COLONEL FRANCIS S. "GABBY" GABRESKI - TYPED LETTER SIGNED 10/12/1979 - HFSID 224210

FRANCIS GABRESKI
He responds to an autograph collector as President of the Long Island Railroad.
Typed Letter signed: "Francis S Gabreski", as President of the Long Island Railroad, 1p, 7¼x10½. On company letterhead. Jamaica Station, Jamaica, New York, 1979 October 12. To Nat B. Eisenberg, N.B.E. Productions, Ltd., New York, N.Y. In full: "Thank you for your letter of September 24, 1979 requesting my signature to add to the notable listing shown in your letter. Enclosed is a copy of my signature [not included]. I appreciate your thinking enough of me to include me with a group of such famous people. Thank you for your interest." Gabreski ranks as the all-time top U.S. Army Air Force ace. He was one of only seven USAF pilots who were aces in both WWII and the Korean War. Gabby downed 28 enemy aircraft, leading all pilots in the European theater. After 193 missions, the Air Force was ready to send him home but, shortly before boarding the plane, he discovered that a mission was set for that morning. On July 20, 1944, Gabreski crash-landed during a strafing sortie and hid out for five days. He was captured and imprisoned in Stalag Luft I, a German POW camp for the remaining eight months of the war. Gabby returned to military service in the Korean War and shot down six MIG 15s. He is the recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross, a Silver Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross, a Bronze Star, the Air Medal and awards from the French and Polish governments. Briefly from 1979 to 1981, Gabreski served as the President of the Long Island Railroad. Lightly creased. Faint paper clip indentation in upper left. Two clear mounting tape remnants at top edge. Otherwise, fine condition.