Francis Stanley Gabreski
Colonel, U.S. Air Force

Francis Stanley Gabreski (born Franciszek Gabryszewski) was born on 28 January 1919 in Oil City, PA. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Gabryszewski, had emigrated from Poland to Oil City in the early 1900s. Stanley Gabryszewski owned and operated a market, putting in 12-hour days. And, like many immigrant-owned businesses, the whole family worked in the business. But Gabreski's parents had dreams for him; dreams that included him attending Notre Dame University, which he did in 1938. However, he was unprepared for the academic work required in a highly-rated University, and almost failed during his freshman year.

During his first year at Notre Dame, Gabreski developed an interest in flying. He took lessons in a Taylor Cub and accumulated six hours of flight time. However, according to his autobiography, he struggled to fly smoothly and did not solo, having been advised by his instructor, Homer Stockert, that "he did not have the touch to be a pilot."

At the start of his second year at Notre Dame, Germany invaded Poland, which angered him and re-kindling his interest in flying. Recruiters from the U.S. Army Air Corps visited the Notre Dame campus and Gabreski went to hear their story, mostly because his friends were going. Yet the offer made by the Army Air Corps impressed him and he volunteered as an aviation cadet.

After his induction into the U.S. Army at Pittsburgh, PA, in July 1940, Gabreski received his primary flight training at Parks Air College, near East St. Louis, IL, flying the Stearman PT-17. A mediocre trainee, Gabreski was given a check ride during primary training to determine whether he would be allowed to continue flight training. After successfully passing the check ride, he advanced to basic flight training in the Vultee BT-13 at Gunter Army Air Base, AL, and then completed advanced training at Maxwell Field, AL, in the North American AT-6 Texan.

In March 1941, Gabreski earned his pilot wings and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Air Corps. He then sailed for Hawaii aboard the SS Washington for his first assignment as a fighter pilot with the 45th Pursuit Squadron of the 15th Pursuit Group at Wheeler Field, HI.

Service in Hawaii & the Attack on Pearl Harbor

At his new unit, 2LT Gabreski trained on both the Curtiss P-36 Hawk and the newer Curtiss P-40 Warhawk. In Hawaii, he met his future wife, Catherine "Kay" Cochran, and they were engaged to be married. During the 7 December Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Gabreski joined several members of his squadron in flying P-36 fighters in an attempt to intercept the attackers, but the Japanese had withdrawn before they could react. During the spring and summer of 1942, Gabreski remained with the 45th PS, training in newer model P-40s and in Bell P-39 Airacobras that the unit began to receive.

World War II

In the early days of World War II, Gabreski closely followed the reports on the Battle of Britain and the role played that was played by Polish RAF squadrons; especially by the legendary No. 303 Polish Fighter Squadron. He was concerned that the US did not have many experienced fighter pilots, and that gave him an idea. The Polish squadrons had proved to be capable within the RAF and since he was of Polish origin and spoke Polish, he offered to serve as a liaison officer to the Polish squadrons in order to learn from their experience. The idea was approved and he left Hawaii for Washington, DC, in September 1942, where he received a promotion to Captain.

Service with the Royal Air Force

Upon his arrival in England in October 1942, Captain Gabreski reported to the rudimentary new headquarters of the Eighth Air Force's VIII Fighter Command. Following a lengthy period of inactivity, he tried to arrange duty with 303 Squadron, but that unit had been taken out of action for a period of rest. Instead, in January 1943 he was posted to No. 315 (Deblin) Squadron at RAF Northolt.

His new unit flew the new Supermarine Spitfire Mark IX. CPT Gabreski and his fellow pilots flew patrol sweeps over the English Channel. His squadron first encountered Luftwaffe opposition on 3 February when they were attacked by a group of Focke-Wulf Fw 190s. Too excited to make a "kill," Gabreski learned that he had to keep calm during a mission, a lesson that was to serve him well later in the war. He had great respect for the Polish pilots and the valuable lessons he learned from them. Although Gabreski flew a total of 20 missions with the Poles, only once were they engaged in combat.

Becoming an Ace

Captain Gabreski became part of the 56th Fighter Group on 27 February 1943. He was assigned to the 61st Fighter Squadron, flying the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, and quickly became a flight leader, which resulted in resentment by many of his fellow pilots. And the fact that he was opinionated and verbose didn't help matters. In May, shortly after the group moved to RAF Halesworth and entered combat, Gabreski was promoted to Major.

When the Commanding Officer of the 61st Fighter Squadron was moved up to Group Deputy Commander on 9 June 1943, Major Gabreski became the new CO. This move jumped him over two pilots that were more senior and increased the bad feelings toward Gabreski. The problem was further intensified when both of his rival flight leaders were lost in combat on 26 June. The bad feelings did not subside until 24 August 1943 when he recorded his first credited kill, an Fw 190, near Dreux, France. His first kill was a portent of criticism that was to follow him throughout his combat career: His wingmen complained that his attacks were so rashly led that they were never allowed to also engage.

On 26 November 1943, the 56th FG was assigned to cover the withdrawal of Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bombers that had bombed Bremen, Germany. Upon arrival, the P-47s found the bombers under heavy attack near Oldenburg and jumped into the fray. That day, Gabreski recorded his fourth and fifth kills to become an ace. Gabreski experienced a close call with death on 11 December when, low on fuel and ammunition, he outmaneuvered a Bf 109 until it succeeded in placing a burst of 20 mm fire into the P-47, disabling its engine. The 20 mm cannon shell lodged in his engine and, although it did not explode, it destroyed the turbocharger. However, Gabreski stayed in the airplane until he reached a lower altitude where the turbocharger was not needed to restart the engine.

In November 1943, The Commander of the 56th Fighter Group, Colonel Hubert Zemke, was replaced in command for two months by Colonel Robert Landry, a staff officer at VIII FC. Because of Landry's inexperience, combat missions of the 56th were alternately led by Deputy Commander Lieutenant Colonel David C. Schilling and Major Gabreski, who acted as Deputy Group Operations Officer. When Zemke resumed command on 19 January 1944, Gabreski relinquished command of the 61st FS.

In February, Gabreski brought into the 56th two Polish pilots with whom he had flown in 1943 while serving with the RAF, including future USAAF ace Squadron Leader Boleslaw "Mike" Gladych. With Gabreski's support, and in order to ease a shortage of experienced pilots caused by many veterans reaching the completion of their tours, the 61st FS in April accepted five other Polish Air Force pilots into the squadron as the 'Polish Flight.'

During the winter of 1943-44, Gabreski's number of 'kills' steadily increased. By 27 March he had been credited with 18 victories and had six multiple-kill mission, which ranked him third in the 'ace race' that had developed within VIII Fighter Command. However, Gabreski only shot down one more plane in the next two months. The two pilots ahead of him (Majors Robert S. Johnson and Walker M. Mahurin, also of the 56th FG) were sent home during that time. Gabreski was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in April when the 56th FG moved to RAF Boxted. He then resumed command of the 61st FS when its commander was transferred to VIII FC headquarters.

Lt Col Gabreski shot down three Fw 190s over a Luftwaffe airfield in northwest Germany on 22 May. On 27 June, he tied Johnson as the leading ace in the European Theater of Operations (in the process he passed Eddie Rickenbacker's WWI record) and, on 5 July 1944, became America's leading ace in the ET. (At that time, Gabby's score of 28 kills matched the confirmed victories of the Pacific Theater's top American ace, Major Richard Bong.) Gabby's total of 28 kills was never surpassed by any U.S. pilot fighting the Luftwaffe.

On 20 July 1944, Lt Col Gabreski had reached the 300-hour combat time limit for Eighth Air Force fighter pilots and was awaiting an aircraft to fly him back to the United States on leave and for reassignment. He had already advised Kay Cochran to proceed with wedding plans, and his home town of Oil City, PA, had raised $2,000 for a wedding present in anticipation of his return.

Pushing the Limit & Becoming a POW

While waiting for his transportation, Gabreski learned that a bomber escort mission to Russelheim, Germany, was scheduled for that morning. So instead of boarding the transport, he requested to "fly just one more." As he returned from the mission, Gabreski observed a number of Heinkel He 111s parked on the airfield at Bassenheim, Germany, and took his flight down to attack.

His first strafing run on an He 111 was unsuccessful, and he reversed to make a second pass. When his tracers went over the parked bomber he dropped the nose of his Thunderbolt to adjust, and its propeller clipped the runway, bending the tips. The damage caused his engine to vibrate violently and he was forced to crash land. Gabreski ran into nearby woods and, although he was able to elude capture for five days, he was eventually captured. After being interrogated by Hanns Scharff, Gabreski was sent to Stalag Luft I. He was liberated when Soviet forces seized the camp in April 1945.

WWII Summary

Gabreski flew 166 combat sorties, and was officially credited by the USAAF with 28 aircraft destroyed in air combat and 3 on the ground. He was assigned five different P-47s during his time with the 56th FG, none of which was ever named, but all of which bore the fuselage identification codes HV: A.

Post-World War II Service

Following his repatriation to the United States, Gabreski married Kay Cochran on 11 June 1945. After a 90-day recuperative leave, Lt Col Gabreski became Chief of Fighter Test Section at Wright Field, OH, and at the same time completed test pilot training at its Engineering Flight Test School.

In April 1946, he left the USAAF and worked for Douglas Aircraft for a year.

Lt. Col Gabreski was recalled to active duty in April 1947 to command the 55th Fighter Squadron, 20th Fighter Group, at Shaw Air Force Base, SC. His command of the 55th FS was brief. The Air Force sent him to Columbia University in September 1947 to complete his degree and study Russian and he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science in June 1949. He returned immediately to flying, becoming Commander of his former unit, the 56th Fighter Group, now flying F-80 Shooting Stars at Selfridge Air Force Base, MI. While in command of the 56th, Gabreski oversaw conversion of the unit to North American F-86 Sabres and was promoted to Colonel on 11 March 1950.

Korean War

Gabreski flew in combat again during the Korean War. In June 1951, Col Gabreski and a group of selected pilots of the 56th FIW accompanied the delivery of F-86Es of the 62d FIS to Korea aboard the escort carrier USS Cape Esperance. The planes and pilots joined the 4th Fighter-Interceptor Group at K-14 (Kimpo) Air Base, where most engaged in combat. On 8 July 1951, flying his fifth mission in an F-86, Gabreski shot down a MiG 15, followed by MiG kills on 2 September and 2 October.

The growing MiG threat against Boeing B-29 Superfortress bomber attacks along the Yalu River caused the Fifth Air Force to create a second Sabre Wing by converting the 51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing from F-80s to F-86s in a 10-day period. Gabreski was transferred to K-13 (Suwon) Air Base, accompanied by most of the former 56th FIW pilots who had come with him to Korea, and took command on 6 November 1951. During its first seven months as an F-86 wing, the 51st, with only two operational squadrons, scored 96 MiG kills, comparing favorably to the 125 of the veteran 4th Fighter-Interceptor Wing, which operated three squadrons. Gabreski himself scored 3½ more kills to become a jet ace.

Gabreski was an aggressive commander and fostered a fierce rivalry between the two F-86 wings. This was brought about in part by the fact that the 4th had also been the keenest rival of the 56th FG during World War II. Although this aggressiveness paid off in the destruction of MiGs and air superiority over all of Korea, it also led Gabreski to make the first intentional violation of rules of engagement that prohibited combat with MiGs over China. (The MiG force was based in this ostensible sanctuary during the entire war.) Gabreski and a fellow former 56th pilot, Colonel Walker M. Mahurin, planned and executed a mission in early 1952 in which the F-86s turned off their IFF equipment and overflew two Chinese bases.

Gabreski was also criticized for having a poor attitude towards wingmen (this was also a criticism in the ETO during WWII). One historian, citing five interviews with pilots and an unpublished manuscript by a sixth, observed that Gabreski flew the fastest aircraft available and failed to notice when his slower wingmen could not keep up. These pilots, reportedly afraid to fly with him, commented that he was more interested in personal achievement than in his wingmen. He was also criticized for a lack of discipline among his off-duty pilots and for allegedly encouraging exaggerated kill claims.

Rebuttals of Criticisms

At least three of Col Gabreski's wingmen had different views. 1st Lieutenant Joe L. Cannon of the 51st FIW flew over 40 missions with him and described Gabreski as a mentor and "my kind of fighter pilot."

1st Lt. Harry Shumate, another 51st FIW pilot, stated that while flying wingman in Gabreski's flight, Shumate was the first to spot a MiG-15 heading for its base and Gabreski told him to "go get him" while the leader covered. A 4th FIW pilot, 1st Lt. Anthony Kulengosky, observed:

"I moved up in the world of wingmen by flying Col. Francis Gabreski's wing on a mission. I was absolutely thrilled to fly on this legend's wing...He was a tiger and went on to become an ace again. When asked who I looked up to the most as a pilot and a gentleman in all my flying, I still have to say it was 'Gabby' Gabreski. When he took over the 51st Wing, he asked me to move over as a flight leader in his outfit."

"Shortly after my arrival, Gabby flew the first F-86E to arrive on base in simulated combat over the field against an F-86A and whipped the other guy badly, with every Sabre jock on the base as witness. After he landed he briefed all pilots and announced that the limited number of E’s would be reserved for flight leaders. I never forgot his response, when someone asked about the problem of wingmen staying with leaders. He replied 'Wingmen are to absorb firepower' and I never knew him well enough to judge whether he had a dry sense of humor, but he made the right choice. One thing I know for sure, Gabby proved himself the greatest at our skills and talents, when he added 6 ½ MIG kills to his 28 victories in WW II and become the all-time American Fighter Ace, and I MIGht [sic] add, he did it in the P-47, not the better air-to-air P-51. And he didn’t have a chance to fly the much more powerful F-86F, which arrived after us."

A noted pilot also rebuts some of the criticism. Major William T. Whisner had been a P-51 double-ace in World War II and was one of the pilots Gabreski brought with him from the 56th FIW in June 1951. Before the mission of 20 February 1952, Gabreski and Whisner each had four MiGs credited as destroyed. During the mission, Gabreski attacked and severely damaged a MiG 15 that fled across the Yalu River into China. He broke off the engagement and returned to base after his own airplane was damaged, where he claimed the MiG as a "probable kill."

In an attempt to confirm Gabreski's kill, Whisner trailed the MiG deep into Manchuria but his Sabre ran low on fuel. He completed the shootdown and returned to K-14 where he confirmed the kill for Gabreski but did not claim it himself. Gabreski confronted him and angrily ordered him to change his mission report, confirming Whisner's own role in the kill. Whisner refused. Soon after, Gabreski recanted his anger and the two shared the claim, as a consequence of which three days later Whisner and not Gabreski became the first pilot of the 51st FW to reach jet ace status.

Although Gabreski's Korean tour was due to end in June, he approached his mission limit in early April. As a result, Gabreski quit logging sorties to avoid being transferred from his command. However, he was grounded by Fifth Air Force from further combat in mid-May when his Deputy Commander, Colonel Mahurin, was shot down. Gabreski was subsequently replaced by Colonel John W. Mitchell, who had led the mission to shoot down Admiral Yamamoto in World War II.

Upon his return to the U.S., Gabreski received the key to the city from San Francisco Mayor Elmer E. Robinson and was given a ticker-tape parade up Market Street on 17 June 1952.

Gabreski's credits for 6½ MiG-15 kills makes him one of seven U.S. pilots to become an ace in more than one war. (The others were Whisner, Colonel Harrison Thyng, Colonel James P. Hagerstrom, Colonel Vermont Garrison, Major George A. Davis, Jr., and U.S. Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel John F. Bolt.) Col Gabreski was officially credited with 123 combat missions in Korea, for a career total of 289. Although he flew many F-86s in combat, his assigned aircraft was F-86E-10-NA 51-2740, nicknamed 'Gabby.'

Post-Korea Assignments

Following his return from Korea, Gabreski had the following assignments and commands:

1. Chief of Combat Operations Section, Office of the Inspector General — Norton AFB, CA (July 1952 - June 1954)
2. Student, Air War College — Maxwell AFB, AL (1954–1955)
3 Deputy Chief of Staff, Headquarters Ninth Air Force — Shaw AFB, SC (July 1955 – August 1956)
4. Commander, 342d Fighter-Day Wing — Myrtle Beach AFB, SC (10 September 1956 – 19 November 1956) (inactivated before operational and succeeded by 354th TFW)
5. Commander, 354th Tactical Fighter Wing (F-100 Super Sabre) — Myrtle Beach AFB, SC (19 November 1956 - 13 July 1960)
6. Commander, 18th Tactical Fighter Wing (F-100) — Kadena Air Base, Okinawa (8 August 1960 - 19 June 1962)
7. Director of the Secretariat, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces — Hickam AFB, HI (July 1962 - July 1963)
8. Inspector General, Pacific Air Forces — Hickam AFB, HI (July 1963 - August 1964)
9. Commander, 52d Fighter Wing (Air Defense) (McDonnell F-101 Voodoo) — Suffolk County AFB, NY (17 August 1964 - 31 October 1967)

Colonel Francis S. Gabreski retired on 1 November 1967. His official USAF biography indicates that he retired as a Command Pilot with more than 5,000 flying hours, 4,000 of them in jets.

Medals, Awards & Badges

Distinguished Service Cross * (now known as Air Force Cross)
Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
Silver Star with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
Legion of Merit
Distinguished Flying Cross with 2 Silver and 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters
Bronze Star Medal
Air Medal with Silver and Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
Prisoner of War Medal (Retroactive)
American Defense Medal
American Theater Campaign Medal
Asia-Pacific Medal with Bronze Service Star
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 2 Bronze Service Stars
World War II Victory Medal
National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Service Star
Korean Service Medal with 4 Bronze Service Stars
United Nations Service Medal
Air Force Longevity Service Award with Silver Oak Leaf Cluster
Command Pilot Badge

The President of the United States of America, under the provisions of the Act of Congress approved July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Francis S. Gabreski (0-406131), Major (Air Corps), U.S. Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as pilot of a P-47 fighter airplane in the 61st Fighter Squadron, 56th Fighter Group, Eighth Air Force, in aerial combat against enemy forces on November 26, 1943, in the European Theater of Operations. On this date Major Gabreski shot down two enemy aircraft, bringing his total to this point in the war to more than 30 victories. Major Gabreski's unquestionable valor in aerial combat is in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, the Eighth Air Force, and the United States Army Air Forces.

Major Francis S. Gabreski
U.S. Army Air Forces
Date of Award: November 26, 1943
Headquarters: U.S. Strategic Forces in Europe, General Orders No. 25 (1944)

Honors

Suffolk County Air Force Base in Westhampton Beach, NY, which became Suffolk County Airport in 1969, was renamed Francis S. Gabreski Airport in 1991.

The collocated New York Air National Guard installation at the airport was also renamed Francis S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base.

In 1978, he was enshrined in the National Aviation Hall of Fame.

Post-Retirement Life

After retiring from the Air Force, Gabreski worked for Grumman Aerospace until August 1978. He was asked by New York Governor Hugh Carey to serve as president of the financially-stressed and state-owned Long Island Rail Road in an attempt to improve the commuter line. Carey was opposed in the Democratic gubernatorial primary election by his own lieutenant governor, Maryanne Krupsak, and in part appointed Gabreski to enhance his election campaign based on Gabreski's Polish extraction and Long Island affiliations.

After what he described as an 18-month struggle with the board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Gabreski resigned on 26 February 1981. He charged that the creation of an executive director's position, and its appointee, obstructed his efforts to improve service, replace equipment, and change its executive staff. However, a severe heat wave in the summer of 1980 that overwhelmed the commuter line's air conditioning systems was apparently the final straw that forced Gabreski's resignation.

Family & Personal Life

Francis and Kay Gabreski were married for 48 years and had nine children. Two of Gabreski's three sons graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy and became career Air Force pilots. His daughter-in-law, Terry L. Gabreski [Honoree Record ID 229635] was promoted to Lieutenant General in August 2005, and was the highest-ranking woman in the USAF until her retirement in 2010.

Kay Gabreski died as the result of an automobile accident as she and her husband were returning from the Oshkosh Air Show on 6 August 1993. She was interred in Calverton National Cemetery, 25 miles from their home in Dix Hills.

Death and Burial

Colonel Francis Stanley Gabreski died on 31 January 2002 of an apparent heart attack in Huntington Hospital, Long Island, NY. He is buried at Calverton National Cemetery in Calverton, Suffolk County, NY. Gabreski's funeral was conducted with full military honors that included a missing man formation flyover by F-15E Strike Eagles from the 4th Fighter Wing, Seymour Johnson AFB, NC.