missing After Air Operations
WEAVER, Claude, D.F.M.and Bar, P/O Oklahoma City, U.S.A.
_________________________________________________
SEVEN FLIERS WIN AWARDS
Ottawa, March 19, 1944 - (CP) - Group Capt. Paul Davoud,
D.F.C., of Montreal and Kingston, veteran R.C.A.F. night fighter now serving
at a group headquarters overseas, has been awarded the Distinguished Service
Order in recognition of his brilliant leadership at intruder operations,
the R.C.A.F. announced Saturday.
The air force also announced awards of the D.F.C. to the following:
F/L J. R. Owen, Windsor, Ont.
F/L J. R. F. Johnson, Omemee. Ont., whose wife is serving in the R.C.A.F.
(W.D.) at St. Thomas.
F/L C. E. J. Murphy, Belleville.
P/O D. D. Graham, Vancouver.
P/O Claude Weaver, Oklahoma City, Okla., since reported missing.
F/O M. J. Gibbons, Vancouver.
_________________________________________________
WEAVER, P/O Claude III, DFC, DFM (J18784) - Mention
in Dispatches - (missing)
Award effective 8 June 1944 as per London Gazette of that date and
AFRO 1729/44 dated 11 August 1944. No citation in AFRO.
_________________________________________________
Victories Include :
17 July 1942,
one Bf.109 destroyed (Spitfire BR292);
22 July 1942,
two Bf.109s destroyed (Spitfire EP122);
23 July 1942,
two Bf.109s destroyed (EP122);
at 18, Weaver becomes the youngest Allied Ace of the War
24 July 1942,
1/2 Ju.88 destroyed (EP122, shared with another pilot)
2 August 1942, one
Bf.109 probably destroyed (Spitfire EP139);
17 August 1942, two Bf.109s destroyed
(Spitfire BR374);
25 August 1942, one Bf.109 probably
destroyed (BR374);
27 August 1942, one Ju.88 destroyed
plus
- one Ju.88 probably destroyed plus
- one Bf.109 destroyed (all in BR374);
9 September 1942, one MC.202 destroyed (Spitfire BR112 "X")
30 December 1943, one Bf.109 destroyed (Spitfire MH840);
21 January 1944, one FW.190 destroyed (Spitfire
MH829).
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* I have two sources that claim he had a Bar to go with
that DFM
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back to
Canadian Aces
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