Bizare destiny of two 15th Air Force GP CO's

[researcher111]

I am not certain someone knows the answer because all my historical
books don’t. Here goes the puzzle I am trying to entangle not sure
there could be more details on their fate beyond the official versions
but I try anyways.

During WWII in 1944 Col.Thomas Steed and Col.William Litton were group
commanders at the 15th AF, Steed at 456BG and Litton at 82nd FG Group
both graduated military academies and accomplished military pilot training
while Steed got his wings in 1930 and Litton in 1941 .

While Litton graduated West Point ,Steed was washed out of military
military due various insufficiencies though after working in construction
was readmitted and finally graduated.

From veterans who flew with Litton I was told he was an average
pilot not very much liked by his subordinates and some of his
WP friends were glad to get rid of him . Contrary to him Steed
had a smooth bill of lading before and during WWII as pilot and
group commander .

On Aug 4, 1944 Litton became POW in Bucharest primarily due to his
fault, staying there 3 weeks, while Steed commanded and flew operational
till 1945 and ended WWII unscathed.

Litton had a habit of excessive drinking already by mid-1943
and some of his Bucharest companions told me that during Luftwaffe
IV Luftflotte interrogation at Focsani, Romania he disclosed data which
later on harmed the 15th Air Force ops into Western Europe .

Both of them were highly decorated during WWII yet stuck
on their ranks.

In July, 1950 Steed still Colonel was severely injured during a training flight
in UK when a crewman went berserk on his B-29 flight deck. During the attempt to
subdue the airman Steed was struck on the head with a wrench, causing a bone splinter
that eventually forced his early retirement which took place in 1952.

On Nov.2, 1951 while appointed as GP CO of the 51st FTR Wing at
Tsuiki AB, Japan Litton was tragically killed on a landing accident on a
F-80C or the F-86 jet he flew with the interceptor Sqd either out of S.Korea
or Japan . Gen.Hugo Rush also a former 15th AF 47th Bomb Wing GP CO
was the 1st CO of the 52nd FTR WG and seems to have disliked Litton .

Sofar the official USAF versions . Other versions linked to veterans
indicated that Litton did not return to its base but put the fighter on
autopilot until it has run out of fuel over the Sea, thus committing suicide .

As into Steed his crew as well other crews stationed at the base in UK
were highly trained and specially selected as part of a rapid response
nuke task force, therefore is unlikely that someone at post WWII USAF
era would target a murder while airborne more likely looks to me an
attempt to take over . In depth details of both cases are still classified
as we speak .

Ironically on August 7,1994 FEDEX flight 705 a standby crew
an African American USN vet pilot attempted to take over the
MD-11 freighter on purpose to commit suicide aimed at cashing
insurance benefits for his family

He attacked the flying crew members Peterson, Tucker, and Sanders
also ex USN vet pilots .

All three members of the crew received multiple hammer blows. Both
Peterson and Tucker, the first officer, suffered fractured skulls, and Peterson's
temporal artery was severed. The blow to Tucker's head drilled shards of bone
into his brain and initially rendered him unable to move or react, but he was still
conscious. Despite severely injured the 3 crew members overcomed him
while the DC-10 reached near supersonic speed on its dive

Cheers
Alex K

[Adriano Baumgartner]

This is a delicate subject indeed, but nothing is much written about "The Poor Leaderships in WW2".

I've finished a book about the 5th Air Force and read that, due to an error of some jards during a bombing raid (medium or low level), the Commanding Officer of a Bomber Group was immediately after his return to base "sacked off" his position....

Quite a number of LW Staffelkapitäne or Gruppenkommandeure were also moved out due to discussions with Goering or blame for poor results, etc....

You surely went deep on your researches about those two Commanding Officers, which is really incredible. Thank you for sharing that here.

A.

[researcher111]

Today nobody is sure about anything , when the events
occurred I wasn't even born, but my info is from first
hand,vets who knew them and to whom I spoke to in
the long past .

As you into your other remarks , you name it

Cheers
Alex K

[Stig Jarlevik]

Alex

Col Litton was killed when flying a Lockheed T-33A s/n 49-0968.
Place is listed as Tsuiki AB in Japan which means it could just as well have been his home base at the time

B Rgds
Stig

PS: Some more info
The 51 FIG was based at Suwon AB (K-13) but it seems at least Litton was in Japan, possibly on R&R, and he is reported as going down between Itami and Tsuiki ABs in Japan.

[researcher111]

I have no way of knowing on how he died and
acft type he flew into his death nor I see
any relevance of Net search results.

From those who flew with him back in Vicenzo during
WWII and then again in Korea I was told he filed a
flight plan on F-80 or 86 for a training flight
over water at the same day he was appointed base
commander .

Shortly after take-off , the radio contact was
lost not however radar tracking which lasted long before the
target was lost over Sea . One of those who passed me
this info was Capt Charlie Pinson.

His promotion came from Gen Twining
directly contrary to the Gen.Rush and other
superior officers views who wanted to see
him dismissed.

After his last State visit his wife filed for
divorce ,then few years after his death
the house they lived in was lost in a major
fire leaving behind only his West Point
sword.

in 2005 while corresponding with his
son no whatsoever material and info
about him was available

Cheers
Alex K

[Stig Jarlevik]

Alex

Every list I have (available on the Internet) shows Litton flew a T-33A
I can't see any reason to doubt that.

He is not listed on the Korwald losses since he was on a non-operation flight outside Korea.

If you have any other relevant info he flew in a F-80 or F-86 then please advise the s/n

B Rgds
Stig

[researcher111]

You have no reason to doubt the Internet in the
age of disinformation and born yesterday historians ?

How long have you been here to say this ?

The information I posted is from those who were
with him in Italy and Korea not from those who got
their PhD in military history and pilot licences
on the Net

If you dont mind pse keep your doubts for yourself

Cheers
Alex K

[Stig Jarlevik]

Originally Posted by researcher111

You have no reason to doubt the Internet in the
age of disinformation and born yesterday historians ?

How long have you been here to say this ?

The information I posted is from those who were
with him in Italy and Korea not from those who got
their PhD in military history and pilot licences
on the Net

If you dont mind pse keep your doubts for yourself

Cheers
Alex K

Not sure what you are after Alex?
Is it just to discredit me or everything that is available on the 'net?

I simply answered your story by telling you what is available if you read the USAF IARC and crash reports.
Many has done so and a few has collected this together and published the data online.
I actually thought you would be interested.
How naive....

How long I have been here?
If you mean this forum, well far longer than you.
If you mean on the planet, well 72 years to be exact.

Finally why on earth shall I keep my thoughts to myself?
Since you allow yourself to write why should the same possibility be deprived me?
If everyone followed such advise there would be no discussion and this forum would be totally unnecessary.

The discussion ends here for me. No more answers and I shall from now on stay well clear from your messages

Stig

[researcher111]

I would like to rephrase my post
trying to clear the bad blood .

If my recollections are right you are even
longer than me on here therefore you
may be well aware that I don't post unverified
stuff nor I use copy/ paste Internet search
results in order waste your and other
members precious time.

For obvious reasons I don't attend frequently
any Net based Forums to avoid similar outcomes
because any sort of emotions are just time
consuming and energy wasting

Good Week and best of luck !
Alex K

[Franek Grabowski]

Alex
Your reply and reaction were a bit rude to say the least. Anyone who interviewed witnesses, especially after a long period since the events occured, is aware of inevitable distorions or mistakes. This applies to everyone. There is a fair amount of gossip as well. That said, it is obvious that some events did not make to the papers or they are not available. Stig did nothng wrong providing the serial of T-33. Having the serial and the date you can apply for an accident report and see what is there. The B-29 incident should be also covered somewhere if any airman had to be treated for injuries or be a subject of disciplinary action.
Franek