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Born: May 30, 1922. Birthplace: Pelham, NH. Rank at Retirement: Lt. Colonel Unit(s): – 355th Fighter Group — 354th Fighter Squadron Theatre(s): ETO Decoration: – DFCx4, AMx13 Victories: – 5.83 Aerial (+2 damaged) – 5.5 Ground (+4 damaged) Total Sorties: 112 |
Aircraft Flown: – P-47D-2RE, WR-N
– P-51B-10, 42-106870 – P-51C-15, 42-103802, WR-N – P-51D-15, 44-15373, WR-N
– P-51D-20, 44-72361, WR-N |
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Bud Fortier joined Army Reserves shortly after Pearl Harbor, commissioned Second Lieutenant following flight school at Spence Field, AL on January 14, 1943. He was assigned to 355th FG and sailed to England in July 1943. Fortier shot down his first 109 in aerial combat during the March 6, 1944 Berlin mission and destroyed his last 109 near Oschatz on July 20 to become the Group’s ninth air ace. Fortier destroyed his last German ship on the ground on January 15, 1945 to raise his total to 11.33 air and ground. He became CO of the 354FS right around VE day then rotated home shortly afterwards to graduate from University of New Hampshire and remained in USAF Reserves until retiring December 1964.
Fortier’s final score was 5.83 destroyed and 2 damaged in the air and 5.5 destroyed plus 4 damaged on the ground during two tours and 112 missions.. Fortier wrote a book about his experiences as the author of “Fighter Pilot of the Eighth”. |
Profile compiled by Bill Marshall - Photos courtesy Bill Marshall.
U.S.A.A.F. RESOURCE CENTER > USAAF ACES & LEGENDS > PREVIOUS PAGE