Sharp Francis R Lt

Assigned Aircraft	P-51D 44-63287 CL-W "My Jane" (C. Olshavsky)
Mission History	Completed Tour of Duty 301.20 combat hours 65 Sorties
Mission List	Not Known
Air Scores	0-0-0
Ground Scores	1.5-0
Score Detail	13 January 1945 (.5)Do-217 destroyed (ground) Giebelstadt 14 January 1945 Me-110 destroyed (ground) SE/Salzwedel
Notes	Born in Newburgh, New York on 12 March 1921 ASN - 0-816944 Known as 'Ray' 18 September 1944 - Joined the 338th Fighter Squadron 09 October 1944 - Bailed after take-off at Wormingford, in P-51D CL-I 44-13668 Photo of crash crater. (C. Olshavsky) Nb. Photos open in new window. Close window to return to this page. 17 December 1944 - Awarded the Air Medal 27 December 1944 - Promoted from 2nd Lieutenant to 1st Lieutenant 19 January 1945 - Awarded first Oak Leaf Cluster to the Air Medal 01 March 1945 Awarded 2nd Oak Leaf Cluster to Air Medal 07 March 1945 Awarded 3rd Oak Leaf Cluster to Air Medal 21 March 1945 Awarded 4th Oak Leaf Cluster to Air Medal 11 April 1945 Awarded 5th Oak Leaf Cluster to Air Medal 11 April 1945 Awarded 6th Oak Leaf Cluster to Air Medal 11 June 1945 Awarded 7th Oak Leaf Cluster to Air Medal 22 June1945 Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross 07 July 1945 Awarded Swedish Golden Medal of Vasa
Memories	'After Lt. Sharp’s Tour of Duty was completed on April 9, 1945, he received orders for Detached Service. On April 15, 1945, he and 13 other pilots delivered 14 P-51 Mustangs to the Swedish government in Stockholm. Arriving in Stockholm, the planes flew down the Vasterbron River performing an “aerial circus”, before landing at Bromma Airport, including flying under the bridges much to the delight of the residents of the city. The delivery coincided with a memorial service for President Roosevelt attended by several members of the royal family. Several of the American pilots participated in the memorial service including Lt. Sharp. The pilots were subsequently awarded the Golden Medal of Vasa by order of the King of Sweden.' (C. Olshavsky)
Additional Photographs	Ray Sharp (C. Olshavsky) P-39 "My Jane" 44-632877 flown by Lt. Sharp (C. Olshavsky) L-R Lt. Sharp, Lt. Schneider and Lt. Schonenberg (C. Olshavsky) (all three were good friends, having gone through cadet school together, graduated together, joined the same squadron and finished their tours weeks apart. They were also all from New York.) L-R Lt. Sharp and Lt. Schneider (C. Olshavsky) Nb. Photos open in new window. Close window to return to this page.