This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Barbara Roesch-Family
to remember
Breece, David Sessions, Lt Col.
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Contact Info
Last Address Fayetteville, NC
Official Badges
Unofficial Badges
Additional Information
Last Known Activity:
Served Africa 1942-1943; transferred to "Ferry Command" in Long Beach, CA in an aircraft maintenance/inspection capacity. This command used the women pilots to return aircraft to assigned bases. Before discharge he spent time at "Sunken Lunken" AFB in Cincinnati OH, so named after a heavy storm caused serious flooding. About 1946 he was discharged to civilian life. He was recalled c1950 for duty in Japan during Korean War, as non-combat pilot. He was an avid sportsman and acted as an ambassador of sorts at the Tokyo Tennis Club and spoke on the radio to Japanese youth giving them encouragement to persevere through hard times.
Transferred mainland in 1954, he decided to remain in the Air Force and was attached to Norton AFB 1954-1958, San Bernardino, CA; Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton, OH 1958-1961 and finally Vandenburg AFB, Lompoc, CA 1961-1965. I believe most of his post war service involved some type of quality control function as he was attached to the Inspector General's Office in OH and spent two weeks of every month traveling to bases around the Pacific.
Other Comments:
After my father retired, he became a graduate from the Professional Golfer's Association and moved to Gold Rush country in CA where he sold real estate, played golf and generally enjoyed his much deserved last 36 years of life.
1942-1946, P-51/F-51 Mustang
From Year 1942
To Year 1946
Personal Memories
Qualified Aug 1942
Image
P-51/F-51 Mustang Details
Aircraft/Missile Information
General characteristics
* Crew: 1 * Length: 32 ft 3 in (9.83 m) * Wingspan: 37 ft 0 in (11.28 m) * Height: 13 ft 8 in (4.17 m) * Wing area: 235 ft� (21.83 m�) * Empty weight: 7,635 lb (3,465 kg) * Loaded weight: 9,200 lb (4,175 kg) * Max takeoff weight: 12,100 lb (5,490 kg) * Powerplant: 1� Packard Merlin V-1650-7 liquid-cooled supercharged V-12, 1,695 hp (1,265 kW) * Zero-lift drag coefficient: 0.0163 * Drag area: 3.80 ft� (0.35 m�) * Aspect ratio: 5.83
Performance
* Maximum speed: 437 mph (703 km/h) at 25,000 ft (7,620 m) * Cruise speed: 362 mph (580 km/h) * Stall speed: 100 mph (160 km/h) * Range: 1,650 mi (2,755 km) with external tanks * Service ceiling 41,900 ft (12,770 m) * Rate of climb: 3,200 ft/min (16.3 m/s) * Wing loading: 39 lb/ft� (192 kg/m�) * Power/mass: 0.18 hp/lb (300 W/kg) * Lift-to-drag ratio: 14.6 * Recommended Mach limit 0.8
Armament
* 6 � 0.50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns; 400 rounds per gun for the two inboard guns; 270 per outboard gun * 2 hardpoints for up to 2,000 lb (907 kg) * 10 � 5 in (127 mm) rockets
Specifications
* A-36A Apache - Dive bomber (US Army) * F-6 - US Army offshoots model * F-6A - US Army offshoots model * F-6C - Reconnaissance variant * P-51A - More powerful powerplant; 4 x machine guns. * P-51B - 4 x machine guns; Original and bubble canopy. * P-51C - 4 x machine guns; Original and bubble canopy. * P-51D - Classic variant; most produced. * P-51H - Lighter airframe version * P-51K - Featuring an Aeroproducts propeller. * F-51 - Redesignated to "Fighter" in the new jet fighter age. * F-6K - Reconnaissance version of P-51K
