Bruce W. Carr

P-51D 'Angels Playmate'

On March 8, 1944, Flight Officer Carr scored his squadron's first kill, however, he was not given credit for it. Carr chased a German Me109 to within a few feet off the ground, firing his guns the whole time. Only one bullet hit the enemy plane, and the pilot bailed out far too close to the ground and crashed. Carr said he scared the German pilot to death and caused him to kill himself.[2][3]

Upon returning to the airfield, Carr was criticized by his leaders for being "overaggressive." In May, he was transferred to the 353rd Fighter Squadron, 354th Fighter Group, at RAF Lashenden in Kent. Claiming a probable kill over Normandy, France, on June 14, Carr scored his first official credit on June 17, when he assisted another pilot in downing an Fw190. The next day, the squadron transferred to an airfield in France. On August 18, Carr was commissioned as a second lieutenant.[2]

On September 12, Second Lieutenant Carr's flight strafed several Junkers Ju-88 bombers on an airfield in Germany. Later in that same mission, the flight spotted over 30 Fw190s approximately 2,000 feet below them. Carr personally shot three from the sky before escorting a fellow pilot, whose aircraft was badly damaged, back to base. Carr was awarded the Silver Star for his actions that day.[2]

On October 29, Carr shot down two more Me109s and claimed ace status while on a strafing mission over Germany. Four days later on November 2, Second Lieutenant Carr led his flight on another strafing mission over a German airfield in Czechoslovakia. Carr's P-51 was struck by anti-aircraft fire and he was forced to bail out. He evaded capture for several days until he was physically exhausted, starving, and suffering from exposure to the elements. Carr decided it was better to surrender to the Germans rather than be captured.[2][3][4]

Fw190 flown by Carr, at an allied airfield

Carr went to a nearby enemy airfield to turn himself in when he observed a ground crew fueling and arming an Fw190 on the airstrip. Once the crew left, Carr snuck through a fence and climbed into the cockpit. He spent the night familiarizing himself with the controls of the Fw190, which were all labeled in German. At dawn, Carr started up the engine and took off from the airfield with no resistance from the enemy.[2][3][4]

When Carr reached friendly lines, Allied troops mistook the Fw190 he was flying for an enemy plane and opened fire. To avoid being hit from friendly fire, he flew just above the treetops at 350 miles per hour. After flying 200 miles, he arrived at his home airfield. Unable to deploy his landing gear and with no radio to communicate that he was friendly, Carr made a belly landing in order to avoid being shot down by his own air defenses.[2][3][4]

Carr's Fw190 was surrounded by military policemen, and he was unable to convince them he was with the 354th. However, his group commander soon arrived and recognized Carr. Carr is the only Allied pilot known to leave on a mission flying a P-51 and return in an Fw190. He was promoted to first lieutenant and then went on leave on November 15.[2][3][4]

On April 2, 1945, First Lieutenant Carr was leading three other aircraft on a reconnaissance mission near Schweinfurt, Germany, when he spotted 60 German fighters flying above them. Despite the enemy having an altitude advantage and outnumbering them, Carr led his flight in an attack and the pilots downed a total of 15 aircraft. Carr personally shot down two Fw190s, three Me109s and damaged a sixth fighter. This feat made Carr the last ace in a day in the European Theater during the war and he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions.[1][2][4][5]

Carr was promoted to captain on April 9, and claimed several more aerial victories that month, claiming two final victories on April 25. Carr flew a total of 172 combat missions during the war, accumulating 14[6] or 15[1] confirmed air-to-air victories. He had several more unconfirmed victories and multiple ground kills.[2]

Carr, Bruce W.

Lieutenant Colonel (Air Corps), U.S. Army Air Forces

353rd Fighter Squadron, 354th Fighter Group, 9th Air Force

Date of Action: April 02, 1945

Citation:

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to First Lieutenant (Air Corps) Bruce Ward Carr (AFSN: FR-16522/ASN: 0-887280), United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Pilot of a P-51 Fighter Airplane in the 353d Fighter Squadron, 354th Fighter Group, Ninth Air Force, in aerial combat against enemy forces on 2 April 1945, in the European Theater of Operations. On this date, while leading four aircraft on an armed reconnaissance mission near Schweinfurt, Germany, Lieutenant Carr observed more than sixty enemy fighters flying high above. Completely disregarding his personal safety and the enemy's overwhelming numerical superiority and tactical advantage of altitude, he led his element in a direct attack on the hostile force, personally destroying five enemy aircraft and damaging still another. The extraordinary heroism and determination of this officer to destroy the enemy are in keeping with the highest traditions of the Armed Forces of the United States.[8]