World War II Honoree

Charles Phillip Bailey

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Punta Gorda, Florida

Honored By

Gene Maresca

ENLISTED 16 AUGUST 1942 AT CAMP BLANDING, FLORIDA. ENROLLED IN CLASS SE-43-D AT TUSKEGEE INSTITUTE MOTON FIELD, THEN TO TUSKEGEE ARMY AIR FIELD AT CHEHAW, ALABAMA TO BECOME ONE OF THE FAMED TUSKEGEE AIRMEN, ASSIGNED TO THE 99TH PURSUIT (FIGHTER) SQUADRON OF THE 79TH FIGHTER GROUP. IN APRIL 1943, THE SQUADRON DEPARTED NEW YORK CITY BY TROOP SHIP AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO MOROCCO. FLYING FROM CAPE BON, TUNISIA, THE SQUADRON FLEW P-40L FIGHTERS WITH THE 12TH U.S. ARMY AIR FORCE IN TACTICAL OPERATIONS. THEY ALSO PARTICIPATED IN THE INVASION OF SICILY, ANZIO AND ROME, WHERE, FLYING A P-40L (WHICH HE NAMED 'JOSEPHINE' FOR HIS MOTHER) HE SHOT DOWN AN FW-180 ON 27 JANUARY 1944. IN JUNE 1944, THEY TRANSFERRED TO THE 15TH U.S. ARMY AIR FORCE, ESCORTING 17 BOMBER GROUPS. NOW FLYING A P-51 (WHICH BORE THE NAME 'MY BUDDY' IN HONOR OF HIS FATHER), HE WAS CREDITED WITH A SECOND VICTORY, SHOOTING DOWN AN FW-180 ON 18 JULY 1944. IN ALL, HE FLEW 120 COMBAT MISSIONS IN EUROPE AND WAS AWARDED THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS, THE AIR MEDAL WITH 3 OAK LEAF CLUSTERS, THE PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION,CERTIFICATE OF VALOR, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL AND THE WWII VICTORY MEDAL. DISCHARGED WITH RANK OF FIRST LIEUTENANT 30 DECEMBER 1946.