Colonel Morton D. Magoffin Autographs, Memorabilia & Collectibles

A Minnesota boy, Mort Magoffin, went to West Point in 1933 to be schooled and trained as a professional soldier — but really as a means of becoming a Fighter Pilot. His group was the first Thunderbolt unit in the 9th A.F., with a mission of interdiction of the battlefield plus close suport of Patton's Third Army. Magoffin's group became known as a combative organization that always wanted to be kept busy and willingly undertook the most dangerous assignments. Although few aerial combat experiences were enjoyed, there were some noteworthy dive bombing and strafing missions. One of his most memorable missions involved no air combat.

STRAFING STORY
From the roles of the fighter bombers of the 9th Air Force, a squadron of Magoffin's group was sent on an area reconnaissance south of the line of allied penetration into the Brest Peninsula of Normandy. It was a search and destroy mission without assignment of specific targets, and Col. Magoffin led it personally, as he was that type of enthusiastic commander who habitually flew more than his share of missions, particularly those that pretended to be long and hazardous. Returning north at low altitude the pilots were watching for any activity and/or movement of troops or transportation. Suddenly, Magoffin spotted some vehicles moving south, several motorcycles serving as advance and rear guard for a pretentious looking limousine — quite obviously a V.I.P. convoy. With no time for meditation or evaluation, he quickly turned left and dived, calling out his attack, as he endeavored to concentrate his fire on the rear of the limousine from which personnel were escaping. The attack appeared to be damaging, although it was mere exploitation of a rare opportunity and too quick to be ideally destructive.

EPILOGUE:
History records the fact that the famous German General, Erwin Rommel, "The Desert Fox", was seriously wounded by a strafing fighter plane in Normandy in the mid-summer of 1944. Whereas some account or supposition gives the credit to the R.A.F., there was a suggestion that it might have been an American Fighter. Yes, it could have been a THUNDERBOLT!!