[Martin Gleeson]

Hallo all,

I basically agree with Graham's comments on the American pilot who, in some sources, is reputed to have defected to Vichy French North Africa. Firstly I do not believe he defected. I have been researching this pilot for some time, in conjunction with Hugh D. Dow. Hugh, a renowned pilot, was a squadron colleague of this man for about a year and so knew him quite well.

The pilot in question was Salvador B. Walcott. In early 1942 as a young newly-trained Sergeant pilot in the RCAF he was assigned to 603 Squadron RAF. They soon left for duty on Malta on board the aircraft carrier USS Wasp. According to a debriefing statement made out in November 1942 his Spitfire had engine trouble soon after take-off on 20 April 1942. He attempted to follow the others but fell behind. Later he flew close to a small yacht or boat and almost at once his engine began to issue black smoke. At this point he turned towards the African coast. He force-landed his Spitfire inland from the coastal town of Setif in Algeria, and was rendered unconsious for a time. Coming to he found himself surrounded by French troops and police. Later he was taken back to the wrecked Spitfire where a number of bullet holes were pointed out to him. He claimed to be an American ferry pilot to his captors.

Walcott was sent to Lagouat prison camp in the Sahara. In July 1942 he escaped. Rearrested later in another town he was interrogated again and claimed to be a US ferry pilot once more. This did not work and he was returned to Lagouat, receiving 16 days confinement in the cells for his troubles.

He was part of another failed escape attempt in October 1942 when one of his fellow would-be escapees was shot dead. After Operation Torch in November 1942 he and his colleagues were released and returned to the UK. He was interviewed by various agencies and none of the statements or interviews contain any hint of wrongdoing on his part.

Very soon after this Walcott left the RCAF and was commissioned in London into the USAAF as a 2/Lieutenant. In December 1942 he was assigned to the 346th Fighter Squadron, 350th Fighter Group, then flying Bell P-39 Airacobras. He travelled by ship with the ground echelon back to North Africa to rejoin the rest of his unit, arriving in Algeria on 1 February 1943.

Fron then until late December 1943 he flew many missions. Hugh Dow recalls him for his competance in carrying out his job. He showed no lack of courage and was if anything a risk taker according to Hugh, always "pushing out the envelope". Hugh believes his experiences during 1942 in North Africa caused him to mature and become more responsible.

Walcott fell ill in late December 1943 and was returned to the USA. He recovered and stayed on in the USAAF/USAF postwar. Very little is known of his subsequent career. He had reached the rank of Captain by 1946 and reputedly became a helicopter pilot. He died in 1962, killed in a helicopter crash. At the time of his death his home address was in Lennox, Massachusetts.

The story of his alleged desertion appears to stem from THE AIR BATTLE FOR MALTA by Lord James Douglas Hamilton (1981). At least two more subsequent books, including one by Chris Shores, seemed to base their versions of the incident on this source.

I contend that what evidence there is does not support any suggestion that he was a coward or a deserter. Far from it. Why would he bother making 2 escape attempts if he wanted to desert and avoid the war ? Or later re-enlisting in the USAAF ?

I hope the above begins to unravel what I believe to be a very unjust and incorrect version of the story.

Regards,

Martin Gleeson.