Francis Stanley "Gabby" Gabreski USAAF   Colonel DSC, DSM, Silver Star, Legion of Merit, DFC w/12 OLCs,  Bronze Star Air Medal w/6 OLCs Légion d'honneur (Fr), Croix de Guerre w/Palm (Fr & Be) Krzyż Walecznych (Polish Cross of Valor) Born Franciszek Gabryszewski, 28 January 1919 Son of Polish immagrants who settled in Pennsylvania Doing poorly at Notre Dame Univ. when war broke out Joined the USAAC in 1940 Began initial flight training at Parks Air College, Illinois (almost washing out, he had to pass an extra check to move on) Did basic flight training at Gunter Army Air Base, Alabama He completed advanced training at Maxwell Field, Alabama (Winged and commisioned in March of 1941) Posted to Hawaii, he embarked aboard the SS Washington He was assigned to the 45th Sq of the 15th Pursuit Group at Wheeler Field, Hawaii where he met his future wife Kay Assigned to 315 (Polish) Sq. RAF, in January 1943 Assigned to the 61st FS, 56th FG, 27 Feb. 1943   20 July 1944, tour expried, he flew "just one more" mission before boarding his plane for his return back home While strafing planes at Bassenheim airfield his prop hit the ground and he was forced to crash-land becoming a POW Repartiated after the war, he finally married his girl, Catherine "Kay" Cochran, after a couple aborted attempts during the war Gabby stayed in the Air Force and later flew combat missions during the Korean conflict, shooting down a further 6.5 enemy aircraft

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FOES LOSE IN AIR TO AMERICAN ACES
Capt. Bong's 27 Planes Downed in Combat Puts Him at Top

(By The Associated Press) 13 April 1944 - Today's Southwest Pacific headquarters announcement that Capt. Richard Ira Bong has downed 27 enemy planes in combat makes him the leading American ace in number of planes shot down in combat, but second to Capt. Don S. Gentile of the European theater in the number destroyed both in the air and on the ground. Gentile, the Piqua Ohio fighter pilot who flies from Britain, is credited with 30 planes destroyed — 23 shot from the skies and seven others destroyed on the ground. Bong, who lives at Poplar, Wis., broke Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker's long-standing record of 26 planes shot down in combat in World War I by getting his 26th and 27th enemy plane over the Japanese base at Hollandia, New Guinea. Only planes destroyed in aerial combat are tallied in the Pacific theater while all planes destroyed, both on the ground and in combat, are credited to Eighth air force fliers in Britain, the navy keeps no official counts of individual victories but Lt. (jg) Ira Kepford of Muskegon, Mich., is credited with 16 Japanese planes. The Marine record of 26 planes downed is held jointly by Maj. Joe Foss of Sioux Falls, S.D. and Maj. Gregory Boyington of Okanogan, Wash., who is missing in action. Nineteen other army, navy and marine corps fliers have destroyed 15 or more enemy planes, and while Mediterranean theater records list no fliers among the top 24 with 15 or more planes to their credit, the two leaders there are Maj. Herschel Green of Mayfield, Ky., with 13 and Lt William J. Sloan of Richmond, Va. with 12. The leading aces are: European theater: Capt. Don S. Gentile, Piqua, Oh., 30; Capt. Robert S. Johnson, Lawton, Okla., 22; Capt. Duane W. Beeson, Boise, Ida., 21; Maj. Walker Mahurin, Fort Wayne, Ind., (missing) 21; Maj. Gerald Johnson, Owenton, Ky., (missing) 18; Maj. Walter Beckham, De Funiak Springs, Fla., (missing) 18; Maj. Francis S. Gabreski, Oil City, Pa., 17; and Lt.-Col. Glenn E. Duncan, Houston, Tex., 15.

Major "Gabby" Gabreski

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Nation's Top Air Ace Returning to Marry Prairie du Chien Girl

5 July 1944 - Prairie du Chien, Wis. (AP) - Miss Kay Cochran was more than a bit thrilled and excited Wednesday when she learned by long distance telephone from Grand Rapids, Mich., that her fiance, Lieut. Col. Francis Gabreski, Tuesday bagged his twenty-eighth plane in the European theater of war to become the top United States ace.
At an 8th air force fighter base in Britain Gabreski said he had made up his mind to shoot down 28 German planes before accepting a 30 day leave to return to the United States to marry Miss Cochran.
"There are no wedding plans yet," Miss Cochran said a bit breathlessly, but indicated that first order of business when Gabreski returns will be to discuss such plans. They will probably be married either in Oil City. Pa., Gabreski's home city, or in Prairie du Chien, where Miss Cochran is now living with her aunt, Mrs. Newton D. Bush, she said. Miss Cochran and Gabreski met in Hawaii about three years ago. They became engaged before the young pilot left for the European theater of operations in October. 1942.
Gabreski left a premedical course at the University of Notre Dame in 1940 to enlist as a cadet in the United States army. Following his arrival in Europe, he was assigned for a time with an RAF Polish squadron.
Miss Cochran lived in Grand Rapids with her aunt's family until the latter moved to Wisconsin in May.

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Johnson Bags 2 More, Boosts His Total to 35

LONDON, July 5, 1944 - (CP) - Canadian Spitfire pilots, their 28-year-old English leader, W/C James E. (Johnny) Johnson again setting the pace, destroyed seven German aircraft over Normandy today, raising to 65 the number of enemy planes knocked down by Canadian fighter wings in one week. Johnson, leading Allied air ace in the European theatre, shot down two planes today to bring his score to 35. F/O R. C. McRoberts of Calgary (& Scotland) also got two "kills" in today's triumphant sweep by the Canadian fliers that followed their spectacular success of July 3 when they got 19 of the 21 German planes destroyed over Normandy that day. The Canadians shot down 13 planes on June 30, and 26 on June 28.
One aircraft was missing after the day’s operations by the Canadian fighters, which culminated an active 24 hours for airmen of the R.C.A.F.
Canadian-manned Typhoon and Mustang fighter-bombers attacked bridges over the Orne and broke up a road leading to that river, while Bomber and Coastal Command crews also saw action, and intruders were out over France. Johnson's kills today brought his score to three more than the mark set during the Battle of Britain by Group Capt. A. G. (Sailor) Malan, who is not now on active operations, and the late Paddy Finucane, lost in action last year. Unofficially, Finucane was credited with 33 planes.

U.S. Pilot Gets 28th
Lt.Col. Francis Gabreski, 25-year-old fighter pilot, today became the leading ace of the United States Air Forces when he shot down an Me-109 near Evreux, France, for his 28th victory. He now will take a delayed leave and go home to Oil City, Pa., to get married. He had postponed his departure until he broke the American record.
In addition to his 28 planes destroyed in the air, Gabreski also is credited with destroying 2 on the ground.
Capt. Don S. Gentile, 23, of Piqua, Ohio, also is credited with destruction of 30 German planes. 23 brought down in the air and seven destroyed aground.
Also credited with 30 planes is Major James A. Goodson, 23, of Toronto, who has served in the R.C.A.F. and the United States Air Force, fifteen of his kills were in the air and 15 on the ground.
Air records also were broken in Russia, it was announced today. It was announced in Moscow that the record of 53 German planes shot down by Major Alexander Pokryshkin has been equaled by two other Soviet fliers, Lieut. Nikolai Gulayev and Capt. Gregory Rechkalov.
Johnson recently returned to active operations at his own request after a period of ground duty during which he aided in the planning of aerial coverage of the invasion. He previously had command of a Canadian wing and was given another on his return to active flying, which he prefers to desk work. The Canadians now are flying new Spitfires, armed with twin cannon and four machine-guns in the wings.
Top Canadian fighter ace is F/L George Beurling of Verdun, Que., with 31 shot down, most of them over Malta. He now is back in Canada.

Little Opposition
Aircraft of the R.A.F. 2nd Tactical Air Force had flown nearly 500 sorties by 6 p.m. with little opposition. A train with 15 tanks aboard was left in columns of dust and debris by bomb and rocket carrying Typhoons operating from Normandy bases.
F/L J. B. Kerr of Trenton, Ont., brought the number of aircraft destroyed in the air by the City of Edmonton Intruder Squadron to 90 when he shot down a JU-88 over Northern France early today. This squadron's grand total now is 136, including planes destroyed on the ground.
Three kills and several damaged, credited to R.C.A.F. airmen yesterday, also were reported tonight. F/L H. C. Trainor, Charlottetown, P.E.I., got two German planes southeast of Caen, and shared in the destruction of a third with S/L G. D. Robertson of Toronto.
McRobert's victims today were ME-109's. Both fell near Bernay.
Other kills yesterday were recorded by F/L R. K. Hayward, St. John's, Nfld., who destroyed a FW-190, and damaged a FW-190 and a ME-109, and F/Ls A. B. Whiteford, Midnapore, Alta., and R. S. Hyndman, Belleville, Ont., each damaged a ME-109.
In an attack on shipping early today, F/O J. H. A. Senecal of Rosetown, Sask., saw three bombs from his plane explode on an armed auxiliary off Dunkerque. Pieces of wreckage flew in all directions.

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The top two American aces in the European theater, Robert S. Johnson congratulates Gabby on a job well done

COL. GABRESKI GETS 28TH GERMAN PLANE Is Top-Scorning U. S. Ace Will Marry on 30-Day Leave A U.S. Eighth Air Force Fighter Base in Britain, 5 July 1944 - (AP) - Lt. Col. Francis Gabreski, 25-year-old Thunderbolt pilot who wanted to shoot down a 28th German plane before going home to get married, got his wish yesterday when he knocked down a Messerschmitt 109 near Evreux, France and became the top-scoring ace in the entire U.S. Air Force. Gabreski got his 27th last week, tying Maj. Robert S. Johnson of Lawton, Okla., and Maj. Richard I. Bong of Poplar, Wis. He had been pressing ever since for the 28th, but returned disconsolately yesterday, exclaiming: "We didn't see a thing - not a damned thing. I'm a sa-a-a-ad sack". Gabreski, an Oil City, Pa., boy, went out again today and promptly got his German. Now he will take his 30-day leave, during which he said he intended to marry Kay Cochran of Grand Rapids, Mich., a girl he met in Hawaii three years ago. Gabreski quit a pre-medical course at Notre Dame University to join the Air Force in 1940. He got his first German plane Aug. 24, 1943, and his enthusiastic ground crew had been predicting ever since that he would break the record.

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Col. Gabreski Is Top U.S. Ace

A U.S. Eighth Air Force Fighter Base in Britain, July 6, 1944 - (AP) - Lt Col. Francis Gabreski, 25-year-old Thunderbolt pilot who wanted to shoot down a 28th German plane before going home to got married, got his wish yesterday when he knocked down a Messerschmitt 109 hear Evreux, France, and became the top-scoring ace in the entire U.S. air force.
In addition to the 28 German planes he has shot down in aerial combat, Gabreski is also credited with destroying two on the ground for a total of 30 planes.
Capt. Don S. Gentile 23, of Piqua, Ohio, also is credited with 30 German planes — 23 shot down in the air and seven destroyed on the ground.
Just when he will go homo is not definite. In joking conversation with fellow filers tonight after dinner, Gabreski said. "I'm going to stay on until the first of August."

'Canadian' Has 35
"And get 35 or so as to get ahead of Johnson?" a friend asked, not knowing that Wing Commander J. E. (Johnny) Johnson, leader of a Canadian Spitfire wing, had got two more Germans yesterday for a score of 35.
Counting up the days left in July, Gabreski grinned and shook his head, "Aw, no, that'd mean too much."

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Flying Ace Tries To Boost Score A U.S. EIGHTH AIR FORCE FIGHTER BASE IN ENGLAND, 14 July 1944 - (AP) - Lt. Col. Francis Gabreski, of oil City, Pa., is beginning to despair of fattening his score of 28 Nazi planes shot out of the air. "I've flown five missions since I got the 28th." America's leading ace said today. "I haven't seen a thing or fired a shot. "I'm going to fly on through next week and then stooge around England for a while before I go home for thirty days leave Aug. 1." In addition to the 28 planes shot down, Gabreski has destroyed two on the ground. Capt. Don S. Gentile of Piqua, Ohio, also has a total of 30, of which 23 were destroyed in air combat. Col. Gabreski - looking to boost his score

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Yanks' Top Fighter Pilot Missing While In Action
28 Planes Felled in Air, 3 on Ground By Gabreski, Pearl Harbor Veteran

OIL CITY, Pa., July 29 (UP) — Lieut. Col. Francis Gabreski, the nation's leading fighter pilot, is missing in action, his family was notified today by the War Department. Colonel Gabreski, whose 28 planes destroyed in the air surpassed that of any other American flier, had been fighting in the European theater. He also has destroyed three planes on the ground. The flier's family said that the brief War Department telegram stated that Colonel Gabreski had been missing since July 20, the same day that be destroyed his 3rd plane on the ground during an attack on a German airfield. The news cut short plans for a community celebration which had been planned for Colonel Gabreski upon his scheduled return home early in August. Gabreski became the nations leading air ace when he shot down his 28th plane near Evreux, France on July 5th. Col. Gabreski was flying at Pearl Harbor on the day the Japs attacked. Of his part in that fight he only would say: "I was in the air." Sent to England he joined a Polish RAF squadron and won the Polish Cross of Valor. His other decorations include the Distinguished Service Cross and Distinguished Flying Cross. He was to have married Miss Catherine Cochran of Grand Rapids, Mich. after his arrival home. He met Miss Cochran in Hawaii three years ago.

Gabreski Reported Missing

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Top Yank Ace Missing Over Germany, Report
Badger Girl, Home Town Worried

KAY COCHRAN "There Is Nothing I Can Do But Pray for Him"

The news came as a great shock to his parents and to friends and neighbors in this northwest Pennsylvania oil town, which was in the midst of its preparations to give Gabreski a fitting welcome when he returned home on a leave of absence. He had been expected "early in August." PRAYS FOR HIS SAFETY At Prairie du Chien, Wis., lovely 20 year old Kay Cochran, who was to have married Gabreski on his return home, left her packed luggage and her wedding plans and knelt in St. John's church to pray for the safety of her fiance. The grief stricken girl said quietly to her friends: "There is nothing I can do but pray for him." For the flier's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Gabrysewski (who retain the Polish spelling of the surname), the word that the ace was missing was bitter news, coming only a couple of days after they had received joyful tidings, that their native city of Lublin, Poland, had been liberated by the Russians. The only word received by the Gabryszewskis was a war department telegram informing them that their son was missing. Later in the day, however, the 8th air force fighter command confirmed the message but, for security reasons, refused to disclose details of the Thunderbolt's pilot's last mission.

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Oil City Mourns Missing Ace

OIL CITY, Pa., 29 July 1944 - (UP) - An entire community was stunned Saturday night by the news that the nation's leading fighter pilot, Lieut. Col. Francis S. Gabreski, is missing in action. A native son who worked in his father's grocery store, Colonel Gabreski gained nationwide acclaim when he shot down his 28th enemy plane last July 5 to become one up on his closest competitors for the title: America's No. 1 air ace. In the midst of plans for a district - wide celebration to mark his home-coming from England early next month came notification to his family from the war department that he has been missing since July 20 - the day he destroyed his third German plane on the ground. The other 28 were shot down in combat. Planned To Wed Colonel Gabreski also had something planned when he returned home - marriage to the girl he met in Hawaii three years ago, Miss Catherine Cochran of Prairie du Chien, Wis. The 25-year-old flier's family was hopeful that he will turn up as a prisoner of war. His sister Lottie said: "I can't talk about it." His last letter arrived July 17. In it he said he was "taking it easy" and hoped to leave for home Aug. 1. Mayor J. G. Payne announced that plans have been held in abeyance and collection of funds for the celebration has been halted. Colonel Gabreski, who cut short pre-medical studies at Notre Dame to enlist in the air corps in 1940, became America's leading ace during a raid near Evreux, France. His score of 28 was one better than that of Maj. Robert S. Johnson of Lawton, Okla., and Maj. Richard I. Bong of Poplar, Wis.

Happier Times - Friends gather around Gabby to hear how it was done. (But check out the guy on the left. He's two of Gabby)

Led Fighter Group
He commanded a fighter squadron which shot down more than 200 enemy planes, one of the highest squadron scores in the European theater. He was at Pearl Harbor during the Dec. 7, 1941, sneak attack, but all he would say of that day: "I was in the air."
He holds the distinguished service cross, the silver star, distinguished flying cross with six oak leaf clusters, air medal with four oak loaf clusters, and the Polish cross of valor, a reminder of his service with an RAF Polish squadron.
He has two brothers in the service - Theodore, a lieutenant colonel with the medical corps in India, and Max, at the Sampson (N.Y.) naval training station. A sister, Bernice, is a cadet nurse in training at St. Vincent's hospital, Erie, Pa.

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Oil City Air Ace Prisoner Of Nazis

WASHINGTON, 25 Aug. 1944 - Lieutenant Colonel Francis Gabreski, missing since he flew out on volunteer extra duty July 20, to protect his standing as America's all-time top air ace, is a prisoner of war.
The War Department, in making the bare announcement that the 25-year-old Oil City, Pa., flier is held in Germany, still withheld details of his last operational flight.
The fact that the Thunderbolt pilot was missing was announced in England, July 29, and the news that he is alive, though a prisoner, brought joy to his family at Oil City, and to Kay Cochran of Prairie du Chien, Wis., his 20-year-old fiancée.
At the time Gabreski was reported missing, his record stood at 28 enemy planes shot out of the air and three more destroyed on the ground.

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The "Impregnable Quadrilateral" - 'Hub' Zemke (56FG C/O), Dave Schilling, Gabby Gabreski & Fred Christensen

34 Army Air Force Aces Have Score of 15 or More
Maj. Bong Leads List with 40 Enemy Planes; Colonels Gabreski, Lynch Also Included

WASHINGTON, 22 Dec. 1944 (UP) — An honor roll of 34 Army Air Force fighter aces, each of whom has destroyed 15 or more enemy planes in combat, was issued by the War Department today and at the top of the list was Maj. Richard I Bong, of Poplar, Wis.
Among them, they have shot down a total of 689 1/4 German and Jap planes.
The Eighth Air Force, which operates in Europe against the Germans, had the most aces — 13 — with scores of 15 or better kills. The Fifth Air Force, operating in the Southwest Pacific, was next with 10, but it boasted the two top men - Maj. Bong and Maj. Thomas B. McGuire, of San Antonio, Tex., who has bagged 30 Jap planes.
Next in line were the 15th Air Force which operates in the Mediterranean and has four aces in the select circle; the Ninth which operates in Europe and has three top-ranking aces, and the 13th (based in the South Pacific) and the 14th (based in China) each with two.
Maj. Bong is credited with 38 kills but since the list was tabulated Dec. 15, he has run his bag to 40.
Other high ranking fighter pilots and their scores were:

Lt. Col. Francis S. Gabreski, of 95 Spruce St., Oil City, Pa., Eighth A.F., 28 (Prisoner of war In Germany)
Maj. Robert S. Johnson, Lawton, Okla., Eighth A.F., 27.
Maj. George E. Preddy, Greensboro, N.C., Eighth A.F., 24.
Capt. Don S. Gentile, Piqua, O., Eighth A.F., 23.
Maj. Gerald R. Johnson, Eugene, Ore., Fifth A.F., 23.
Maj. Fred J. Christensen Jr., Watertown, Mass., Eighth A. F., 22.
Col. Neel E. Kearby, Dallas. Tex., Fifth A. F., 22. (Missing in action).
Col. Glenn E. Duncan, Houston, Tex., Eighth A.F., 21 1/2 (Missing in action).
Capt. John J. Voll, Goshen, O., 15th A.F., 21.
Maj. Walker M. Mahurin, Fort Wayne, Ind., Eighth A.F., 21.
Maj. Jay T. Robbins, Coolidge, Tex., Fifth A.F., 21.
Lt. Col. Robert B. Westbrook, Hollywood, Cal., 13th A.F., 20.
Col. Charles H. MacDonald, St. Petersburg. Fla., Fifth A.F., 20.
Lt. Col. Thomas J. Lynch, of Catasauqua, Pa., Fifth A.F. 26, (killed in action)
[Col. Lynch was an engineering student at the University of Pittsburgh and was graduated in
1940. His widow, a Swissvale resident, was the former Rosemary Fullen, of 7368 Schley Ave.]
Col. Hubert Zemke, Missoula, Mont., Eighth, 19 1/2.
Lt. Col. David C. Schilling, Traverse City, Mich., Eighth, 19.
Col. David L. Hill, Victoria, Tex., 14th A.F., 18 1/2.
Capt. John T. Godfrey, Woonsocket, R. I., Eighth, 18 (prisoner of war in Germany).
Lt. Col. Herschel H. Green, Mayfield, Ky., 15th A.F., 18.
Capt. Duane W. Beesen, Boise, Ida., Eighth, 18 (prisoner of war in Germany).
Maj. Walker Carl Beckham, Defuniak Springs, Fla., Eighth, 18 (prisoner of war in Germany).
Maj. Don M. Beerbower, Hill City, Minn., Ninth A.F., 17 1/2 (killed in action).
Capt. James S. Varnell, Charleston, Tenn., 15th, 17.
Capt. Cyril F. Homer, Sacramento, Cal., Fifth, 17.
Maj. Edward Cragg, Cos Cob, Conn., Fifth, 17 (missing in action).
Capt. Glen T. Eagleston, Alhambra, Cal., Ninth, 16 1/2.
Lt Col. William N. Reed. Marion, Ia., 14th, 16 1/2.
Maj. George S. Welch, Wilmington, Del., Fifth, 16.
Lt. Col. Richard E. Turner Bartlesville, Okla., Ninth, 16.
Maj. Samuel J. Brown, Tulsa, Okla., 15th, 15 1/2.
Maj. Bill Harris, Springville, Cal., 13th A.F., 15.
Capt. Richard A. Peterson, Alexandria, Minn., Eighth, 15.

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1945

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Gabreski to Wed June 10

Prairie du Chien, Wis. 28 May 1945 - (AP) — Lt Col. Francis S. (Gabby) Gabreski, American flying ace, and Kay Cochrane of Prairie du Chien revealed Sunday that they will be married June 10 and that it will be their third attempt to be wed.
"I sure hope this one makes the grade," said the Oil City, Pa., flyer credited with downing 28 German planes in combat.
Colonel Gabreski and Miss Cochrane said that they planned to be married in Hawaii before the war but the Pearl Harbor attack interrupted.
The marriage then was set for last August when Colonel Gabreski was expected home from England, but he was forced down in enemy territory and taken prisoner. He was recently freed and returned to the United States.

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Mother Overjoyed to See Famed Son Back Safe in U.S.

PITTSBURGH, 2 June 1945 - (AP) - Joyful tears welled into the eyes of Mrs. Stanley Gabryszewski today as she embraced her flying ace son, Lt. Col. Francis S. Gabreski, for the first time in nearly two and one-half years.
The tanned, rosy-cheeked flyer arrived by train from Chicago this morning and within a few minutes was whisked by his mother and sister, Lottie, into an automobile en route to his Oil City, Pa., home.
"Don't cry, mom - be good," he consolingly told his mother during the tearful embrace. "I'm going to see you lots and lots."

Will Be Married
In the states on a 60-day leave after 10 months in a German prison camp, Col. Gabreski said he plans to stay in Oil City until "a couple of days" before June 11, when he is to be, married at Prairie du Chien, Wis., to winsome Kay Cochran, his college sweetheart.
"I'm just going to sit down and relax," the ace, with 28 enemy planes to his credit, said when asked about his plans for the next few days.
What about later plans?
"Well, it looks like I'll stay in the army for a long time. I intend to he a regular army man - make a career of it." the 26-year-old ace disclosed, "and I definitely want to go to the Pacific to tackle the Japs."
Leader of a Thunderbolt fighter squadron, the stocky ace was forced down July 20, 1944, and taken prisoner.

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Col. Gabreski Claims Bride in Ceremony Twice Put Off Prairie du Chien, Wis., 11 June 1945 - (AP) - The wedding that might have taken place 10 months ago if the prospective bridegroom, an ace combat flier, had resisted the urge to add to his bag of 28 Nazi planes, was held here Monday morning. Principal in the ceremony were Lt. Col. Francis S. Gabreski of Oil City, Pa. and Kay Cochran, dark haired Prairie du Chien girl. They were married at St. John's Catholic Church. They became engaged in Hawaii, but the Jap attack on Pearl Harbor blasted their marriage plans. Kay went to Grand Rapids, Mich., with her aunt, the wife of Col. Newton Bush, and Gabreski remained in Hawaii until October 1942, when he was ordered to Europe. Last July Gabreski completed his missions and was eligible for a leave. The wedding was set for August and Kay busied herself with the purchase of a trousseau. Gabreski volunteered for a raid on Germany and was forced to bail out. At first he was reported missing. Then it was learned he had been taken prisoner. A month ago he was liberated and on May 21 he returned to the States. Kay pinched herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming, and made a bee line for her hope chest. Gabby flew to Prairie du Chien. Father Paul Monarski of St John's Catholic Church performed the ceremony. Afterward, Gabby and Kay left for Washington. He has a 60 day leave coming, and then he wants to "take a crack at the Japs." (left) Lt. Col. Francis S. Gabreski, air ace, and Kay Cochran smiled Sunday as they listed wedding gifts. They were to have been married Monday in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin.

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WEDDING MADE GRADE
Was Twice Interrupted By War Before Taking Place Today

Prairie du Chien, 11 June 1945 - (AP) - The wedding which twice was interrupted by the war, once in the Pacific and once in Europe, was solemnized today at Our Lady of the Angels Campion Academy when Lt. Col. Francis S. Gabreski finally claimed lovely Kay Cochran as his bride.
In the words of the 26-year-old fighter ace, who twice was a bridegroom-elect but never a spouse, "this one made the grade."
The church was the same church where Miss Cochran planned to use her wedding gown ten months ago and where instead she went to pray when Colonel Gabreski was lost in a final sortie over Germany, made after his regular tour in an attempt to add to his bag of 28 enemy planes.
But even then, the wedding gown's secret had been well kept and no one, not even the groom, knew what the bride would wear when she came down the aisle. The pair's first plans to wed were made in Hawaii, where Miss Cochran lived with her aunt and Gabreski was stationed. Japan's assault substituted zeroes for the date and the waiting began.
Gabreski, taken prisoner by the Germans last July, was liberated a month ago and returned to the United States May 21.

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At Last Plans For Wedding Are Realized

Prairie du Chien, Wis., 11 June 1945 - (AP) - A man who came back and the girl who prayed for him joined hands at the altar of Our lady of the Angels today after reaching the end of a bridal aisle which twice was blocked by war and led from the gaiety of prewar Honolulu to a German prison camp and finally to a chapel in a Mississippi river town.
Lt. Col. Francis S. Gabreski had said of the ceremony, "I hope this one makes the grade," and 250 friends and relatives who watched him slip a diamond-set circlet on the finger of lovely Kay Cochran in the Chapel of Campion Jesuit Academy bore witness that it did.
Gabreski, 26-year-old Oil City, Pa., ace who saw one set of wedding plans go up in smoke at Pearl Harbor when Miss Cochran and her aunt, wife of Army Col. Newton G. Bush were evacuated on 24-hour notice, spent the 2nd tentative wedding day last August, in a German prison camp after "one last sortie" to add to his bag of 28 enemy planes before heading home.

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Beurling Ranks Fourth Among European Aces

By FRED BACKHOUSE, London, 15 July 1945 - (CP) - Group Captain J. E. (Johnny) Johnson, English-born, former leader of a crack Canadian Spitfire wing, has been officially recognized as "ace of aces" among Allied fighter pilots who fought over Europe.
Final scoring records, compiled by The Canadian Press from figures supplied by the RAF, RCAF, and United States 8th and 9th Air Forces, put this peace-time accountant from the Leicestershire town of Loughborough at the top of the list with 38 German planes destroyed.
G/C Johnson, who so closely identified himself with his otherwise all-Canadian squadron that he wore "Canada" on his shoulder, has often given much of the credit for his success to the Canadians who flew with him. "It's all a combination play," he said. Many of his men themselves became "aces."
Of the first 16 places supplied by the air forces, fourth is held by a Canadian - F/L George (Buzz) Beurling, DSO, DFC, DFM and Bar, of Verdun, Que. - and 11 by RAF pilots. For the record, only those with more than 24 "kills" were offered by the three services as their top men. Official final scores are:

G/C J. E. Johnson (RAF), 38
G/C A. G. Malan (RAF) 29.5
S/L B. Finucane (RAF), 29
F/L G. Beurling (RCAF), 30
W/C Stanford Tuck (RAF), 28
W/C J. R. D. “Bob” Braham (RAF), 29
An anonymous Polish sergeant [Czech pilot Josef Frantisek -jf] (RAF), 28
W/C F. R. Carey (RAF), 26
Lt/Col F. S. Gabreski (U.S. 8th), 28
Maj. G. E. Preddy (U.S. 8th) 27
W/C C. Caldwell (RAF), 28½
Capt. R. S. Johnson (U.S. 8th) 27
S/L J. H. Lacey (RAF), 28
F/L E. S. Lock (RAF), 26
Lt/Col J. C. Meyer (U.S. 8th), 24½

[I have modified these scores to be more accurate -jf]

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Looking Ahead In The Capital Washington, 7 July 1945 - Jet Planes: Lieut. Col. Francis Gabreski, of Oil City, Pa., the top fighter ace of the U.S. Air Force in Europe, says German jet planes are far ahead of American types. On that testimony, we'll have to keep our eyes peeled in the Pacific, because former Nazi Air Chief Goering claims that blueprints of German jets were turned over to the Japs, and the Tokyo radio has been broadcasting about the performance of a Messerschmitt 262 Jet-propelled fighter. Gabreski, with 28 Jerries in the air and three more on the ground to his credit, tried a German Jet and he says it will fly rings around ours. Gabreski is seen here with 33 German flags on the side of his plane. I'm not sure when this photo was taken as he got his 33rd the day he was taken prisoner. Note the score of 33 includes ground kills which, at the time, were being counted as kills by the 8th Air Force in an attempt to get pilots to destroy enemy planes on the ground. Many felt it was too dangerous and left the strafing of 'dromes to others

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Victories Include :

28 in ww2 (+ 3 OTG [On The Ground]. One shown, not sure when the other 2 were) & 6.5 in Korea

34.5 / 1 / 1

* Shared with Bill Whisner

Score details from wikipedia

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