Made this back in 2005-08-11.

History

Flown by Captain Edward K Simpson, US Army Air Corps East Orange, New Jersey 357th Fighter Group - 363rd Fighter Squadron Eddie came from flying school to the 363rd Fighter Squadron at Tonopah, Nevada in the spring of 1943. He was assigned to my Flight and we flew P-39s in training for combat. The 357th Fighter Group deployed overseas to England where we were assigned to the 8th Air Force and received the P-51 Mustang. Eddie flew in combat in my flight and later was made a Flight leader. Eddie was such a likable easy going person. He was a superb pilot and a team member. Very dependable, always right there where you wanted him all the time. He was officially credited with 4 1/4 aerial kills. We were close friends. While I was in the US for R & R during the summer of 1944, Capt. Simpson was involved in a midair collision with squadron mate Lt. Don Ferron, west of Sens, France. Lt. Ferron didn't make it. Simpson survived the midair but was later killed by Germans while attempting to escape with the French underground.