This Military Service Page was created/owned by
SSgt Robert Bruce McClelland, Jr.
to remember
McCorkle, Charles Milton, Maj Gen USAF(Ret).
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He destroyed 11 enemy aircraft in aerial combat in the Mediterranean Theater in WWII.
His ashes were scattered in the Pacific Ocean at Point Lobos, California.
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Colonel (Air Corps) Charles M. McCorkle, United States Army Air Forces, for gallantry in action while serving as a Fighter Pilot and Commanding Officer of the 31st Fighter Group, FIFTEENTH Air Force. On 3 January 1944, Colonel McCorkle led a flight of four (4) Spitfires which patrolled the Allied front lines in Italy. While investigating unidentified aircraft near Allied front lines, the Spitfires experienced intense, accurate heavy flak. Colonel McCorkle's aircraft was hit in the right wing and tail assembly, the control surfaces damaged, and the trim tab control cables were shot away. At the same time his radio ceased operating. Since he could not be certain of the full extent of the damage, and his aircraft was extremely difficult to control, he decided to break away from the flight in order to return to base. Before he could break away, he observed twelve (12) enemy fighters diving toward Allied territory. Realizing that to break away at this crucial moment would doubtless confuse his pilots and thereby delay their interception of the enemy fighters, Colonel McCorkle refrained from leaving his flight. Unmindful of the damaged condition and difficulty in maneuvering his aircraft, and disregarding odds of twelve (12) to four (4), he led his flight in an aggressive and superbly executed attack, dispersed the enemy formation and forced them to turn toward base. As the aircraft reached enemy territory, anti-aircraft fire caused both the enemy and the Spitfires to climb. Observing an enemy fighter to his left at six-thousand (6,000) feet, Colonel McCorkle attacked, and despite extreme difficulty in maneuvering his aircraft, he skillfully followed, closed to point blank range and shot it down. The expert flying skill, outstanding gallantry, and selfless devotion to duty displayed by Colonel McCorkle in flying a severely damaged aircraft into combat against numerically superior forces has reflected great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States of America.
General Orders: Headquarters, 15th Air Force, General Orders No. 217 (1944)
John Voll, 308th FS, 31st. Fighter Group in May of 1944, Luliang, China
Rollie Barton WWII P-51 Pilot with the 31st Fighter Group
Lt Leland Molland's Spitfire Mk VIII: 308th FS, Jan 1944
Constituted as 31st Pursuit Group (Interceptor) on 22 Dec 1939. Activated on 1 Feb 1940. Trained with P-39's and participated in maneuvers. Redesignated 31st Fighter Group in May 1942. Moved to England, May-Jun 1942. Assigned to Eighth AF and equipped with Spitfires. Entered combat in Aug 1942. Supported a raid made by Canadian, British, American, and French forces at Dieppe on 19 Aug. Escorted bombers and flew patrol and diversionary missions until Oct. Assigned to Twelfth AF for the invasion of North Africa, the pilots of the group flying Spitfires from Gibraltar to Algeria on 8 Nov 1942 and the ground echelon landing at Arzeu beach the same day. Attacked motor transports, gun positions, and troop concentrations during the three-day campaign for Algeria and French Morocco. Helped to defeat Axis forces in Tunisia by supporting ground troops and providing cover for bomber and fighter aircraft. During May and Jun 1943, provided escort for bombers on raids to Pantelleria and cover for naval convoys in the Mediterranean. Supported the landings on Sicily in July and took part in the conquest of that island. Covered the landings at Salerno early in Sep 1943 and at Anzio in Jan 1944. Also operated in close support of Allied ground forces in Italy and flew patrol and escort missions.
Assigned to Fifteenth AF in Apr 1944, converted to P-51's, and thereafter engaged primarily in escort work. Received a DUC for a mission on 21 Apr 1944 when the group, despite the severe weather that was encountered, provided cover for a force of heavy bombers during a raid on production centers in Rumania. On numerous other occasions escorted bombers that attacked objectives in Italy, France, Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria, Rumania, Yugoslavia, and Greece. In addition provided escort for reconnaissance aircraft and for C-47's engaged in the airborne operation connected with the invasion of Southern France. Also flew strafing missions against airdromes and communications targets. Took part in an operation in which a task force from Fifteenth AF attacked targets in Rumania while flying to Russia on 22 Jul 1944 and while returning to Italy on 26 Jul; on 25 Jul, after escorting P-38's from a base in Russia for a raid on an airdrome in Poland, the 31st group made attacks on a convoy of German trucks and on a force of German fighter-bombers, being awarded a DUC for its performance. Strafed rail and highway traffic in northern Italy in Apr 1945 when Allied forces were engaged in their final offensive in that area. Returned to the US in Aug. Inactivated on 7 Nov 1945.
Activated in Germany on 20 Aug 1946. Assigned to United States Air Forces in Europe. Transferred, without personnel and equipment, to the US in Jun 1947. Assigned to Tactical Air Command and equipped with P-51's. Converted to F-84's in 1948. Redesignated 31st Fighter-Bomber Group in Jan 1950. Assigned to Strategic Air Command in Jul 1950. Redesignated 315t Fighter-Escort Group. Inactivated on 16 Jun 1952.
Assigned 8th AAF: Jun 1942
Wing/Command Assignment
VII FC: 10 Jun 1942
VII FC, 6 FW 16 Aug
Combat Aircraft:
Spitfire V
Stations
ATCHAM 11 Jun. 42-1 Aug. 42. Hq. 307 & 308FS
HIGH ERCALL 11 Jun. 42-4 Aug. 42. 309FS
WESTHAMPNETT 1 Aug. 42-21 Oct. 42 (308 FS in 4 Aug. ,308 FS in 24 Aug. 42)
MERSTON 24 Aug. 42-unkn. 307FS
(307 and 309FS at Warmwell 19-27 Jul. 42; 307FS at Biggin Hill1 Aug. 42-24 Aug. 42; 308FS at Kenley 1 Aug. 42-24 Aug. 42).
Group COs
Col John R. Hawkins: 1 Jul 42-4 Dec. 42.
First Mission: 29 Aug. 1942
Last Mission: 9 Oct. 1942
Total sorties: 1,286
*(First sorties with RAF 26 Jul. 42 First squadron.operation 5 Aug.42)
MIA: 5
Enemy Aircraft Claims: 2 - 1 - 6 air
Claims to Fame
First group to commence operations with 8AF.
Early History:
Activated 1 Feb. 1940 at Selfridge Field, Mich. Trained with early P-39s. Moved to Baer Field, Ind, 6 Dec. 1941 and to New Orleans AB, La, in Feb.1942. Scheduled to fly P-39s to United Kingdom via north Atlantic ferry route but project cancelled. Ground echelon sailed on Queen Elizabeth on the 4 June 1942 arriving Clyde 10 June 1942. Pilots followed later in month. Flying training at Atcham 26 Jun. 1942.
Subsequent History:
Assigned 12AF, Xll FC on the 14 Sep. 1942 but continued to operate under VlIl FC. Off operational status 10 Oct. 1942. Spitfires shipped to Gibraltar. Personnel sailed from Clyde for Gibraltar 26 Oct. 1942. Unit fought with the 12AF in North Africa and Italy. In May 1944 unit converted to P-51s and flew escort for 15AF. Unit was inactivated on Nov. 1945. Activated again in 1946. Operated F-51s in Germany and in 1947 returned to US. Equipped with F-84 in 1948. The unit was TAC unit for many years flying F-100s, in operations in the Vietnam War.
