WWII 63rd FS top gun takes out German ace

  • Published
  • By GUS VINAS
  • 56th Fighter Wing historian
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  During the early 1940s, the 56th Fighter Group's potent P-47 Thunderbolts did not enjoy the air superiority they would later tear from the hands of the enemy. Those P-47 pilots faced a disciplined, experienced and highly-trained corps of Luftwaffe pilots flying excellent fighters in the ME-109 and FW-190. 

The deciding factor which later spelled defeat for the Luftwaffe was the sheer aggressiveness of fighter pilots such as one of the 63rd Fighter Squadron's top guns, Col. Walker "Bud" Mahurin, with a total of 26 aerial victories in two wars. 

From pilot training, where he learned the difficulties of flying and fighting in a single-seat aircraft, to the fearful voyage across the Atlantic under the constant and very real threat from German U-boats, Colonel Mahurin formed bonds of friendship with his fellow fighter pilots. 

Those bonds were essential, as the rules of engagement in Europe called for teamwork to destroy a threat that sought to enslave the entire world. There were no "lone eagle" tactics such as those employed by the namesake for Luke Air Force Base, 2nd Lt. Frank Luke Jr. Engaging the enemy in the spirit of teamwork was the strategy that defeated the German Luftwaffe. 

Mahurin quickly evolved from a novice fighter pilot to a multiple ace when he began his long string of victories. Of the 22 aerial victories he posted in World War II and another four Korea, perhaps the most significant was his first. 

The 56th Fighter Group joined the air war in Europe in the first months of 1943. During one of those early missions an inexperienced Captain Mahurin was on a bomber escort mission against targets in Regensburg, Germany. 

The P-47s from the 56th were among the first Allied fighters equipped with new 75-gallon belly tanks which later evolved into 200-gallon tanks. The fuel tanks improved the range of the P-47s to the extent that they could escort the bombers to a target area. 

As the bombers approached the target they were attacked by defending Luftwaffe fighters. The P-47s attacked and damaged or destroyed 27 of their fighters. Among those enemy aircraft destroyed were two downed by Captain Mahurin. 

It was later learned that one of the fighters shot down by Mahurin was flown by a Luftwaffe ace who had destroyed 55 Allied aircraft. In destroying that fighter and, more significantly, its pilot, it's only a guess the number of Allied aircraft Mahurin saved. 

His string of victories climbed to 21 by March 1944 when he had to rely on a different kind of wingman. He was shot down over occupied France. 

He was soon picked up by members of the French resistance, and those French wingmen spent the next three months evading not only German patrols but also searches by French collaborators. 

Hiding in barns, farm houses and cellars while constantly on the alert against capture, he had experiences that read like a World War II movie. After twelve weeks of evading the enemy, Captain Mahurin, 20 pounds lighter, sailed across the English Channel to Allied lines. 

Although he was supposed to be sent home, he pressed for and gained an assignment in the Pacific theater. While there he downed a Japanese bomber before being shot down for the second time. His wingmen were there again and he evaded capture and returned to friendly lines. 

In 1952, Colonel Mahurin traded his P-47 for an F-86 Sabre jet where he posted four aerial victories over the infamous MiG-15. Although his wingmen protected him from the highly-maneuverable MiG, he was shot down again by ground fire. 

After spending time as a prisoner of war, he was released and made his home in the north Phoenix area. Today he occasionally visits Luke to mingle with his old unit as they train the air warriors and wingmen of tomorrow, the men and women of the 63rd Fighter Squadron.