This is a Limited Edition, 19" x 13" giclee print signed by 352nd Fighter Group P-51D Ace Alden Rigby.
A total of 51 Limited Edition prints were signed by Mr. Rigby and are now available for sale.
1st Lt. Alden Rigby flew the P-51D Mustang “Eleen and Jerry”, HO-R (44-15629), when he was assigned to the 487th Fighter Squadron, 352nd Fighter Group, 8th USAAF, based at Bodney, England, in the European Theatre of Operations. He named his P-51D “Eleen and Jerry” after his wife and baby daughter. On November 27, 1944, while flying with his friend Lt. Robert Draftz, they got separated after strafing a train. Soon thereafter, he shot down his first enemy fighter, a Bf-109. On January 1, 1945, he was one of twelve pilots who flew combat during the famous “Legend of Y-29 Mission”, in which he shot down two Bf-109s and two FW-190s, becoming an Ace.
In September 2000, the American Fighter Aces Association – Aces Victory Confirmation Board, awarded him the 4th victory at Y-29. This brought his total to five air-to-air and six total victories. He destroyed a JU-52 on a strafing run, which he recalls “burned really well as it was made out of wood”, plus destroyed many trains and barges. He flew 76 combat missions, with a total of 272 combat hours. He was awarded the Silver Star, the Air Medal with seven oak leaf clusters, and the Distinguished Unit Citation.
He served three years active duty during the Korean War with the 33rd Air Division in the Air Defense Command, 25 years in the Utah National Guard, and 25 years with the FAA. He has over 150 flight hours in the F4U Corsair. In addition to the F4U Corsair, he flew the F8F Bearcat, the FJ-1 Fury, plus many other Navy and Air Force combat aircraft. He retired in 1979 at the rank of Major.
Note: Copyright Watermarks appearing on images are not printed on the actual art print.
© 2010 - John R. Doughty, Jr., All rights reserved.
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