Brigadier General Harold Ernest Watson
b. 11/19/1911 d. 01/05/1994

Under his command during WW2 was the
54th and 56th Air Disarmament Squadrons
and the 2nd Air Disarmament Wing(Provisional)

Watson's Whizzers
l-r: 1LT James Kenneth Holt (527th Fighter Sqd), 1LT William V. Haynes, 1LT Robert Anspach (365th Fighter Sqd), Watson, Capt Kenneth E. Dahlstrom, Capt Fred L. Hillis, Lt Robert C. Stobel (veteran P-47 pilot), Maxwell

In a strange twist of fate, Lt William V. Haynes lost his life in a captured German aircraft after returning to the U.S.  While piloting a Focke Wulf 190 during an aerial demonstration flight, he initiated a high speed, power-on dive to the hardstand.  For unknown reasons, he was unable to recover in time, and the aircraft "mushed" into the runway at a high rate of speed.  According to the official accident report, the young Lieutenant was killed instantly.

Not pictured:

1LT Roy W. Brown (526th Fighter Sqd)

Crew Chiefs

TSgt Noel D. Moon, TSgt Ernest C. Parker, SSgt John G.Gibson, SSgt Donald J. Wilcoxen, SSgt Archie E. Bloomer, SSgt Everet T. Box, SSgt Charles L. Taylor, SSgt Robert H, Moore, SSgt Charles A. Barr

The crew chiefs made the enemy aircraft flyable despite having to work on a foreign field with no technical information. It had been destroyed by German forces.

Two English-speaking German test pilots also proved invaluable to the Whizzers. Ludwig Hofmann (dubbed “Willie”) and Karl Baur (called “Pete”), both from Messerschmitt, taught the young Americans to fly the exotic jet.

After learning the basics of the aircraft, 1st Lt. Robert C. Strobell, the Me-262 recovery team coordinator in Germany, decided he ought to be the Whizzer to take the first flight.
 

Jim West
host106th@106thInfDivAssn.org
www.IndianaMilitary.org