Assistance to Captain Richard Peterson while flying his famous Hurry Home Honey
By Mark Stepelton
On May 9, 1944, our 364th Fighter Squadron received orders to attack a target in Metz, Germany. I was flying on Capt. Richard Peterson’s wing as we crossed the North Sea toward the target. We made it a standard procedure to examine each other’s plane to make sure there would be no mechanical emergencies before we began a “dog fight.”
Early in our flight, I noticed a slight vapor coming from Peterson’s aircraft. I called “Pete” and told him of the situation. “Pete” told me it must be a coolant leak from the color of the vapor. “Pete” was now trying to determine the best action to take. He hated to miss a “dog fight” and yet previous problems with the Mustang coolant ended up with the pilot being killed as the aircraft exploded due to overheating, and in some instances the pilot elected to “bail out”, becoming a POW.
Capt. Peterson advised me that he elected to return to England, so we made an 180 degree turn and headed for England. We were very cautious now because the Germans now must have determined that one plane was having problems and would be an easy “kill” for them. I kept on scanning the entire area for a German aircraft. Quite soon I noticed two aircraft approaching our rear and at the same altitude.
We both felt that the approaching aircraft would be German, so we began discussing a course of action. Capt. Peterson decided to pick up airspeed by lowering his nose slightly while not adding power to the plane. I would make an 180 degree turn and make a “head on” attack on the two enemy aircraft.
I made the 180 degree turn and as soon as I did the Germans evidently did not want a “dog fight” that would have ended with at least one being shot down, turned 180 degrees and headed back to Germany. We both were greatly relieved of that pressure.
After reviewing the conditions of “Hurry Home Honey” Capt. Pete decided to watch the engine temperature very carefully and when the island of England came into view, we both thanked God for helping us. Capt. Peterson made an excellent landing and soon the emergency units had his aircraft under control. We both were “wet with sweat.” Our teamwork had saved the situation from being a disaster. Captain Richard Peterson became one of the top “Aces” of the 357th Fighter Group.
June 29, 1944 Rescue
Captain Mark Stepelton, 364th Fighter Squadron
This date, June 29, 1944, is one of the most memorable of my combat tour against the Germans. Our mission was called RAMROD, which meant we would provide fighter protection for B-17 heavy bombers who will attack targets in Leipsig, Germany. The target was heavily protected with flak and German fighters.
Arriving in the target area, German fighters attacked our bombers in force, trying to score victories. Our fighters followed the Germans leaving the main bomber force unprotected. After talking to crews of our bombers, pleading with us for fighter protection, a few of us climbed to the area where we could see activity. The few of us had split up. I destroyed a FW 190 and decided to escort bombers until my fuel became quite low, at which time I headed toward England.
Upon reaching our base at Leiston, England, I was immediately picked up and taken to operations where our Squadron Commanding Officer, Lt. Col. John Storch, announced that he had just received an urgent message that a B-17 bomber is down in the North Sea off Holland, where some German fighters are firing at the crew of ten men.
Col. Storch asked if I would refuel and immediately takeoff and receive flight instructions from our base locator section. I took off alone and was contacted by the English Air-Sea-Rescue unit for further directions.
As I approached the area where the aircraft was just slightly in view, I saw men in their dinghy’s (small life rafts). As soon as the German fighters became aware of my approach they evidently thought that more than one of our fighters was enroute, because they immediately ceased firing at our crew and headed east toward Holland.
I remained with the men until I observed the Air-Sea-Rescue team approaching. I returned to my base at Leiston feeling that we saved the lives of ten bomber crewmembers. Between the Leipsig mission of 4:35 and the Air-Sea-Rescue mission of 3:10 hours, my total flight time for that date was 7:45 hours.
General Information on Mark Stepelton
(Notes provided to Jim Anderson by Mark before he passed away July 2002.)
1. During combat over Germany in WWII flying the P-51 aircraft on 73 missions:
Promoted to 1st Lt. on April 1, 1944
Promoted to Capt. on June 23, 1944
Was a 1st Lt for 53 days. I feel my Flight saved hundreds of lives and many aircraft.
2. Escorted 8th Air Force Bombers on 36 missions (B-17s and B-24s) over enemy territory.
3. While a Captain:
Was a Flight Leader of 4 aircraft for 20 combat missions
Led the 364th Fighter Squadron o 9 combat missions (16 aircraft)
Led the entire 357th Fighter Group on 2 Fighter missions.
4. On July 14, 1944, near Lyon, France, I participated in a very important ” Top Secret” mission protecting 8th Air Force Bombers while dropping supplies to the underground forces called the “Maquis”. French underground forces caused serious problems for Germany by destroying many ammunition dumps and troop trains taking men and supplies to the German front. Some of our troops assisted the “Maquis.” We dropped our troops (special) by parachutes at designated locations
Our Squadron (364th FS) was selected to protect at all costs the 359 8th Air Force Bombers who were dropping supplies via parachute from a very low level flight, about 500 feet. We were told that we must destroy any German Fighters who might report the “Maquis” activities.
My wingman, Lt Reed and I were attacked by 20 FW 190 German Fighters. A dogfight resulted at tree top level. As I got on the tail of two Fighters, they split up and I chased a long nose FW190 west and finally got close enough to fire a burst from my machine guns. My shells started hitting his aircraft at the tail and up to his cockpit. His aircraft hit the ground and exploded. I claimed that victory.
Our mission finished, we resumed our escort of the bomber force back to England. We were never given credit for that mission.
My flight time for that very important mission was six hours.
5. Disastrous Combat Mission, March 5, 1944
After a very long mission escorting Bombers to and from Berlin, Germany yesterday, we logged 5.5 hours and lost Mederious, a Flight Leader. And now Flight Headquarters selected our 357th Fighter Group for another long mission. This March 5, 1944 mission was given the orders to attack targets in Bordeaux, France area, mainly the German Bombers that are devastating our shipping in the Atlantic Ocean. We encountered a vast amount of resistance from enemy ground fire and there was much fighter activity and at one point a pilot (ours) said, “Hi Fellas, I just got hit, and have to bail out.” This pilot was Chuck Yeager. A new type long nose FW190 had got on Yeager’s tail and shot him up. We searched the area to make sure that Germans had not picked up Yeager.
After some additional damage was done our commander, Col. Spicer said, “Lads, let’s go home.” I was flying Lt. Col. Hayes wing as we headed toward England. Col. Hayes was our Squadron Commander. It appeared that Col. Spicer had damaged his plane on the strafing runs and now announced he was having considerable trouble keeping his plane in the air and would have to bail out quite soon. The Colonel was over water, as we were, and we told him that we would request the English Air Sea Rescue to pick up the Colonel. He had gotten into his dinghy and was paddling out to sea. He was not going to give up. Lt. Col. Hayes ordered a flight to go to our base at Leiston, refuel and rearm and return to the area where Col. Spicer was down, so to give him cover while we waited for the Air Sea Rescue boats.
We were getting low on fuel so we had to return to Leiston. Upon arrival we expected to refuel and return to help cover Col. Spicer. Our Group Executive Officer had advised our Fighter Wing HQ, who refused to allow any of us to return to the area where Col. Spicer was down.
An International Red Cross message was issued for the Germans to pickup Col. Spicer. The Colonel became CO of a POW Camp in Germany. The Air Corp’s lost the finest of all Fighter Pilots for the duration of the war.
Colonel Russell Spicer was so mistreated by the Germans that he passed away a few years after WWII. Our loss was great!
June 29, 1944 Rescue
Captain Mark Stepelton, 364th Fighter Squadron
This date, June 29, 1944, is one of the most memorable of my combat tour against the Germans. Our mission was called RAMROD, which meant we would provide fighter protection for B-17 heavy bombers who will attack targets in Leipsig, Germany. The target was heavily protected with flak and German fighters.
Arriving in the target area, German fighters attacked our bombers in force, trying to score victories. Our fighters followed the Germans leaving the main bomber force unprotected. After talking to crews of our bombers, pleading with us for fighter protection, a few of us climbed to the area where we could see activity. The few of us had split up. I destroyed a FW 190 and decided to escort bombers until my fuel became quite low, at which time I headed toward England.
Upon reaching our base at Leiston, England, I was immediately picked up and taken to operations where our Squadron Commanding Officer, Lt. Col. John Storch, announced that he had just received an urgent message that a B-17 bomber is down in the North Sea off Holland, where some German fighters are firing at the crew of ten men.
Col. Storch asked if I would refuel and immediately takeoff and receive flight instructions from our base locator section. I took off alone and was contacted by the English Air-Sea-Rescue unit for further directions.
As I approached the area where the aircraft was just slightly in view, I saw men in their dinghy’s (small life rafts). As soon as the German fighters became aware of my approach they evidently thought that more than one of our fighters was enroute, because they immediately ceased firing at our crew and headed east toward Holland.
I remained with the men until I observed the Air-Sea-Rescue team approaching. I returned to my base at Leiston feeling that we saved the lives of ten bomber crewmembers. Between the Leipsig mission of 4:35 and the Air-Sea-Rescue mission of 3:10 hours, my total flight time for that date was 7:45 hours
