Strana 39
Capt. Ray Melikian, 7
th
FS, 49
th
FG, New Guinea, 1942
Maj. Glade B. Bilby, CO of 64
th
FS, 57
th
FG, North Africa, spring 1943
Ray Melikian was born on June 7, 1918 in Fresno,
California. He was of Armenian descent. After
completion of his military training in August 1941,
he was sent to Australia and assigned to 7
th
FS.
His P-40K named “Swing it” was lost in Decem-
ber 1942, when flown by 2/Lt. Dillworth, a rookie
pilot, who had to conduct emergency landing.
The aircraft was then used as a source of spare
parts. At the time, there were two victory marks
under the windshield, Melikian later added
a third victory to his credit and was promoted
to the rank of Major. He conducted 228 missions
during WWII and was known for having excellent
eyesight. He passed away on October 25, 2013.
Glade Burke Bilby was born near Skidmore,
Missouri, on December 1, 1918, and was one of
the first to volunteer when World War II was
declared. Thanks to it, he got into fighting
early in the war. He got nationwide acclaim
when he dropped the first American bomb on
the Germans in the American campaign to aid
General Montgomery in North Africa. It was said
that Bilby flew his plane so low that the Germans
took off their helmets and threw them at his
plane. His P-40K was adorned with the rather
weird painting of a fish with horns and thorns
and was named “Blue Demon”. Glade Bilby
shot down three enemy planes in the period
from October 1942 to January 1943. He was
discharged from service in 1946 but reenlisted
a year leater. He acted as an instructor in the
Naval War College at Newport. On November
11, 1957, he conducted a night training flight in
formation with another jet. The planes crashed
and Col. Bilby died as well as other two airmen.
KITS 05/2026
INFO Eduard
39
May 2026