Strana 51
P51B-10-NA, s/ n 43-7099, Maj. Alvan C. Gillem II, CO 307
th
FS, 31
st
FG, 15
th
AF,
Nettuno, Italy, February 1944
P-51B-15-NA, s/n 42-106971, Capt. Benjamin H. Ashmore, 26
th
FS, 51
st
FG,
Nanning, China, autumn 1944
Alvan Cullom Gillem II, a native of Arizona, served
with the 307th Fighter Squadron on Spitfire
Mk VIII aircraft and later on North American P-51
Mustangs. He took command of the 307th FS in
February 1944. He participated in many missions
over Italy, the Balkans, Austria, and Romania.
On May 2, 1944, he shot down a Macchi C.205
Veltro and two more aircraft of the same type
on May 7, 1944. He also led escort and attack
missions on strategic targets in Ploiești and
Anzi and received the Distinguished Flying Cross
(DFC) for his outstanding performance in aerial
combat. After the war, he stayed in service
and retired in 1973 with the rank of General.
The Gillem family boasted a long military
tradition dating back to the Civil War and Alvan
became the second general in three consecutive
generations of Gillems. Not only he, but also his
father and then his son achieved the rank of
general. His father served in the US Army, his
son in the USAF.
Benjamin Howard Ashmore fought in the
ranks of the 26th FS in 1943/44. He used two
P-40N Warhawks for combat flights, which he
exchanged for a P-51B Mustang in the summer
of 1944. All his aircraft bore the name Anvil
Chorus and the emblem of a bull on a map of
Texas on the sides of the fuselage under the
cockpit. On September 10, 1944, Ashmore, flying
a P-51B, led a trio of Warhawks from the 25th FS
on patrol north of Longling. There, he engaged
in aerial combat with a formation of four Ki-48
Lily light bombers protected by a dozen Ki-43
Oscar fighters. Ashmore first attacked one of
the bombers and shot it down. He then engaged
the accompanying Oscars and damaged two
with his fire. On December 18, 1943, he added
one Zero to his tally. Alltogether he flew 78
combat missions during the war. The Mustang
named Anvil Chorus III was lost on January 14,
1945. At that time, it was serving with the 3rd FG
CACW and bore the name Big Blue Eyes. Lt. Van
N. Moad Jr. was killed in its cockpit.
KITS 01/2026
INFO Eduard
51
January 2026