Colonel Donald James Matthew Blakeslee - September 11, 1917 - September 3, 2008 - The Greatest American Fighter Pilot Has Passed Away

[aaatripp]

Yes, saddened at the loss, however the light of his spirit lives on in those of us that he touched.

I called him about a year ago to inquire about the story of the first P-51 mission in the ETO, flown by the 354FG and led by Col. Blakeslee on 1 Dec 43. He was most generous with his time, and full of fascinating stories---he truly loved it!

I'm sure that Mark Copeland and others in the 8AF & 4FG organizations are working hard to preserve the legacy of Col. Blakeslee and those other heroes. It is vital that we visit with these heroes and collect their oral histories before they make their "final flight."

Tripp