Capt. Robert H. (Bob) McCampbell
flew the P-51 Mustang “Jo-Baby” (4-413263) while assigned
to the 4th Fighter Squadron, 52nd Fighter Group, 15th USAAF,
Mediterranean Theater. He joined the 4th Squadron in Sicily,
July 1943. His duty continued through April 1944 as the 52nd
converted from British Spitfires to American Mustangs. For his
40 long range Mustang escort missions and 40 previous combat
interdiction missions flying Spitfires, he was twice awarded
the Distinguished Flying Cross as well as the Air Medal with
9 Oak leaf Clusters and the Purple Heart. He and his fellow Mustang
pilots also shared in the Award of the Presidential Unit Citation
for outstanding heavy bomber protection. Bob was credited, while
flying Spitfires, with his first aerial victory, a German Henschel-126
and the “dive-bomb” sinking of a large, armed, enemy
freighter. Flying the Mustang, Bob was credited with two more
aerial victories, an ME-109 and a Macchi-205 as well as two Me-109
”probables.” His 3rd victory confirmation and a promotion
to Captain awaited Bob in August 1944 as he returned from leading
a 12 Mustang, 4th Squadron, 1000 mile “shuttle mission”
from Madna, Italy to the USSR. Since, en-route, the Squadron
had deflected a superior force of enemy fighters headed for the
escorted Bombers, the 4th Squadron C.O. recommended Bob for the
“Silver Star” award.
From covering the early landings in North Africa in November
1942, till the German surrender in May 1945, the 52nd Squadrons
scored 425.33 confirmed aerial victories, plus 35 probables,
137 damaged, and pinned down and destroyed countless enemy resources
on the ground. The 52nd Fighter Group was awarded two Distinguished
Unit Citations, one for a mission to Germany on June 9, 1944,
and the second for a mission to Rumania on August 31, 1944. -
Signed by Robert H. McCampbell. |