RIP For A Marauder Pilot

[Jack Cook]

I just lost a very dear friend of mine this week and wanted to share some of the pictures he left me. Capt Lyle Wolff was the OPS officer of the 455th BS 323rd BG 9th AF and flew 65 missions in a single pilot B-26C Marauder from Oct. 43 thru Dec. 44 including the long flight from Columbia, SC to Earl's Clone, England and on to France after D-Day. Neither he or any member of his crew were ever hit but has he was packing to go home a replacement pilot screwing off accidently shot him with his .45 pistol. Judge Wolff considered flying a job and the B-26 a tool but he loved the men he served with and one B-26 in particular. I thought that you'd enjoy these images of Judge Wolff, his crew and their Marauder.

1Lt Wolff and his crew just before a mission in Nov 1943. Note that he's holding the crews good luck charm.

Close up of the nose art on B-26C s/n 41-34692 YU*J "Mr. Fala"

Lt Wolff signs for the airplane prior to a mission over France.

Capt Wolff after his 65th mission just before 2Lt X shot him. Can you believe his fellow was an honor graduate of Harvard School of Law and an Oregon Distric Court Judge!!

Last edited by Jack Cook on Sat Jul 02, 2005 10:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[RickH]

Thanks for sharing , Jack. We also have a friend who flew Marauders. He was instructing down at Harlingen and told me they use to tear up the King Ranch flying so low they would have to climb over the cows. He also said they would fly down the highway going to Raymondville, Tx and they were so low that the cars would swerve off of the road. I've seen some of his pictures and they are amazing !

[Forgotten Field]

Jack,
Thanks for sharing and my condolences for your loss. Really enjoyed the nose art- do you have a better picture of it? Do you know the signifigance of it? I know who Fala was, but am wondering how he came up with the design? Any clues?

[Jack Cook]

Here ya go. Has for the background of the nose art, Judge Wolff said "who better to piss on Hitler than the President's dog and what better place than Wilhelmstrasse." This was the most popular a/c in the squadron and most of the sqd's personel had their pictures taken by it. A couple pilots have tried to claim it has their own a/c since the war. If you have Freeman's "B-26 Marauder at War" check the photo with Lt Calley.