314th Fighter Squadron || 315th Fighter Squadron || 316th Fighter Squadron

Captain Bruce Hunt's #11 at Cercola, Italy in early 1944.
Note the non-standard bars on the national insignia.


Jim Sterling collection - Larger Image

#20 and a Future 'Fastest Man Alive'

Frank 'Pete' Everest with P-40 #20 in Italy, late 1943. Over the course of a year and
a couple'a months, Everest flew 96 combat missions with the 314th over North Africa, Sicily,
and Italy. Some of the earliest of these were flown while attached to the 57th Fighter Group.
After being sent home in early 1944, he had a brief stint as an instructor Stateside before
heading back into combat in the CBI, where he flew the P-40 and P-51 with the 17th Fighter
Squadron, 5th Fighter Group CACW. Post-war, Everest would go on to become a test pilot,
flying many types, including several 'X-Planes', and flew combat once again during the
Vietnam War. He reached the rank of Brigadier General and retired from the USAF in 1973.
In the future I hope to include here some excerpts from his book, 'The Fastest Man Alive'.


West Virginia State Archives - Larger Image

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