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Posted on 11/26/2003 12:03:05 AM PST by SAMWolf
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 are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
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| Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans.
Where the Freeper Foxhole introduces a different veteran each Wednesday. The "ordinary" Soldier, Sailor, Airman or Marine who participated in the events in our Country's history. We hope to present events as seen through their eyes. To give you a glimpse into the life of those who sacrificed for all of us - Our Veterans.
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Clay Tice Jr, then a Major, was in command of the 508th squadron before it arrived in England in April 1944, and he stayed with the squadron until October of that year by which time the squadron was operating on the European mainland from bases in France and Belgium. Tice was a rarity amongst the 404ths pilots in that he was already an experienced combat fighter pilot from the Pacific Theatre with two acredited victories over Japanese Zeros. He had flown both the P38 Lightning and the P51B Mustang, and in the early days at Winkton he had a stated preference for both these aircraft over the P-47 Thunderbolt.  Col. Clay Tice At Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where the 404th formed up as a fighter bomber group Tice was known for the quality and style of his briefings. Contemporaries at the briefings remember him dressing with some formality, decoration ribbons and all, but they also acknowledged that the quality of his briefings, and the presentation of the material, was superb both in content and style. He believed in the value of tight formation flying, and at Winkton demanded the 507th flew formation so well it stood out in the air from the other squadrons. He was known to fine pilots for flying errors, but it is recorded that he also fined himself when he made similar errors. He could also be innovative, using a loose camera gun from within the cockpit to record the success of dive bombing missions. Whilst in England, Tice flew a silver P47D-22 razorback, Y8*E, known as Elsie.  Clay Tice's P-47, "Elsie". He was the CO of the 507th when it went overseas. This picture was taken in front of the 507th hangar in St. Trond by Bill Lee in 1944. In France Tice was one of the first pilots in the 404th to receive a P47D-25, the new Bubbletop design. After leaving the 404th he went back to the Pacific to his beloved P-38s, commanding the 49th fighter group. Remaining in the Airforce he went on to become Deputy Commander for Test & Operations of the Air Force Flight Test Center, Edwards AFB in 1960. Clay Tice died on July 15. He was 79. Clay was an active participant on CompuServe's AVSIG (aviation) Forum for quite some time before a tragic stroke stole the keyboard from him. Clay's stories of his experiences as both a fighter pilot and test pilot provided both entertainment and history lessons to all who read them. by Col. Clay Tice, Jr., USAF (Ret.) Former World War II fighter ace and USAF test pilot Clay Tice died on July 15. He was 79. Clay was an active participant on CompuServe's AVSIG (aviation) Forum for quite some time before a tragic stroke stole the keyboard from him. Clay's stories of his experiences as both a fighter pilot and test pilot provided both entertainment and history lessons to all who read them. Here is Clay's account of his historic landing in Japan at the end of WW II, starting with the official report he submitted way back then and then continuing with his personal recollections of the event.  The right side of the cowl of Tice's P-47. Bill Lee took this picture in St. Trond, Belgium in 1944. If you are a WWII history buff, you probably know that Gen. MacArthur landed in Japan on 30 August 1945 and accepted the surrender of Japan on 2 September on the battleship Missouri. And according to William Manchester's "American Caesar - Douglas MacArthur 1880-1964" ... "Japan, the only major power whose soil had never been sullied by the boot of an enemy soldier, lost that distinction at dawn on Tuesday, August 28, when Colonel Charles Tench, a member of MacArthur's staff, stepped from a C-47 and set foot on Atsugi's bomb-pocked runway." History is in error on two counts. MacArthur was not the first to take the surrender of Japan nor was Col Tench the first to sully the Japanese soil. The following is a verbatim copy of my report: ARMY AIR FORCES APO 337 26 August 1945 The following is a statement of Lt. Col. CLAY TICE, JR., 0-421355, Commanding Officer, 49th Fighter Group, in regard to the emergency landing on the Japanese homeland on 25 August 1945. I was the leader of Jigger Red flight on 25 August 1945 when two planes of that flight landed on the mainland of Japan. Our mission was a combat sweep around KYUSHU, across the southern tip of HONSHU, thence around SHIKOKU and return to base. The plotted distance of the patrol was 1370 statute miles and flying time was estimated at six hours and forty-five minutes. Instructions were given to hang a 310 gallon external tank in addition to the bomb load, and to fill the tanks to capacity. Pilots were briefed thoroughly on the mission by myself and the length and duration of the mission were stressed. Fuel consumption was estimated at 610 gallons allowing a one hour reserve. Total gas carried was approximately 700 gallons.  49th Fighter Group The flight, composed of eight P-38s of the 7th Fighter Squadron, plus one spare, was airborne from MOTUBA Strip at 0805. Cruise on course and during sweep was 1800 rpm and 30"Hg in auto lean as briefed, with an indicated air speed of 180 mph. Prior to making landfall on KYUSHU, two aircraft aborted and returned to base due to mechanical difficulty. I made landfall at MAKURAZAKI at 0950. A course was then set for NAGASAKI with slight deviations to check shipping, arriving over NAGASAKI at 1025. I proceeded to ISAHAY to OMUTA thence to YANAGAWA to KURUME to NAKATSU. Time over NAKATSU was 1100. My course was then over NAGASU to TOMIKUDURA to YA SHIMA Island to NAGAHAMA at 1122. Approximate air mileage to this point was 600 miles. Flight Officer HALL, number two (2) in the second flight, called for a reduction in rpm because he was low on gas. His radio transmission was very poor and all messages from him were relayed through his flight commander, Captain KOPECKY. I asked Flight Officer HALL how many gallons of gas he had left and answer was approximately 240 gallons. At that time we were 540 miles from base and I reduced power settings to 1600 rpm and 28"Hg. Low visibility forced me around the peninsula to SHONE and down to SAEKI. I then called Flight Officer HALL again on his gas supply and understood him to say that he had about 140 gallons. I decided that his rate of fuel consumption and gas supply would not permit his return to a friendly base and turned out to sea off FURUE to jettison bombs at 1143. No flak had been encountered over Japanese installations and I believed that a landing at a suitable Japanese airdrome would be preferable to the certain loss of a plane and the possible loss of a pilot in the event a forced ditching at sea was made. I called Jukebox 36 (B-17 of the 6th Air Sea Rescue Squadron) and informed him of my intentions and requested assistance. I landed at NITTAGAHARA, 450 miles from base, at 1205. There were no Japanese in sight after landing and I checked the gas supply in flight Officer HALL's plane. He had dropped his external tank previous to informing me of his difficulty and upon inspection, I found that his wing tanks were dry and I estimated his fuel at 150 gallons in mains and reserves by visual check of fuel indicators and tanks.  At 1305 we were contacted by officers and men of the Japanese Army and although conversation was difficult, we were greeted in a friendly manner. Jukebox 36 landed at approximately 1315 and with a fuel pump and hose furnished by the Japanese, we transferred approximately 260 gallons of gas from the B-17 to the P-38. After landing at NITTAGAHARA, I dropped my external tank on the runway still containing 25 to 50 gallons. I had used but 15 minutes of my internal gas supply by that time. Flight Officer HALL and I were airborne behind the B-17 at 1445 and set course for base where we landed at 1645 after cruising at 1800 rpm and 28"Hf. I had approximately 240 gallons of gas left after landing. All cruise settings were in auto lean. Flight Officer HALL had approximately 210 gallons remaining. As far as it is possible to ascertain from interrogation of line personnel concerned, Flight Officer HALL's plane was serviced with 300 gallons in the external tank and all internal tanks topped off. From preliminary investigation, it is believed that the cross feed valve was defective thus permitting siphoning of the fuel supply. I carried out my landing on Japanese territory in the belief that Flight Officer HALL could not safely return to the nearest Allied base and that under the circumstances it would be the safest course of action if I landed prior to Flight Officer HALL because I thought that in the case of difficulty with Japanese, my rank and experience would be of benefit. Flight Officer HALL's lack of combat experience and the nervousness that he showed after landing and when confronted by the Japanese confirmed my belief.  Instructions in all details of the fuel system and gas consumption characteristics of the P-38 are now being given and will be followed by actual demonstrations and written examinations by all pilots of this organization. All efforts will be made to prevent any possible reoccurrence of this situation either by pilot error or mechanical failure. CLAY TICE, JR. Lt. Colonel, Air Corps If confirming references are required: "General Kenney Reports" by Geoge C. Kenney Duell, Sloan And Pearce, New York Pgs 573 & 574 "Flying Buccaneers - The Illustrated Story of Kenney's Fifth Air Force" by Steve Birdsall Doubleday & Company, Inc., Garden City, New York Pgs 289 & 290 Note: I still have one of the officer's sword in my hall closet. This is the official record -- all of the details are missing.
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Barely!
Busy day for lots of folks preparing for Thanksgiving. I know I'm trying to get some work wrapped up at the office today so I don't have a lot to do on Friday, the day after the holiday. :)
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