Ernest fiebelkorn

MAJ ERNEST CHARLES FIEBELKORN

  • Branch: Air Force
  • Hometown/City: LAKE ORION, MI
  • Date of Birth:
  • Date of Death: 12-10-1952
  • Conflict: Korean War
  • Unit: HQs, 20 FG (SO-29 15 Feb 1944) as an Asst Operations Officer, and flew with the 79 FS. Finally transferred to the 77 FS (SO-66 7 Apr 1944)
  • Port/Base:

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  • Ernest C. “Febe” Fiebelkorn was from Lake Orion, Michigan and attended Michigan State University. He received his flight training at Williams Army Air Force Base, graduating in Class 43H. After P-38 indoctrination, Fiebelkorn was assigned, on January 9, 1944, to the 20th Fighter Group’s 77th Squadron at King’s Cliffe, England. Following a somewhat controversial start, “Febe” became a flight commander and the 20th’s top ace after transition to P-51s. A big day was September 28, 1944 when Fiebelkorn was credited with three ME-109s and a F!-190 in the Magdeburg area. On November 8 Fiebe was awarded half a credit for downing a Me-262 jet with a P-51 pilot from another group. The jet crashed near its base at Achmer and later evidence showed that the dead German pilot was Major Walter Nowotny, CO of the jet fighter unit. He was the eight of only 27 to receive Germany’s top award, the Knight’s Cross with Diamonds, being credited with 258 Allied aircraft destroyed. Ernest Fiebelkorn flew 320 combat hours with the 20th Fighter Group, and he remained active in the Air Force. As a captain, he became one of the first pilots lost in the Korean War, on July 6, 1950. Flying an F-82G on a night intruder mission out of Japan with the 51st Fighter Wing, Fiebelkorn and his radar operator were listed MIA when they failed to return to base. Their Twin Mustang was found two and a half years later, and Fiebelkorn was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Tally Record: 9 kills and 1 damaged in the air; 2 kills and 2 damaged on the ground. Decorations: Silver Star, 2DFCs, 6 Air Medals.

    Kevin Corl, Organization