| 词条 | Lance C. Wade |
| 释义 |
|name= Lance Cleo Wade |image= Squadron Leader Lance C Wade CNA1979 (detail).jpg |image_size= |alt= |caption= Lance Wade pictured in the cockpit of his Spitfire Mk VIII, Triolo Airfield, Italy, November 1943 |birth_date= {{birth date|1916|11|18}} |death_date= {{Death date and age|1944|01|12|1916|11|18}} |birth_place= Broaddus, Texas, United States |death_place= Foggia, Italy |placeofburial= Cushing, Texas |nickname= Wildcat |allegiance= {{flag|United Kingdom}} |branch= {{air force|United Kingdom}} |serviceyears= 1940–1944 |rank= Wing Commander |servicenumber= 68717 |unit= No. 33 Squadron RAF No. 145 Squadron RAF |commands= |battles= World War II
|awards= Distinguished Service Order Distinguished Flying Cross & Two Bars |relations= |laterwork= }}Wing Commander Lance Cleo "Wildcat" Wade DSO, DFC & Two Bars (November 18, 1916[1] – 12 January 1944) was an American pilot who joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) during World War II and became a flying ace. He remained with RAF until his death in a flying accident in 1944 in Italy. He was described as a "distinguished American fighter ace who epitomized perhaps more than any other American airman the wartime accords between Britain and the United States."[2] Early lifeWade was born in the small farming community of Broaddus, Texas in 1915. He was the second son of Bill and Susan Wade, who named him L.C. (only after the RAF demanded a forename did he call himself Lance Cleo Wade). After the family moved to a farm near Reklaw, Texas in 1922 he worked on the family farm and attended the local school. He was unable to join the US Army Aviation Cadet Program due to a lack of a college education. He began flying at age 17, at Tucson, Arizona.[3] In 1934 at age 19, Wade joined the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in Arizona.[4] Military careerHe joined the RAF in Canada in December 1940 and trained with No. 52 Operational Training Unit (OTU). Wade was then sent to the British aircraft carrier Ark Royal and flew off her deck in Hawker Hurricane to reinforce the depleted ranks of aircraft on the island of Malta. He was then sent to Egypt as a Hawker Hurricane Mk I pilot in September 1941, and was posted to 33 Squadron. The squadron's mission was to provide close air support for Operation Crusader, the British assault launched on November 18, 1941, against the German Afrika Korps. His first kills were two Fiat CR.42s on 18 November. He attained the rank of "ace" on 24 November 1941. On 2 December, his Hurricane was damaged by debris from a bomber that he had just shot down. Wade was forced to land 25 miles behind enemy lines, but evaded capture and returned to British lines on foot.[5] He began flying Hurricane Mk IIs in April 1942, and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC). He had 13 victories as of September 1942. He spent the next several months back in the US on various RAF projects including evaluating some American fighters at Wright Field. He also sold war bonds, which he disliked. Upon his return to operational duty in the Middle East, Wade reportedly said that this duty was more exhausting than air combat.[6] He returned to combat as a Flight Commander in 145 Squadron with a Bar to his DFC, flying Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vs. Promoted to squadron leader, he had a busy 60 days, as by the end of April his score was 21, by then flying Spitfire Mk IXs. His squadron moved to Italy, and as a Spitfire VIII pilot he claimed two Focke-Wulf Fw 190s of Schlachtgeschwader 4 on 2 October 1943. His last claims were three Fw 190s (again of SG 4) damaged on 3 November. Wade was promoted to wing commander and joined the staff of the Desert Air Force but was there only briefly, as he was killed in a flying accident on 12 January 1944 at Foggia, Italy. He was credited with 23 victories (including two shared), one probable, and 13 damaged. He is also credited with one destroyed and five damaged on the ground.{{cit|date=April 2018}} Wing Commander Wade is usually listed with 25 victories but official RAF records show that he had 22 solo victories and half each of two more for a total of 23, not counting one probable. Regardless of whether his score is 25, or 23 victories, he is still the leading American fighter ace to serve exclusively in any foreign air force.{{citation needed|date=August 2014}} Since he never transferred to the USAAF, or any other American Air service, Wade never got the publicity that other American aces received and thus is more obscure than his peers.[7] Honours and awards
References1. ^{{findagrave|10865155}} 2. ^{{cite book|author1=Constable, Trevor J. |author2=Toliver, Raymond F. |title=Fighter Aces of the U.S.A.|publisher=Schiffer Publishing|location=West Chester, Penn|year=1997|pages=|isbn=0-7643-0348-1}} 3. ^Associated Press, "Great Ace Dies In Air Accident - Lance Wade Was Real Yank With the R. A. F.", The Spokesman-Review, Spokane, Washington, Thursday 20 January 1944, Volume 61, Number 251, page 2. 4. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.historynet.com/lance-wade-world-war-ii-raf-ace-fighter-pilot.htm|title=Forgotten RAF Ace - HistoryNet|website=www.historynet.com}} 5. ^{{cite book|last1=Stewart|first1=Adrian|title=Ten Squadrons of Hurricanes|date=2016|publisher=Pen and Sword|isbn=9781473848436|url=https://books.google.com/?id=uqCaDQAAQBAJ&pg=PT148&lpg=PT148&dq=Edward+Howell+Crete#v=onepage&q=Edward%20Howell%20Crete&f=false|accessdate=14 April 2018|language=en}} 6. ^{{cite web|title=Fighter Pilot Quits War Bond Meetings|url=http://acesofww2.com/UK/aces/wade/}} 7. ^Constable, Trevor J.; Toliver, Raymond F. (1997). Fighter Aces of the U.S.A. West Chester, Penn: Schiffer Publishing. {{ISBN|0-7643-0348-1}}. Page 137 8. ^{{London Gazette |issue=35514|date=7 April 1942|page=1557|supp=y }} 9. ^{{London Gazette |issue=35741|date=9 October 1942|page=4437|supp=y }} 10. ^{{London Gazette |issue=35992|date=27 April 1943|page=1905|supp=y }} 11. ^{{London Gazette |issue=36346 |date=25 January 1944 |page=483 |supp=y }} External links{{commonscat}}
8 : 1915 births|1944 deaths|Aviators killed in aviation accidents or incidents in Italy|Companions of the Distinguished Service Order|People from San Augustine County, Texas|Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross and two Bars (United Kingdom)|Royal Air Force officers|Royal Air Force pilots of World War II |
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