Lt. (Jg) Ben C. Amsden Autographs, Memorabilia & Collectibles

Ben C. Amsden was born October 10,1922 in Buffalo, N.Y. He entered the Navy Flight Training program in September 1942 and graduated from the U.S. Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida in January 1944 as a Navy Fighter Pilot.

Lt. (jg) Amsden joined Air Group 22 in August 1944 aboard the Aircraft Carrier, Cowpens. As a member of Fighting Squadron 22, Flying F6F Hellcats he knocked down his first lap plane October 12, 1944 during a fighter sweep over Formosa when he and 3 of his squadron mates were attacked by 14 enemy planes, destroying 6 of them. During the encounter he sent a jap Zero down in flames.

Three days later he and his squadron mates were protecting two crippled cruisers, the "Houston" and the "Canberra", being escorted out of Jap waters to safety. For several days and nights the small protec ting force was under constant air attack. On October 15th, Lt. (jg) Amsden and 3 other pilots intercepted and destroyed four lap twin engine torpedo bombers and three lap fighters headed for the force. For’shooting down two of the bombers, Lt. (jg) Amsden was awarded the Distin-guisheed Flying Cross.

In early January of 1945 he got a fourth plane, a twin engine lap fighter, and two probables in a fighter sweep over Formosa. He shot down his fifth plane an Oscar, in later January 1945, when he and 7 of his squadon mates engaged 18 enemy planes near Formosa, shooting down 14 of them.

Tally Record: 5 kills, 2 probables, 8 damaged and 1 destroyed on the ground.

Shortly after this he returned to the U.S. and reformed with Air Group 74 in F4U-Corsairs but the war ended before he was assigned new Carrier duty.

Lt. (jg) Amsden flew with Fighter Squadron 22, Air Group 22; Fighter Squadron 74, Air Group 74, and Fighter Squadron 39, Air Croup 39. For his efforts he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with 1 Gold Star, and the Naval Unit Citation.