[aaatripp]

Hi Renee,

To help with your questions:

1. Refer to the back of Steve Blake's fine book on the 354FG, you'll find
the complete description of the a/c (aircraft) which your father was
flying each time he was credited with a confirmed/probable/damaged
enemy a/c.

2. As for the letters, the first two designate the squadron (FT = 353FS,
GQ = 355FS, AJ = 356FS). The separated 3rd letter was to indicate
an individual a/c within the squadron. For example, Bud's a/c ID was
FT-G (Peaceful Penguin & Arson's Reward for Wally/Bud Emmer). After
he was shot down, Sanchez is listed as flying FT-G. "Eagle" (Glenn
Eagleston) kept FT-L for the duration. Don Beerbower flew FT-E and
Jack Bradley was FT-B. Sometimes several pilots shared an a/c with
a letter identifier. It was not unusual for a pilot to fly an a/c assigned
to someone else....you'll see this when you notice the victory credits
and see that sometimes a pilot was flying another a/c than their "own".

3. The Greek letter "pi" is just another letter to use, ie. after " Z ".

4. The "numbers" of the a/c were the a/c serial numbers which can be
observed on the tail in many photos. This is a specific # only for that
a/c, and it never changed. The letter designation for an a/c could change
as it was assigned to another pilot or transferred to another unit.

5. The bronze oak leaf clusters (as in the case of the Air Medal) are used
to indicate additional awards of a certain medal. EX. a ribbon for an
Air Medal with 3 bronze oak leaf clusters would signify that the pilot
had been awarded the Air Medal FOUR times. A silver oak leaf cluster
indicates FIVE awards of the medal.

Hope this helps.
Cheers,
Tripp