Mike Russo

First Mustang Ace, North Africa

By Sir Ernie Hamilton Boyette

Captain Michael T. Russo

Michael T. Russo was born in Cleveland, Ohio in September 1920. Mike was attending Ohio University when Japan attacked the United States fleet at Pearl Harbor. Patriotism led Mike to immediately enlisted in the U.S. Army, requesting pilot training.

Mike was at the time completely unfamiliar with airplanes, but was compelled to pursue flight training. Mike received his primary training at Pine Bluff, Arkansas and his advanced training at Randolph Field, Texas.

He finally received his wings at Moore Field, Texas. Texas was the location of many Army Air Corp training fields during and after the war, some dating back to World War One.

Mike was then sent to Meridan, Mississippi for training in the new A-36 Invader.  This aircraft was the predecessor to the P-51 Mustang. Originally designed with an Allision engine, the A-36 was designed to be a dive-bomber and was equipped with dive brakes.

Mike found that he loved flying and took to it with ease. While in training, he was experimenting on his own with basic acrobatics pushing himself and his aircraft to their limits. After only sixteen hours of flight time in the A-36, Russo was assigned to the 16^th Bomb Squadron, which would later be redesigned to the 522^nd Fighter Bomber Squadron, 27^th Bomb Group (Light).

His Squadron was sent to North Africa after the Allies invaded the continent during Operation Torch. Mike and his fellow aviators were to perform the most dangerous missions of ground support, dive bombing and strafing enemy positions.

On September 13, 1943, Mike scored his first aerial victory against an Fw-190. Twelve of the German aircraft were attacking Allied shipping when he and his fellow pilots dove into the Germans sending several into the Mediterranean.

In October Mike and his flight were attacking a German airfield near Rome firing on Junkers Ju88’s on the ground. They were jumped by seven Bf-109’s. In the melee, Mike’s fellow pilots shot down three Messerschmitt. Later that day Mike claimed his second victory by shooting down a German bi-plane in a head on attack.

In December Mike and eleven other A-36’s were sent to attack an airfield at Aversano. They came upon the airfield as Junkers Ju52 transports were taking off. The lumbering cargo aircraft were filled with supplies and troops. Mike flamed one of the Junkers, which crashed at the end of the runway for his third victory.

During one of his strafing missions, Mike attacked a column of Germans. His gun cameras recorded his guns catching the Germans off guard, killing dozens of them and leaving dozens wounded. The next morning Russo came out to his aircraft and found that his crew chief had painted "Killer Russo" on its tail, with a skull and cross bones. Mike flew his A-36 for several days with this on his plane, but asked his ground crew to remove it in case he was shot down and captured. Mike did not want to make himself any more of a target than he already was, facing unnecessary hostile treatment if captured.

Mike became an ace on December 30, 1943 as sixteen Messerschmitt bounced Russo’s flights of twelve A-36’s. During the aerial fight, Mike downed two of the German aircraft.

Casualties were very high in the type of combat Mike and his fellow pilots preformed. Of the original 47 pilots that Mike was part of, all were killed in combat except Mike and one other pilot who was shot down and held as a prisoner of war.

Mike became the only ace in the A-36, and is considered the first Mustang ace.  Finishing his tour, Mike participated in several War Bond drives and was promoted to Captain in 1944.

Mike left the service before the end of the war. His decorations include the Silver Star with one Oak Leaf Cluster, The Distinguished Flying Cross with one Oak Leaf Cluster, and the Air Medal with Fourteen Oak Leaf Clusters.

Both the British and American airmen considered the A-36 a very unimpressive aircraft. The aircraft underwent several airframe alterations at North American. The dive brakes were removed to use the aircraft as a fighter since there were other airplanes that were much more suitable for bombing duties. The Allison engine was replaced with an English engine made by Rolls Royce. Once the Merlin engine was installed into the A-36, the P-51B was born.

With the changes to the airframe and the addition of the new engine, the Mustang achieved a new level of effectiveness. Miles per gallon increased to a point that with the help of drop tanks, the Mustang could fly escort for our large bombers from their English bases to their target and back.

The North American Mustang was one aviation developments that gave the American bombers the ability to bring the war to Germany to an end sooner with formations of 1000 bombers at a time over their target, escorted by an additional 500 fighter escorts. Formations of aircraft that had never been seen before and will never be seen again. Their formations stretched for fifty miles in the skies over Europe.

All research, writings and artwork are by Sir Ernie Hamilton Boyette.

No one is permitted to republish any part of this story with out my personal permission.

Please call or e-mail me for any use of this story.

I do not mind sharing, just call or e-mail and ask for permission.

Sir. Ernie Hamilton Boyette

904-282-4198

e-mail: aviationartstore@peoplepc.com

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2-9-07