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   I./JG777

BACKGROUND:

     As WWII broke out across Europe and Asia, the United States remained a neutral country. However, many of her pilots did not and volunteered to fly and fight with foreign Air Forces against Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan.

     In the spirit of the Lafayette Escadrille of the first Great War, American pilots formed American Volunteer Groups or AVG's on foreign soil. Groups such as the Flying Tigers in China, the Eagle Squadron in Great Britain and the French Normandie Niemen became household names and their exploits the stuff of legends.

   In June 1941 Adolf Hitler unleashed Operation Barbarossa and invaded the Soviet Union. The German blitzkrieg rolled back the Russian defenders. The first days and weeks of the invasion were devastating to the Red Air Force. Hundreds of Soviet aircraft were destroyed on the ground and superior German warplanes dominated the sky. The mighty Luftwaffe had gained air-superiority. Unless the tide could be turned, the German army was certain of capturing Moscow and the whole of Russia.

     Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin turned to the United States for help and in a secret telegram asked President Franklin Roosevelt for war assistance in the form of tanks, trucks, ammunition and aircraft. In November 1941 President Franklin D. Roosevelt agreed to extend the Lend-ease Act to the U.S.S.R. Over the next four years thousands of aircraft were sent to Russia to stem the German onslaught. U.S. built P-40's, P-39's, B-25's, A-20's, and P-63's were used in large numbers to defeat the Nazi invaders.

FORMATION:

     During the summer of 1941 FDR agreed to allow a select group of American fighter pilots to travel to China and fight the Imperial Japanese. This group was to become the famed American

Volunteer Group, the Flying Tigers. As the Flying Tigers were preparing to depart for China, FDR allowed the formation of a second AVG. This AVG was destined for the Soviet Union.

     Since America was still neutral in the war, both AVG’s were formed under a cloud of secrecy. The Central Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation (CAMCO) was used as a front for the recruitment and aircraft procurement operations. AVG pilots were listed as civilian employees of CAMCO and paid a reward of $500 for every enemy plane shot down. The funds were funneled to CAMCO by the Chinese and Soviet governments and CAMCO distributed the money through their payroll.

     The veil of secrecy was shattered in the fall of 1941 when an intrepid Time magazine reporter stationed in Rangoon, Burma reported American built P-40 fighter planes and American pilots arriving there presumably for combat duty. The existence of the Flying Tigers was now known to the American media, but there was no mention of the Russia bound AVG.  This announcement worried the President and Secretary of War Henry Stimson greatly. They feared a diplomatic backlash and an investigation from the U.S. Congress. America was still a neutral nation in WWII and FDR wished to remain neutral for as long as possible. American military personnel could not openly support the belligerent nations in combat. This would be a violation of America’s neutrality policy and grounds for war with Germany and Japan.

     A plan was developed to confuse the American press as well as our enemies abroad and keep the Russian AVG secret. In October 1941 the volunteer pilots for the Russian AVG were given written orders, albeit false ones, assigning them to the U.S. Army Air Corps 77th Pursuit Squadron of the 7th Air Force. The real 77th was headed for duty on the U.S. west coast at March Army Airfield in Southern, CA. 

     The secrecy surrounding the AVG and its resulting history  has left historians with very little information. Everett A. Long, aviation historian and author of the book, Cobras Over the Tundra, summed it up by saying, “The Triple 7’s, unlike the Flying Tigers, had so little written about them over the past fifty years it appears as if the squadron never even existed.”

RECRUITMENT:

     In August 1941, U.S. Army Air Corps Colonel Jason Williams signed a contract with CAMCO to lead the new group. Col. Williams and CAMCO executives visited Army Air Corp bases throughout the U.S. to recruit the pilots that were to serve in the new unit. Finding volunteers was not a terribly difficult task considering the high rate of pay.

     In September 1941, the eager group of volunteers started training in their P-40 Warhawks and newly received P-39 Airacobras at an airstrip near the small gambling town of Las Vegas, NV.  The War Department, following the deception plan, assigned the volunteers to the 77^th Pursuit Squadron of the 7th Air Force on October 13th, 1941.

   A young pilot in the squadron quickly realized the irony of the squadron designation and reminded Colonel Williams of the slot machines they had seen on Fremont St. in downtown Las Vegas the weekend before. He also reminded the Colonel that the number seven was a lucky number and that they should adopt the Triple 7 found on the slot machines as the squadron’s insignia. Col. Williams agreed and ordered the pilot to design a squadron logo that they could paint on their aircraft. The young Lieutenant took out his sketch pad and drew a Red, White and Blue number seven just like the ones he saw on the slot machines. Col. Williams approved the insignia and ordered it painted on all their aircraft. From that point onward the squadron would be forever known as the Triple 7’s!

DEPLOYMENT:

     In November 1941 the unit started the long trip to the Soviet Union. The squadron flew north from Nevada to Great Falls, Montana and then on to Canada. They then flew to Fairbanks, Alaska and Ladd Field near Nome. The route the Triple 7’s mapped would later be called the ALSIB Air Bridge and thousands of U.S. Lend-Lease Aircraft would fly to Russia using the same route. The pilots of the 77th then flew over the Bearing Strait and into Siberia.

     During the dangerous flight over the Bearing Strait, two pilots were lost when their aircraft developed mechanical problems and had to crash land. Neither pilot was ever heard from again.

EQUIPMENT:

     The Triple 7's fought in every major battle on the Eastern Front from late 1941 to the fall of Berlin in 1945. The AVG started out in P-40's and P-39’s, but later in the war the Triple 7's were given some spare USAAF P-47’s and P-51’s which were flown up from the Italian theatre. Interestingly, the AVG never adopted the much improved Bell P-63 KingCobra fighter that the Soviets loved so much. Although

the     squadron's     mainstay 

     Being the only American unit in Russia, President Roosevelt and the War Department wanted to gain as much knowledge as possible on new Soviet fighter designs. The Triple 7's were able to convince some corrupt Soviet commanders to give them damaged or surplus aircraft in trade. Such deals were made possible by the exchanging of expensive liquor or in some cases actual U.S. dollars. Using Soviet field manuals and American know-how, the grease monkeys of the 77th repaired or overhauled each aircraft and then put them to use. By the end of 1943, the unit had several types in use besides the P-39 and P-40. Starting in early 1943, Soviet-built Lavochkins, Yaks and a few Ilyushins all made sorties for the 77th.

MOSCOW:

     Once in Russia the 77th was posted to a Moscow airfield where they practiced aerial intercepts with the Soviet PVO. Once deemed combat worthy by Soviet commanders, the AVG began Combat Air Patrols over Moscow. The Triple 7’s achieved their first victory on December 26th, 1941 when a Ju-88 recon aircraft was shot down near Moscow. After a few months in Moscow the 77th was ordered to the Southern Sector to help defend Stalingrad. The Triple 7’s scored 27 victories over Moscow without losing a single plane or pilot. Most victims were lone recon aircraft or wayward German bombers. It was a great learning experience for the squadron which up until then had never seen combat.

STALINGRAD:

     The German advance on Stalingrad was swift and deadly. The Red Air Force was forced to move its aircraft east of the Volga River for protection. The 77th was posted to a forward airbase just east of the city. Intense air action soon followed as the Triple 7’s battled some of the Luftwaffe’s greatest aces. The German BF-109F and G models were far superior to the P-39 and P-40 and exacted a heavy toll on the AVG. The newly introduced Focke-Wulf 190 also began operations over Stalingrad.

     As the Soviet Army began to push the Nazis out of Stalingrad and encircle the German Sixth Army, the 77th began to take apart the German re-supply effort. German transports of all sizes fell victim to the American Cobras and Warhawks while trying to evacuate and re-supply the German Sixth Army.

     The Triple 7’s also flew several escort missions for Soviet IL-2 Sturmoviks. The American pilots were fascinated by the tough and deadly ground attack aircraft. They were amazed at the level of destruction  they  wrought  on  the

battlefield. Not a single German tank or truck was safe while Sturmoviks were in the area. They were also prime targets for the German aces and the 77th scored many victories shooting enemy aircraft off of their tails.

     By the time the Sixth Army surrendered in late January 1943, the 77th had destroyed an impressive 78 enemy aircraft, but at a cost of 21 of their own planes and 13 pilots. The AVG quickly gained a reputation for aggressiveness and skill on the Ostfront. Unfortunately, their exploits were largely unknown to Americans back home or the rest of the world due to the tight control of information by Stalin’s government.  Only rumors and intercepted radio messages hinted at their existence.

KURSK:

     After Stalingrad the 77th was given a respite and moved to a rear area. Once off the front line the Triple 7’s repaired and replenished their squadron with updated aircraft and fresh volunteers from CAMCO. They took the opportunity to familiarize themselves with other Soviet fighter planes, but the holiday was cut short when the Germans began moving on Kursk.

     The battle for Kursk is known primarily as a tank battle, but a fierce air battle was also waged. The Germans were outnumbered on the ground, but tried to use airpower to keep Soviet armor at bay. Hordes of Ju-87’s and Hs-129’s swooped in and pounded the Russian tanks. The 77th was called upon to stop the Stukas and Heinkels from slowing the Russian counter-attack. Dozens of big-gunned German planes fell to the Triple 7’s. The slow, lumbering attack planes were no match for the faster more maneuverable Bell and Curtiss built fighters.

     It was during the battle of Kursk that the FW-190 came into its own. The 190’s scored very well against the Soviet IL-2’s. The 77th was also tasked with protecting the Sturmoviks enroute to the target area and once engaged with the 190’s found them difficult to knock down. By the end of the battle the AVG shot down 51 enemy aircraft with the loss of  12 of their own planes and 8 pilots.

CRIMEAN PENINSULA:

     In the spring of 1944 the Russian counter-offensive was well under way. The 77th was ordered further south to the Crimean Peninsula. Russian forces were pushing across the peninsula trying to throw the Germans back into the sea. The AVG found itself escorting torpedo laden Sturmoviks and medium bombers over the Black Sea to harass German shipping. The Red Air Force now outnumbered the Luftwaffe and Soviet aircraft could now out perform the once dominant German warbirds. The Air War had turned against the Germans. The 77th contributed to the effort with downing 45 aircraft and sinking several German gunboats and a destroyer.  The Triple 7’s lost 11 aircraft and 7 pilots in the Crimea.

LAKE BALATON:

    The summer of 1944 marked the beginning of the end for the Third Reich. The Allies had landed in France and   Italy   was   under   Allied   control.  The

Russians were poised to re-take their western border and thrust into Poland. The race to Berlin was on.

     As Allied fighters roamed the European countryside the AVG was moved to the Hungarian frontier. Once there, they were re-equipped with surplus P-47’s and P-51’s from the USAAF 15th Air Force. The Jugs and Mustangs were flown into Russia from Italy as part of the famous B-24 shuttle missions that bombed the Romanian oil fields. Soviet markings were quickly added to the new birds and readied for combat operations. Ironically, Soviet commanders rejected the Jug and Pony as unfit for widespread Soviet service and instead placed fresh orders for P-63 KingCobras from Bell Aircraft.

     The    77th   then  confronted   the  Hungarian  and Romanian Air Forces. Hungarian 109’s and 190’s and Romanian IAR-80’s put up a fierce fight, but they could not overcome the experienced pilots of the AVG. The 77th also performed escort duties for B-24’s and B-17’s over Hungary and southern Germany. On several occasions the 77th teamed up with the famed 99th Fighter Squadron to escort the bombers. The AVG downed 48 Hungarian and Romanian aircraft in the Lake Balaton area, with the loss of only 4 AVG aircraft and 3 pilots.

BERLIN:

     The Allies began to tighten the noose around Berlin. The Triple 7’s were moved to an extremely forward airfield just inside Germany. It was at this time in February 1945 that they encountered the Me-262 jet fighter. The Me-262 was amazingly fast and almost impossible to shoot down. However, the 77th did shoot down a few Me-262’s as they were attempting to land. They also shot down several transports carrying top ranking Nazi officers trying to escape to Switzerland. Late model 109’s and 190’s gave the AVG a tough time, but their numbers were too few to have an impact on the eventual outcome of the war. The skies above Berlin became very crowded with Allied aircraft and several friendly-fire incidents occurred.

      As Berlin fell to the Red Army, the Triple 7’s began to stand down and prepare for a return trip to the U.S. The last few months of the war yielded another 54 victories for the AVG and the loss of 7 aircraft and 5 pilots. 6 of the last 7 were shot down by German jets, including a claim that one was shot down by the new He-162 jet fighter. However, that claim was never confirmed.

LEGACY:

     Two weeks after Berlin fell the 77th was ordered back to Moscow to stand down. The AVG was now in contact with Allied command and asked what they should do.  Rumors were spreading that allied POW’s recently liberated by Soviet forces were being shipped eastward to Russia and the city of Odessa, not westward

toward Allied lines. These rumors alarmed the AVG and Col. Williams asked Allied command for permission to fly to a U.S. airbase in France. General Eisenhower, distrustful of Russian intent, personally ordered Col. Williams to, “Get the hell out of dodge!” The AVG loaded all maintenance personnel on C-47 Dakota transports and sortied 54 aircraft for the flight to France. The Soviet leadership was livid. Stalin ordered all record of the AVG’s accomplishments destroyed and suppressed. Local Soviet commanders, which had become close to the American volunteers, were rounded up and executed by the KGB for their failure to stop the Americans from leaving.

     The legacy of the Triple 7’s was lost in the forty year chill of the Cold War, but in the 1990’s old Soviet archives were finally opened and documents once thought destroyed were released to the public. It was only after this that a full accounting of the Triple 7’s accomplishments could finally be made. Ironically, many Triple 7 pilots were awarded Hero of the Soviet Union medals during the war by soviet Commanders, but Stalin ordered the medals not be given out. He insisted they be given to “brave communist” pilots instead. In June 2001, as a gesture of good will, Russian president Vladimir Putin surprised newly elected U.S. President George W. Bush with the long forgotten medals and asked him to give them to any surviving members of the AVG, their widows or grandchildren. President Bush passed the medals on to the Pentagon which did just that. Many of the family members of Triple 7 pilots were unaware that their father or grandfather had even been to Russia, let alone fought the Germans.

     The combat record of the Triple 7's is very impressive. In approximately 39 months of combat service and 6 combat tours, pilots of the 77th racked up 293 confirmed air to air kills and hundreds of enemy tanks and vehicles destroyed. The brutal air combat over the vast Russian and Ukrainian landscape took its toll. Roughly a third of all the AVG   pilots   never   came   home.

Unfortunately, the exploits of the Triple 7's never became as well known as those of the Flying Tigers in China or the Eagle Squadron in the UK. Because of the Russian Communist Party and Stalin's tight control of information, the 77th never got it's just rewards in the American media. The men of the 77th went on with their lives after the war always knowing that they helped defeat the greatest evil the world had ever seen.