CPT Schlegel, More than a Name

Just a Name on a Wall: 8th Air Force WWII Aces. Captain Albert L. Schlegel, 4th Fighter Group, 13.5 kills

To many Albert L. Schlegel is just a name on a wall: to me & my brothers – “Uncle Sonny, “our favourite uncle: to my mother – Albert, her youngest & favourite sibling: to my grandmother – the favoured son: to his hometown, Garfield Heights, a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio – “Cleveland’s Ace:” to his fellow fighter pilots – “Smiley,” the last member of the Eagle Squadron & 4th Fighter Group killed in action on 28 August 1944. His last mission was an interdiction mission, the railyard in Alsace-Lorraine, France. He was hit, killed & buried near the birthplace of his maternal grandfather, Charles Honsberg.

My Uncle “Sonny,” born in August 1919, was just 12 years older than my older brother & 14 years older than I. My other brother, John was the youngest, a year & months younger than me.

When he turned 10, the Great Depression faced the nation. Like many kids growing up in Garfield Heights, “Sonny” had a paper route & held odd jobs. His father, a lawyer & judge, died when he was 3. Upon graduating from high school in 1939, with little or no employment opportunity available, he & a friend spent a month on a motorcycle tour of Mexico. It turned out so well, they planned a similar trip to Canada.

In September 1939, Germany invaded Poland. World War II had begun. Cleveland was always one of the nation’s focal points of aviation, especially during the annual Cleveland Air Races. Many youths growing up then immersed themselves in aviation & its heroes, & they looked toward the sky for their future. “Sonny” was no different. Following September 1939, we kids saw increased air traffic over our backyard. Living near the airport, I clearly remember the flights of Lockheed Hudsons, Douglas Havocs & other military aircraft headed to join the Air Forces of England & France.

Early fall 1940, my uncle & his school buddy headed north on their trip to Canada. Several weeks later he telephoned his mother from Canada, saying “I sold my motorcycle & joined the Royal Canadian Air Force.” His flight training began almost immediately. His initial flight instructor was an RAF veteran with combat experience flying antique Brewsters in support of the Finns as the Russians, then a German ally, invaded Finland. His instructor loved to fly low & under bridges: a frowned on activity. But my uncle’s instructor was a fighter pilot, & his lead was obeyed. Advanced training followed in Harvards (North American T-6). Graduating in October 1941, “Sonny” received his RAF wings, & was designated a Flight Sergeant with three stripes. He was granted leave & was posted to depart for England in November 1941. He headed south for a quick visit to Garfield Heights & family before leaving for England. To my brothers & I, he was bigger than life, to my mother, her sisters & my grandmother he was the focus of their thoughts & prayers.

Arriving in England, my uncle was assigned to combat training in Hawker Hurricanes & posted to a RAF unit. In January 1941, the German battle ship Titpitz had assumed station in Norway. The Tirpitz was the target of repeated RAF attacks. During a spring 1942 attack on the Tirpitz, my uncle’s RAF squadron was alerted to scramble. On the way to his Hurricane, the truck he was riding in hit a bomb crater. He was thrown from the back of the truck, over the cab & onto the hood. His ankle was broken. Six months later as a Flight Officer, he was cleared again for flying status. He received assignment to the 121 (Eagle) Squadron in the Debden area, flying Spitfires.

When the Eighth Air Force arrived in England, they lacked experienced combat fighter pilots & began assimilating the American RAF volunteers. The 121 Squadron became the 335th Fighter Squadron. RAF “Blues” were changed to “Pinks & Greens,” & British ranks were discarded for American. My uncle initially became a Second Lieutenant, shortly later he was promoted to First Lieutenant. As with his squadron mates, these volunteers always remained in the hearts of the English for their early volunteer service. With American pilot wings & ribbons over their blouse pocket on the left & RAF wings over the pocket on the right, they were easily recognized by the British people.

The 335th continued to fly Spitfires until March 1943 when the “Spits” were replaced with P-47 Thunderbolts. My uncle’s infrequent letters home related his experiences. It was heady stuff for us kids. For the members of the 4th Fighter Group, their lives were filled with daily danger escorting the bombers bound for targets in Germany & elsewhere.

On 2 October 1943 “Smiley” Schlegel had his first “kill,” an ME 109. Activity picked up beginning with Big Week in February 1944. In March 1944, the Group switched to P-51 Mustangs. This transition came just in time for the 4th to participate in the March 1944 raids to Berlin. Returning from this first Berlin daylight raid, my uncle belly landed his “new” P-51 on the airstrip at Debden. It was later repaired & returned to service. That month he also became a Flight Leader. As the fighters were freed up for aggressive action, his aerial activities picked up. He became an “Ace” on April 22. Two days later, he added two more 109’s to his credit & shared a kill on a third. This share was with Don Blakeslee, Commander of the 4th & another Ohioan. These victories were followed daily in the Cleveland newspapers & he was feted in the news as “Cleveand’s Ace.” The daily reports ran like a horse race between him & Don Gentile, also in the 335th & another “Ohioan”–heady stuff reading about your uncle in the daily newspapers.

Now a Captain, nearly three years after arriving in England, he was sent on stateside leave shortly before D-Day. He arrived home in Garfield Heights on June 9th. The celebrations began & for the next few weeks we kids basked in his fame. Then it was time for his return to the war, in late June. In August, he was designated the 355th’s Squadron Operations Officer, & was in line for promotion to Major. However, German flak intervened. After pulling up after a strafing attack on the Alsace marshalling yard, his plane was hit, triple A, from a flak tower. His final transmission was, “I been hit”, as he entered the clouds above the railyard. No one remembered seeing his P-51 after that. It was assumed his aircraft blew up after entering the clouds. Rumours persisted that he had bailed out, but none proved true. He was carried as “Missing” for quite a while, before he was declared “Killed in Action.”

Dark days filled our home & lives for at least a year. In mid-1948, the military area located at the Cleveland Airport was dedicated as Albert Schlegel Air Base. However, a little over a year later it ceased to exist. Awards honouring my uncle included the Distinguished Flying Cross with four Oak Leaf Clusters, the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, European Campaign Medals & a Purple Heart. His victories were 13.5 confirmed kills & 2.5 probables, a total of 15. Ten were air & 5 were ground victories. The National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force lists only his confirmed kills & current Air Force tallies count only the confirmed air victories.

Now, many years after my uncle’s death, each time I pass the Mighty Eighth Air Force Aces’s Plaque, I look at his name, say hello, & remember what a great uncle he was. Now, it’s not just a name on a wall.

Captain Albert L. Schlegel served as a fighter pilot first in 121 (Eagle) Squadron & then in the 4th Fighter Group. Courtesy of the Association of the 4th Fighter Group

Captain Albert L. Schlegel with his crew chief, S/Sgt Paul Grimm on their kite WD-O. Courtesy of the Association of the 4th Fighter Group

by Perry R. Nuhn, Colonel USAF (ret), Museum Volunteer

Former Director Information Systems, Command, Control, Communications & Intelligence (C3I) ASD

Office of the Secretary of Défense