Victor Nicholas "Vic" Cabas   RCAF  &  USAAF   -   Captain Distinguished Flying Cross From New Castle, Pennsylvania Vic Cabas made his first claim on August 19th 1942 over Dieppe while flying with the RCAF's 403 sq. during what would become known as one of the biggest air battles of WW2 Soon after he transferred to the USAAF and joined the 52nd group's 4th fighter Sq. and moved to Tunisia in North Africa where in the Spring of 1943 he had considerable success. Here he continued to fly Spitfires and all his subsequent claims were made while flying a Spitfire. Thus, Vic Cabas became one of the few American Spitfire aces. Flew with and eventually commanded the 494th Squadron in 1944 His final claim, an Me109, was made on the 19th of April 1943 and was shared with John Blythe After the War he stayed in the USAF and rose to the rank of Brigadier General

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Borden Graduates Get Wings From Mothers

Camp Borden, Dec. 19, 1941 (Staff) — A happy innovation was introduced here tonight when a large group of graduates of No. 1 Service Flying Training School received their wings. Mothers who were present to see their sons graduate were invited by Group Captain R. S. Grandy, commandant of the school, to perform the ceremony. Other fliers received their wings from Squadron Leader J. McCulloch, chief instructor.
Group Captain Grandy commented on the help that had been given by the school at Hagersville in putting the men through the course, and thanked the residents of Barrie and neighborhood for the invitations for Christmas that had been received at the camp.
Squadron Leader McCulloch announced that the United States citizens who had started their training with the R.C.A.F., before their own country entered the war had expressed the desire to continue their service in the Canadian force.
J. C. Copeland of Brantford headed the class and received immediate promotion to the rank of pilot officer. Other Ontario fliers who were promoted at the same time were: J. M. Gibson, Kingsville; R. H. Walker, Niagara Falls, and D. A. McIntosh, Parkhill. Three Americans (including Vic Cabas & Al Harrington) and thirteen Australians also were appointed to commissions.
Other Ontarians who graduated were Sergeants J. G. R. Arsenault, Windsor; B. V. Crist, Wallaceburg; H. J. Dowding, Sarnia; J. D. Fairbairn, Windsor; L. A. Frost, Kingsville; J. N. Goldberg, Toronto; F. S. Jamieson, Durham; R. Morris, Windsor; K. J. Thompson, Paris; J. W. Tindale, Toronto; W.G.R. Smith, Mount Brydges, and G. D. Warriner, Toronto.

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U.S. Lieutenants knocked down a German Messerschmitt

At an advanced United States fighter base in northern Tunisia, April 22, 1943 - Lieut. John K. Blythe, 24, White City Kansas and Lieut. Victor Cabas, New Castle, Pennsylvania were given joint credit for knocking down a German Messerschmitt April 19.

The German was one of six which suddenly attacked one of the planes in their squadron. The Americans shot down three of the six in action, which was one of several in which squadron engaged that day.

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Lieut. Cabas Bags Messerschmitt

Lieut. Victor N. Cabas South Jefferson St., New Castle, PA brought down a German Messerschmitt with the help of a companion fighter when his squadron swept over Tunis April 19, protecting a group of bombers pounding enemy airdromes, it was revealed today.
The story of the battle was told by Sylvan Field, former Lynn Massachusetts dairyman who knocked down seven German combat planes in less than a month, in an Associated Press dispatch.
After the bombers left the targets, he said, “Our six Spitfires spotted four Focke-Wulfs down low. We dived on them and in the attack that followed I closed on one and after firing at him saw the enemy pilot bailout as bullets struck the cockpit. During this fracas, another of our pilot suddenly was attacked by six Messerschmitts. One got directly on his tail. I turned inside him and fired. He exploded with my first burst. We were right above ground at the time and they were throwing flak up at us by the bushel.”
Sylvan said, ”three other fellows in our squadron got two more Messerschmitts in that mix up." The commanding officer, Maj. Robert Levine of Columbus brought down one and Lieut. Cabas and John Blye of White City Kansas accounted for the other.
A Vindicator story April 16 reported that Lieut. Cabas recently got his fourth enemy plane during a raid over Sicily. He enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force before Pearl Harbor, was transferred to the American Air Forces, and is a veteran of the Dieppe raid

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Bobby Reed Dies in Action
Officer in RCAF Fought with Montgomery

(Special to the Vindicator) Lowellville, April 24, 1943 - Flying Officer, Robert B. Reed of the Royal Canadian Air Force, the fair haired man villagers new as Bobby Reed who rode about town on a bicycle and tossed giggling children up in the air, has been killed in action.
A cablegram from his commanding Officer reached Lowellville as his mother Mrs. C. B. Reed was attending Good Friday services at Holy Rosary Church. The message simply said he was killed in action on April 22 and that a letter follows.
Flying Officer Reed was stationed in Egypt after finishing his training in Canada, but since January has been in England. The last word received by the family said that at the end of a leave he expected to rejoin the squadron.
Reed was in Army cooperation flying in which cooperated in attacks, strafing enemy troops, bombing out artillery nests and the like.
Born in Lowellville 25 years ago, Reed was a son of Mr. and Mrs. C.B. Reid. He graduated from old Mill high school and was a senior at the University of Mississippi when he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force.
At Christmas time in 1941 he brought three Australian Air Force pilots with him to Lowellville for a visit. The four were Victor N. Cabas, Norman Clark, Kenneth H. Slatyer and John B. Horgan. Cabas, originally from New Castle Pennsylvania, figured in the news several weeks ago when he downed his fourth plane in an air raid over Sicily. More recently, he bagged another plane, this time with the help of a fellow fighter accompanying him on a sweep over Tunis.
Reed was stationed outside of Alexandria Egypt, when German Gen. Rommel's forces pushed near to that city he also was in Egypt when Gen. Montgomery’s army pushed the Axis forces back across the desert.
Besides his parents, he leaves three sisters, Mrs. Margaret Kerwin of Kent; Mrs. Katherine Hammer of Cleveland and Mrs. Betty Brooks of Columbus, and a brother, Arthur Reed, a teacher in Lowellville high school.
His father, for many years, was superintendent of the Lowellville water and electric department and Robert, in vacation, sometimes worked for the Lowellville board of public affairs.

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New Castle Airman Wins Flying Cross

New Castle, Pennsylvania, March 18, 1944 - For extraordinary achievement in aerial combat through the North African campaign, Lieut. Victor N. Cabas of New Castle has been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Lieut. Cabas was a member of the fighter group under the command of Col. Dixon M. Allison of Oklahoma, who presented the New Castle pilot with the decoration.
Flying Spitfire type aircraft, Lieut. Cabas was officially credited with destroying four enemy planes in combat. Now stationed at Walterboro South Carolina with a fighter bomber group, Lieut. Cabas is “anxious to get back into action for another crack at the Nazis".

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Board Inducts Men Over 26

(Special to the Vindicator) New Castle Pennsylvania, April 26, 1944 - Apparently the reported halt in drafting of men over the age limit of 26 years, affects only part of the men in this country. Announcement made by Newcastle board No. 1 of the latest list of men called to report for induction within 10 days, includes a large proportion of the older men. They were examined sometime ago at Pittsburgh.
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Morrow of 1st Ave., Ellwood City, have received word from the War Department that their son S/Sgt. George R. Morrow, is missing in action over Germany. S/Sgt. Morrow was a gunner aboard a Flying Fortress, and had been awarded a number of decorations for flying missions over Europe. He has been in service for two years and overseas since June 1943.
Word has been received here that first Lieut. Victor N. Cabas, Newcastle flyer, who has received many decorations for valor, is now a captain.
His promotion came recently while he was in England. Capt. Cabas was originally with the Canadian forces, but transferred to the U.S. flying service at the outbreak of war for Americans. He has flown over 125 missions.
W. A. More is assuming the duties of Newcastle City Hall as city controller. He was named recently by city Council to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of city controller S. L. Lockley, who resigned to enter naval service.
Mr. and Mrs. H. J. Kenehan, of R. D. 2, Youngstown Road, have received the Purple Heart decoration awarded their son, Cpl. Norman J. Kenehan, who was seriously wounded in action in Italy February 19. According to latest word received here, he is recovering as well as can be expected.

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Cabas (right) stands with is Crew Chief in front of his P-47 "Ma Cherie II"

Captain Victor Cabas of New Castle Home

(Special to the Vindicator) New Castle Pennsylvania August 22, 1944 - With a record of 187 missions over the European battlefronts, Capt. Victor N. Cabas, is back in New Castle on a brief leave.
Capt. Cabas has been in the service since before the United States entered the war, joining the Canadian Air Force and then transferring to the US forces after America got into the war. He flew over Africa, Italy, Germany, France, and most of the countries of Europe during his service.
He holds many decorations for his service, has had a number of close calls when his plane was hit.
Capt. Cabas was home about a year ago and then returned to the European battlefront for another year of service.

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Victories Include :

(4 + 2 shared) or 5 / 0 / 0

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