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Adam,
Thanks. Looking forward to any extra tidbits on "Kidd" Hofer that you can supply.
Wade,
Here is the revised article. I am presently working towards a book deal in the U.K. I have completed 48 stories totaling just over 148,000 words. All are on American citizens who served part or all of their WW II Air Force careers in the RCAF. I am pushing for the title - "Remembering The Canadian Yanks". But, it all depends on what the adults want!
Cheers,
Tom Walsh.
673 DAYS IN THE RCAF
The life and times of World War ll Fighter Ace 1st. Lieutenant Ralph "Kidd" Hofer have been well chronicled over the last 67 years in numerous book, newspaper and magazines articles. This researcher recently accessed his complete Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) file from Canada's National Archives in Ottawa, Ontario. These documents cover, in precise detail, the 1 year and 308 days Ralph served in Canada's Air Force.
"Kidd" Hofer's connection to Canada began on Monday July 21, 1941. That is the day the 21 year old Chicagoan wandered into the RCAF Recruiting Office in downtown Windsor, Ontario. Hofer was in Detroit, Michigan and crossed the U.S./Canadian border into Windsor to have a look around as he had never been to Canada. When he emerged from the tunnel under the Detroit River, a friendly Canadian Customs Officer mistook his intended visit and assumed that he was looking for the Recruiting Office located on Ouellette Avenue. What Hofer did not realize was that several thousand U.S. citizens, who were clamouring to get into the European War, had made the trek before him. "Came over to join up, I suppose. That building right over there is where you go." Hofer's curiosity was aroused and he entered No. 8 Recruiting Centre to find it full of Americans who enthusiastically told him what a great deal it was! Ralph was so caught up in the moment that he not only filled out, but signed an enlistment form an RCAF Sergeant placed before him. He found himself in the Air Force as an Aircraftsman Second Class (AC2) Airman with the assigned service number R.109807.
Hofer was born Ralph Halbrook on June 19, 1920 in Salem, Missouri. His father, Clyde Halbrook, was an Ironworker and his mother, Opal Robinson-Halbrook, a housewife. When Ralph was three, his mother divorced his birth father and married Arthur J. Hofer. The Hofer family then moved from rural Dent County, Missouri to the bustling city of Chicago where Ralph and his older sister Mildred were raised. Later in life, Ralph had his surname legally changed from Halbrook to Hofer. Ralph graduated from Steinmetz High School, but never really excelled in his studies. This greatly frustrated his teachers as they had him pegged as one of the smartest students in the school. Hofer loved sports of any kind - football, boxing, baseball and skating. He was very good at all of them as he was a superb athlete. The one sport that he relished above all others was boxing and he would often refer to it with all its moves and counter moves as physical chess! Between 1939 and 1941, Ralph fought under the ring name "Junior" Halbrook, but was also known around the Cook County gymnasiums as "Kidd" Hofer. In 1940, he entered the Chicago area Golden Gloves Boxing Competition and went all the way to the finals winning the Title in the novice light heavy weight division. Besides winning boxing purses, Ralph earned money playing football in a local semi-professional league.
On his RCAF entry papers, Ralph indicated that he had no given second name nor initial. He gave the Recruiter a current home address of 4211 Ottawa Avenue in Chicago. He stated that he was single, age 21 and that his father, Clyde Halbrook, was deceased. He declared that he served one year in the ROTC in High School and had flown 12 hours as a passenger and possessed 3 hours dual flight instruction time. One of the questions on the form asked about his work history or occupation. Ralph's initial written response was none but, as an afterthought, he answered that he had boxed for the past 2 years. Hofer spent the next several days at Windsor's YMCA on the RCAF's tab waiting for his birth certificate and high school diploma to be forwarded from home. Ralph, however, was not as forthcoming with his information as he should have been. Clyde Halbrook was very much alive! Hofer was not single but married to one Jean Pasquini who was known as Jean Halbrook. She and Ralph's infant daughter Carol Lee Halbrook resided with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Pasquini, at 2846 No. 73rd Court, Elmwood Park 35 in Chicago. Jack Pasquini, Hofer's father-in-law, was a merchant and Ralph listed him as one of his references on the application. These discrepancies were not immediately caught by the RCAF and would not surface until a year later. For some reason, Ralph's mother was unable to locate either his birth certificate or high school diploma. As these papers were crucial to the enlistment process, the following replacement documents were obtained and forwarded to the RCAF for their consideration:
In a deposition, Opal Hofer of Norwood Park Township, Cook County, Illinois, a housewife, swore before a local Chicago Justice of the Peace that she was the mother of one Ralph Hofer who was born on the 19th day of June A.D. 1920 at Salem, Missouri. She made her affidavit to remove any questions that may arise as to the nationality and date of birth of her son. She further swore that she was married to Arthur J. Hofer and they resided together at 4211 Ottawa Avenue in Chicago. The odd thing about this document is that it was dated July 12, 1941 nine days before Ralph even enlisted!
The second document relating to Ralph's education was dated even earlier, July 9, 1941. It was from Mr. Daniel F. O ' Hearn, the Principal of Steinmetz High School, 3000 North Narragansett Street, Chicago, Illinois. In a 'To Whom it May Concern' letter, Mr. O ' Hearn certified that Ralph Hofer honourably completed a four year course prescribed by the Board of Education for the High Schools of the City of Chicago. He further elaborated that Hofer's graduation diploma was granted on June 27, 1939. Mr. O ' Hearn went on to say that, as the Board of Education was closed for the summer, a duplicate diploma could not be issued. He closed his letter with the hope the information he was supplying would be sufficient for Ralph to enter a fine and honourable service such as the RCAF.
Hofer had his first steady pay cheque since leaving high school and was earning the princely sum of $39.00 monthly.
In late July and early August, Ralph attended at No. 1 Manning Depot (MD) in Toronto, Ontario. The RCAF sent him from August 10 to October 27 to perform guard duty at No. 14 Service Flying Training School (SFTS) in Aylmer, Ontario. While there, Hofer experienced his 1st of 9 run-ins with Air Force discipline when he seriously violated one of the King's Regulations! On September 22 he was awarded 72 hours detention in the guard house plus 4 days confined to barracks with pack drill. The charge - Conduct To The Prejudice Of Good Order And Air Force Discipline!!
Later in his career, while flying P-47 Thunderbolts and P-51 Mustangs with the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) at Debden, England, Ralph learned that Air Station Aylmer was also the place from where several of his 4Th Fighter Group (FG) contemporaries had graduated and had earned their Wings. Aces like Major Pierce Winningham "Mac" McKennon from Fort Smith, Arkansas, Captain Bernard L. "Big Mac" McGratton from Utica, New York, Captain Albert Lewis "Smiley" Schlegel from Cleveland, Ohio, Captain Vasseure Howe "Georgia" Wynn from Keifer, Oklahoma, Captain Edward Lester "Buddy" Gimbel from Chicago, Illinois, and Lieutenant Paul Sydney "Rip" Riley from York, Pennsylvania. For thirty two days in the fall of 1941, McKennon, Schlegel, Wynn, Gimbel and Hofer were all stationed together at RCAF Aylmer but, it is unknown if they knew each other at that time!
From October 28 to December 19, Ralph was on Course No. 39 at No. 5 Initial Training School (ITS) in Belleville, Ontario. He graduated with a 64% average and was ranked 114th out of a class of 127 students. Prior to beginning ITS, he was promoted from AC2 to Leading Aircraftsman (LAC) with a pay raise of $6.00 per month. The Commanding Officer (CO) at No. 5 remarked that LAC Hofer was, "Quick tempered and immature but, overall was a good-hearted boy". He also said that in his view Ralph was unsuitable for a Commission. Posted to No. 22 Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS) at Ancienne Lorette, Quebec on December 22, Hofer began flight instruction on Fleet Finch II's on Course No. 45 which concluded on February 27, 1942. Ralph flew the little yellow biplanes for 66.20 hours (37 dual and 29.20 solo) and in the process managed to improve his grade averages by obtaining 73% on his Instrument Flying Examination and 77% on his Flight Test. The Chief Flying Instructor (CFI) wrote the following in his file; "General flying fair. Needs more experience on instruments". The Chief Ground Instructor (CGI) made the following notations; "Immature. Not very obedient. Tries hard. Pleasant personality".
Hofer's next posting, should have seen him sent to an SFTS but instead he was shipped off to No. 5 MD Depot at Lachine, Quebec. Lachine was known at the time as the place where some of the more difficult Air Force discipline cases were sent for correction! On March 15, LAC Hofer was found to be Absent Without Leave (AWL) from No. 5 MD for a period of 3 days, 11 hours and 1 minute. The penalty for Ralph's second infraction was confinement to barracks for 5 days and the forfeiture of 4 days pay. Ten days later on the 25th he was facing his third charge; Failing to get a haircut and failing to report for duty watch parade. As punishment, Ralph spent 2 additional days confined to barracks. On March 28, Hofer was sent to No. 8 SFTS in Moncton, New Brunswick. There he was to finish his training flying Harvard Mk. ll's on Course No. 52 which ran from March 30 to July 17. It didn't take the "Kidd" long to get into trouble again! For failing to attend Church Parade on April 12, Ralph spent another 3 days confined to barracks. The fifth charge, on April 27, found Hofer locked up in the guardhouse for 3 days for; Neglecting to obey general orders namely doing unauthorized aerobatics between 1845 and 2000 hours on April 27th. Ralph's sixth infraction occured on July 3, when, after being ordered to show up on time for parade by his Squadron Commander, he was 1 hour and 15 minutes late!! The "Kidd" spent another 3 days in confinement. Finally, on graduation day July 17, 1942, LAC Ralph Hofer was awarded his Wings after logging 157.15 hours on single-engined Harvard Trainers! He was promoted from LAC to Sergeant Pilot (SP) and was given a raise which boosted his monthly pay to $111.00. Squadron Leader (SL) H. Bryant, Ralph's Squadron Commander at No. 8, recorded the following in his file; "Good average pilot. Displays ability and co-ordination. Weak on forced landings. This man knows he is good". From the CGI; "Can do much better work". From Wing Commander (WC) N. S. Anderson, the Chief Instructor; "This pupil catches on quickly, but is inclined to be a smart alec. He is not punctual, his dress is untidy and he has a distaste for orders. His one and only interest is flying. Pupil's choice - Fighters". WC Anderson would not recommend Sergeant Hofer for an Officer's Commission and the Station Commander, Group Captain (GC) W. W. Brown, concurred. Ralph was then given the standard two week pre-embarkation leave and was directed to report by August 1 to "Y" Depot, Pier 21, Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Days before he graduated from Moncton, Hofer authorized a pay assignment of $20.00 to be forwarded each and every month to his wife Jean Pasquini-Halbrook, at 2846 No. 73rd Court, Elmwood Park 35, in Chicago, Illinois. It was at this point Ralph's Air Force records were amended to reflect that he was in fact a married man!
Before leaving Canada, all RCAF personnel were required to complete a form entitled Airman's Statement At Embarkation. Sergeant R. Hofer R.109807 filled out and signed his on August 3, 1942. He admitted that he was married to Jean Pasquini-Halbrook and appointed her his legal next-of-kin. He stated that he had made a will and had completed the necessary documentation for dependent's allowance. The first person he wanted notified in the event of a casualty was his mother, Mrs. A. J. Hofer, at 2705 North Santa Fe Drive in Englewood, Colorado. (The Hofer family had moved from Chicago - Author). The second person or the alternate to be notified was his father, Mr. Clyde Halbrook, in Salem, Missouri!
Hofer was scheduled to leave on a troop ship for overseas deployment on September 15, 1942. The ship sailed, but Ralph was not on it! When he finally showed up 3 days, 10 hours and 29 minutes late they charged him with his seventh violation of the King's Regulations!! For being AWL, WC A. Woods reprimanded Hofer and fined him the equivalent of 4 days pay. The RCAF tried on October 2 to send the "Kidd" off to War, but again he literally missed the boat this time by 22 hours!!! Facing his eighth charge, Ralph was fined another days pay and this time was Severely Reprimanded by WC Woods. The third attempt to ship Sergeant Pilot Hofer overseas was successful and the ship docked in the United Kingdom on November 5! The next day, Ralph was assigned to No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre (PRC) at Bournemouth on Englands' south coast. While waiting for a Fighter training slot to open up, Hofer had his ninth and final run-in with his RCAF Superiors. On November 24, they found him guilty of being AWL for 2 days, 2 hours and 20 minutes. SL Sutherland admonished Ralph and fined him three days pay in the amount of $11.10.
On December 1, "Kidd" Hofer reported to No. 17 Pilot (P) Advanced Flying Unit (AFU) at Royal Air Force (RAF) Station Calveley where he flew Miles Masters and Hawker Hurricanes until January 19, 1943. From there he was passed to No. 59 Operational Training Unit (OTU) at RAF Milfield, where he flew an additional 83.55 hours until March 29 on Hurricanes and Masters on Course No. 28. Ralph earned a 75.5% average on his ground examination test, a 66.7% on his flying test and only 60% on the RAF's assessment of his character and leadership skills. In his file the following was recorded, "An average pilot whose formation and general flying are of average standard. He has completed his night flying exercises without any trouble. He tends to be overconfident, however, and should be carefully watched. He is keen on his work, but has no self discipline".
On April 8, Ralph reported for duty at RAF No. 286 Army Co-operation Squadron which was stationed at RAF Weston-Super-Mare. Flying Hurricane Mk. I's, IIc's and IV's, No. 286 was a second line Utility Squadron which fulfilled the target-towing, radar-calibration and gunlaying training roles for anti-aircraft units based in South West England. The Squadron, in service since 1941, was scheduled to be inactivated at the end of June, 1943. Rather than go through all the trouble of trying to relocate to a new unit, Hofer decided to take advantage of the repatriation agreement worked out between Canada and the United States in May, 1942 governing the transfer of trained personnel. He requested his service with the RCAF be severed and asked to be transferred to the USAAF. Sergeant Ralph Hofer's request was honourably granted on June 10, 1943 when the RCAF discharged him in London, England. Financially it was to Ralph's advantage to go this route for, after transferring, the USAAF Commissioned him a Flight Officer (FO) at more than double his previous pay. The "Kidd" had also been in uniform for 22 months and had yet to see any combat.
The improbable story that first surfaced in 1944, that Flight Lieutenant (FL) George Frederick "Buzz" Beurling, Canada's leading WWII Ace, was one of Hofer's Gunnery Instructors in England was and is untrue! While Hofer was undergoing conversion training at the Combat Crew Replacement Centre (CCRC) on P-39 Airacobras and Spitfire Mk. V's at USAAF Station 342 Atcham from early July to the middle of September, 1943, FL Beurling, was Instructing on Spitfires at RAF No. 61 OTU at Rednal. "Buzz" was posted from No. 61 on September 5, 1943, to RCAF 403 Fighter Squadron (FS) at RAF Station Kenley, while "Kidd" Hofer joined the 334Th Fighter Squadron FS, at Debden directly from Atcham on September 22. This interesting pairing was a great story but, the facts are, Beurling and Hofer's military paths never crossed. However, during the period Ralph did spend at Atcham, he was in very good company with the likes of future 4Th Aces, 1st. Lieutenant "Tom" Biel, Major "Freddie" Glover and Captain "Big Mac" McGratton who were all there at the same time he was.
The likable and legendary 1st. Lieutenant Ralph "Kidd" Hofer died in action on Sunday, July 2, 1944. The body of the twenty-four year old was found in the wreckage of a 335Th P-51B Mustang coded QP-X at the German occupied Mostar-Sud Airport in Yugoslavia. Hofer was buried by the Germans in a common grave together with the remains of 21 other U.S. Airmen.
On January 21, 1948, Hofer's wife wrote a letter to the Canadian Government seeking information on any insurance or paid up bonuses that might be available to survivors of RCAF personnel who were killed in the War. In follow-up letters from The Department of Veteran Affairs (DVA), dated February 4 and 25 and addressed to The Department of National Defence (DND), the DVA instructed DND to consider Jean Halbrook's letter a formal application for entitlements and they requested that she be kept apprised of her claim. On March 22, Jean Halbrook forwarded to DND a Statement of Death from The War Department in Washington which read as follows; "The records of the Department of the Army show that First Lieutenant Ralph K. Hofer, 02045177, Air Corps, who gave his date of birth as 19 June 1921, was killed in action 2 July 1944, in the European Area. This official statement was furnished 18 March 1948, to Mrs. Jean Halbrook, 2846 North 73rd Court, Elmwood Park 35, Illinois. By authority of the Secretary of the Army: Signed Edward F. Witsell, Major General, The Adjutant General of the Army". On April 22, Air Commodore J. Murray, acting on behalf of the Chief of the Canadian Air Staff, advised Mrs. Halbrook by letter that her application for payment of War Service Gratuities had been approved and had been passed to the payments section for processing. On May 1, 1948 Jean Halbrook received a cheque from Ottawa in the amount of $266.62. She also received notice that Ralph's daughter, Carol Lee Halbrook, would receive $12.00 monthly until she reached the age of majority (21).
"Kidd" Hofer was re-buried in the United States on April 26, 1950, in plot 790254-256 at the historic Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery located at 101 Memorial Drive in St. Louis, Missouri.
Adam Kline of Los Angeles, California, provided the following additional information on the life and escapades of Kidd Hofer. "My father, Glenn Kline (Class of 1941), was a personal friend of Ralph's at Steinmitz High School. Although Hofer was the older of the two boys, they boxed together at the same gym located on the corner of Sawyer and Naraganset Avenue in Chicago. Kline Sr. told his son that the story about Ralph unintentionally joining the RCAF was poppycock. The Kidd was fleeing from Jack Pasquini after Ralph impregnanted his daughter Jean! Jack threatened to kill Ralph and, as he had gangster connections, Ralph took the threat seriously. That explained Hofer's quick departure to Canada in 1941. Adam's mother and Jean Pasquini also knew each other and were school classmates. Glenn Kline said that Ralph could at times be crazy and reckless. Adam now wishes he could remember all the many great Hofer stories his father told him".
- END -
The author gratefully thanks Library & Archives Canada and Adam Kline who provided information for this article:
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