Strana 39
P-51D-10, 44-14164, Lt. Urban L. Drew, 375
th
FS, 361
st
FG, 8
th
AF, Little Walden,
United Kingdom, October 1944
P-51D-10, 44-14809, Lt. Donald F. Vulgamore, 376
th
FS, 361
st
FG, 8
th
AF,
Little Walden, United Kingdom, November 1944
Urban Leonard Drew received his education at
Wayne University and the University of Michigan.
Three months after the Japanese attack on Pearl
Harbor, he enlisted in the USAAF and entered
the Aviation Cadet Program in October 1942.
He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant
and awarded his pilot wings on October 1, 1943.
Instead of combat assignment, he was trained
as an instructor for the P-51 Mustang and served
in this role with the 56
th
FS. He went overseas in
May 1944 and was assigned to 375
th
Squadron of
the 361
st
Fighter Group “Yellowjackets”, stationed
at RAF Bottisham and later at Little Walden.
During his tour Drew completed 75 missions and
after leading the A Flight, he was promoted to
the role of CO of 375
th
FS. He was credited with
six aerial victories, one damaged enemy aircraft
and one destroyed on the ground. He added one
special victory, when he destroyed the Blohm
& Voss BV 238V-1, the largest aircraft in the world
at the time. Another interesting achievement
came on October 7, 1944, when Drew shot down
two Me 262 jets at Achmer. He remained the
only pilot who managed to do so in one mission.
He was assigned to the 413
th
FS of 414
th
FG
flying Thunderbolts at Iwo Jima in 1945. After
the war he helped to organize the 127
th
FG of
Michigan ANG and became deputy commander
and later was appointed the first Adjutant
General of the state of Michigan. He stayed in
the position until the end of his active duty in
1950.
One of the most colorfully painted Mustangs in
the 376
th
Fighter Squadron was “Jasper Joker
II”, named by Lt. Donald F. Vulgamor after his
hometown of Jasper, Ohio. The 361
st
Fighter
Group was re-equipped with P-51 Mustangs
in May 1944. This Mustang had a yellow nose,
introduced in August 1944, and a yellow rudder,
which was the identifying mark of the 376
th
FS.
Donald Vulgamore scored two aerial victories
with this Mustang and destroyed two aircraft on
the ground.. In September 1944, the entire group
moved from RAF Bottisham to Little Walden
Airfield in Essex and continued escorting
bombers until February 1, 1945, when it was
transferred to France, from where it operated
until April 9, 1945. It then returned to Little
Walden, where it remained until November 1945.
KITS 04/2026
INFO Eduard
39
April 2026