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.
1944-1946, P-38 Lightning (Forked Tail Devil)
From Year 1944
To Year 1946
Personal Memories
Qualified Apr 1944 at Long Beach, CA Ferry Command assignment post North Africa
Image
P-38 Lightning (Forked Tail Devil) Details
Aircraft/Missile Information
Specifications StatsCentral Model Lockheed P-38J Lightning Length 37.83 ft | 11.53 m Width 52.00 ft | 15.85 m Height 9.81 ft | 2.99 m Engine(s) 2 x Allison V-1710-111 water-cooled inline piston engines generating 1,425hp. Empty Weight 12,800 lbs | 5,806 kg MTOW 21,601 lbs | 9,798 kg Max Speed 414 mph | 666 km/h | 360 kts Max Range 2,237 miles | 3,600 km Ceiling 43,963 ft | 13,400 m | 8.3 miles Climb Rate 2,500 ft/min (762 m/min) Hardpoints 2 Armament 1 x 20mm Cannon 4 x 12.7mm machine guns
10 x 5in high-explosive rockets (optional) 2 x Drop Tanks (optional) 2 x 500lb bombs (optional)
Up to 4,000lbs (908kg) of underwing ordnance. Accommodations 1
