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Contact Info
Home Town Valley, Nebraska
Last Address Melbourne, Florida
Date of Passing Mar 29, 1998
Location of Interment Arlington National Cemetery (VLM) - Arlington, Virginia
Early in his career he was a fighter pilot andlater was unit commander and staff officer. His final assignment was as Executive Officer with the U.S. Representative NATO Standing Group in the Office of the Secretary of Defense at the Pentagon from Jul 1963 until he was medically retired Oct 22, 1964.
Headquarters, 9th Air Force, General Orders No. 264 (November 9, 1944)
CITATION:
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Captain (Air Corps) Marvin Edwards Childs (ASN: 0-26300), United States Army Air Forces, for heroic achievement while participating in aerial flight in the European Theater of Operations on 17 August 1944. Demonstrating superb flying skill and courage he led his flight of _-38 type aircraft to attack an enemy anti-aircraft emplacement. Under his bold leadership the flight destroyed the gun position, thus enabling the balance of the squadron to inflict heavy damage on a motor convoy hauling vital material. His brave and daring actions were responsible in large measure for the destruction of vital enemy equipment, and are in keeping with the highest traditions of the Army Air Forces.
Aircraft/Missile Information
Specifications StatsCentral Model North American F-86D Sabre Length 37.50 ft | 11.43 m Width 37.07 ft | 11.30 m Height 14.99 ft | 4.57 m Engine(s) 1 x General Electric J47-GE-27, turbujet engine generating 5,970lbs of thrust. Empty Weight 10,950 lbs | 4,967 kg MTOW 17,000 lbs | 7,711 kg Max Speed 690 mph | 1,110 km/h | 599 kts Max Range 785 miles | 1,263 km Ceiling 50,000 ft | 15,240 m | 9.5 miles Climb Rate 12,000 ft/min (1,344 m/min) Hardpoints 2 Armament 6 x 12.7mm machine guns 24 x 2.75in rockets
External provisions for 2,000 lbs of bombs Accommodations 1
Major Variants
* XP-86 - Original Army Air Force prototypes (3) * YP-86A - Re-engined with GE J47 turbojet. * P-86A - Redesignated from YP-86A * F-86A - Redesignated production model from P-86A; Featured J47-GE-1 turbojet. * F-86D - Complete redesign of base model; Redesignated as night/all-weather aircraft; Hughes fire control system; J47-GE-33 turbojet. * F-86E - Slab tailplane adjustable inflight; J47-GE-27 turbojet * F-86F - J47-GE-27 turbojet; Extended leading edges. * F-86K - Based on F-86D model with J47-GE-17B tubojet. * F-86L - Rebuilt "D" model with updated electronics and larger wing surface