1Lt. Raymond Hilgenberg 353rd Fighter Group, 351st Fighter Squadron.

For Uncle Ray, I Wish We'd Met. 

The term "The Greatest Generation" is so appropriate when describing these men and women, in this case The Hilgenbergs of Chicago. This is the story of an "ordinary" family who was called on to help save the world from tyranny and to take on and defeat "supersoldiers", fanatics and pure evil. My Aunt Erna, Uncle Al, my dad, Richie, and my Uncle Ray a decorated fighter pilot, all served. Ray would pay the ultimate price...but not before flying 40 combat missions and collecting air-medals and "air-victories" on behalf of his country and the world.

This site is dedicated to my uncle, 1Lt. Raymond Hilgenberg 353rd Fighter Group, 351st Fighter Squadron, KIA February 24th, 1945.

 

1Lt. Raymond Hilgenberg

My Uncle 1Lt. Raymond Hilgenberg landing at Raydon Airforce Base, England, in his P-51K Mustang s/n 44-11565 YJ - X "SUNSHINE". Drop- Tanks gone, he is returning from a combat mission over Germany. Below is an example of one of his Combat Encounter Reports from himself and 1Lt. George S. Montgomery.

NOVEMBER 27th 1944: 353rd Fighter Group, 351st Fighter Squadron North of Dummer Lake, Germany.

WHITE FLIGHT GROUP: Capt. G. Compton, Capt. A. Carrol, Lt. G. Montgomery, Lt. R. Hilgenberg.

“When the Group was vectored to the enemy aircraft they saw three gaggles and bounced the low one of 75 to 100 aircraft claiming 08 destroyed, 01 destroyed-shared, 03 damaged. White Leader, Capt Gordon B Compton destroyed an Fw190.”

SUMMERY: 353rd FG, 351st FS - The second Element Lead of White flight, 1st Lt. George S Montgomery and 1st Lt. Raymond Hilgenberg shared an Me109 destroyed air, (by the markings) it was possibly a Gruppen Commander’s aircraft.

Lt. Montgomery: ‘My flight leader (Captain Compton) broke down on a big gaggle of e/a’s (enemy aircraft). I followed him down [and] saw one coming in on my flight leader’s tail, (a Nazi plane) which was painted light brown with a big red Swastika on the fuselage in front of the tail section. He also had three horizontal V’s like a Sergeant’s stripes, on the left side of the fuselage behind the engine, and extending to the cockpit.

I broke up into him and got on his tail at approximately 28000 ft. We started down and he was skidding slipping and going up and down. I got strikes on him in the fuselage at approx 15000 ft, and smoke began to come out of the engine. I also had hits on his ailerons. At approximately 10000 ft he went into a light cloud. My wingman Lt. Raymond Hilgenberg and I followed him and he made a very tight turn causing him to snap. Lt. Hilgenberg was now directly on his tail and he shot at him again. He got several strikes causing small pieces to come off of the plane. 

He {the Nazi Plane} went into a verticle dive and Lt. Hilgenberg followed him through pulling out of a dive at less than 500 ft from the ground(!) The Me109 rolled over and went into a spin at approximately 2000 ft, then went into the ground and exploded. Lt. Hilgenberg reported "a large puff of white smoke on the ground"

A total of 567 rounds fired by 1Lt. Raymond Hilgenberg during the shooting down of this enemy aircraft. 

This cockpit gun-camera video shows the first encounter in Ray's White Flight Group. Captain Gordon Compton shot down the FW-190 mentioned at the top of the report (35 sec. mark). This led to 1Lt. Montgomery and Ray's shared destroyed air "victory" over the suspected Gruppen Commander's Me-109. 

This is the original Encounter Report of the shooting down of the Gruppen
Commander Me-109 submitted by Uncle/1Lt. Raymond Hilgenberg.

     

Just another day as a Fighter Pilot. A relaxed-looking Ray is ready to hop into his comrade 1Lt. Hassell Stump's Mustang, P-51D YJ-S 44-14690 nicknamed "Squirt". His parachute pack on the nose and the drop-tanks in- place under the wings, tells us this is minutes before Ray would take-off on a fighter-sweep and bomber escort-mission over Germany. The mission date is Nov. 21st, 1944. This, in fact, was just his FOURTH combat mission since arriving in Great Britain in mid-October. 

    

MEDAL CEREMONY DEC. 13th, 1944.

Lt. Col. Ben Rimerman presenting the Air Medal to 1Lt. Raymond Hilgenberg.

Shortly after the 351st's big air battle with the Luftwaffe on November 27th 1944 (encounter report above^), Ray would receive his first of FOUR Air Medals. These medals are awarded to any person who, "while serving in any armed forces of the United States, shall have distinguished himself by meritorious or heroic achievement while participating in aerial flight".  

Aunt Erna Hilgenberg (WAVES), Uncle Albie Hilgenberg (Navy), My dad, Richie Hilgenberg (USAAF), Uncle Ray Hilgenberg (USAAF). This photograph happens to catch them all on Leave at the same time, at home in Chicago, 1944. It's the last time they would see Ray.

                                                  

BUZZ OFF!

While Ray was an Instructor in 1943 at Waycross AFB in Georgia, he couldn't wait for the base commander to take off on leave. This is because he would take his fighter plane and go "joyriding". This particular day with the commander gone, Ray jumped into his P-40 Warhawk (above) and went flying! As the Hilgenberg family knows first hand, Ray wasn't interested in flying above the clouds and taking in the view, he would rather have some fun and show off his amazing skills! This particular day he was "buzzing" the town of Waycross and scaring the locals to death when he spotted a new, expensive-looking, shiny black car cruising down the road on a Sunday drive. He zeroed in on his target and buzzed it relentlessly! Then for his final act, Ray dropped down to eye level with the car, now both car and fighter plane driving directly towards each other! Just as it looked like they would hit, Ray, of course, yanked the stick up and roared right over the top of the car rattling its windows! Just another local of Waycross having a story to tell when they got home. EXCEPT, this wasn't a local out for a Sunday drive, it was, to Ray's horror, the base commander! Ray had no idea who he'd just toyed with until he returned to base and hopped out of his plane. He was met by the Commander and other officers (maybe the MPs, I'm not clear on that) who were more than pissed.

The upshot is Ray was still able to remain an instructor, but he was confined to base for THREE MONTHS! I think this played a part in how long he was stationed at Waycross before being shipped overseas. Lt. Raymond Hilgenberg, it seems, (and has been confirmed by my dad) was a bit of a rebel.

I asked my dad if he saw anything in Ray growing up that would suggest he would make a great fighter pilot and he gave me an example. My dad walked into a restroom at their high school only to find his big brother Ray standing up for a kid who was being bullied. He saw Ray taking on FOUR guys at once and was disposing of them all. The bullied kid was assured this would never happen again. Tough, good with his hands and heart kinda kid Ray was.

It seems that fighter pilots would have to have a little daredevil in them as well. Well, again, my dad talks about being out a park in Chicago where during the winter they would set up a ski jump. It's a hilly area so you could get a pretty good run into the jump. Ray, having never gone off of a jump before, just powered down the hill and hit the ramp full speed...he was LAUNCHED into the air flying way down the hill, and at then suddenly dropped out of the air and face-planted onto the hard-packed, icy snow! Bruises and a bruised ego is all he limped away with. Pretty obvious what he did next...went right back in line for another jump! A decorated fighter pilot in the making.

Ray sent this home as an example of his aircraft at Waycross.

This painting at an aerodrome features artist Gareth Hector's depiction of a mission where these Mustangs from Ray's 351st Fighter Squadron strafed targets deep behind enemy lines in Germany. There are two planes in this painting that Ray had multiple combat missions in, the P-51D Mustang named "Little Bouncer" Code YJ-O which he flew two combat missions in that belonged to Capt. Gordon B. Compton, and the P-51D "Sweet Marie" YJ-Z (four missions).  It's very reflective as to what the 351st FS was doing at this point in the war. Lots of hitting the deck and strafing on virtually every mission.

On Dec. 10th, 1944 Ray had been assigned his own brand new P-51K, Mustang YJ-X named SUNSHINE (Ray of Sunshine). 

Herbie, (ready to rumble, and he'll do just that in a few years in Korea!) my Granny, my dad behind her, Ray (could he look any more like a fighter Pilot) little Calvin my Grandpa David (Davidovich) Hilgenberg and Judy. Missing are Albie, Erna and Betty. Any one of these Hilgenberg's could have their own blog post...and will.                                                                             
                                BUZZING HOME!

Ray's Photo Sent Home Of His P-40 Warhawk

This is the much talked about family story that details the time Ray flew home to Chicago on leave in his P-40 Warhawk from his base in Waycross Georgia.

He roared into town and "crop dusted" his town. Crop Dusting is a term that means you're buzzing your hometown and was a right-of-passage for many young pilots in the states. Not only did Ray relentlessly buzz the family home but he then turned his attention to Taft High School which he had graduated from only a year and a half or so prior. First, Ray buzzed the football team on the athletic field where they scrambled around like they were under attack, fell to the ground, and laid out flat!

He then circled the school and somehow maneuvered his plane and flew between the second and third floors of the school right past the music department windows! My aunt Judy, who was still in school, talked about how he was literally eye level with the classrooms! The vibration of the incredibly loud Warhawk's engine almost shattered the windows as he flew by!

My dad tells me his mother was really upset because she not only watched him soar overhead and clip the tops of the trees in their neighborhood but then saw him fly over to Ebinger Elementary School, where this time he flipped the plane sideways and flew in between the smokestack and the school!

EBINGER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
The family story is complete with "Granny" in her apron waving a cooking ladle into the air while yelling up at Ray. I spoke with her years later and she said she was terrified she was going to watch her son crash right in front of her. But, you put a ship like that into the hands of a 20-year-old and what do you expect!

After having more fun than he could have ever imagined growing up in the area, Ray flew over to the Naval Air Station in Glenview Ilinois.  Prior to the war the airport was named Curtiss Field. Ray landed his plane at this conveniently located airbase not far from the family home. I can't imagine the thrill of returning home in such an incredible warplane! Just for perspective here's what the P-40 Warhawk costs today, $1,575,000! 

I might add, what to me is the most ironic aspect of this story, Ray didn't even know how to drive a car! My dad told me he was a terrible driver and never got a Drivers license! He clearly preferred being up in the air.

Brothers Richard and Raymond Hilgenberg, Chicago IL. 1944

One Of The Mustangs Of The 351st Ray Flew Before Getting "Sunshine".

 351st Fighter Squadron's Insignia

Ray's 351st Fighter Squadron Ready To Take-Off On A Sweeping Mission From Raydon Air Force Base, Suffolk England. The Great Captain Gordon Compton Leads The Group In His YJ - O "Little Bouncer" s/n 44-72299. 

Our Boys Heading To Germany To Knock Out Nazi Targets Of Opportunity, Never Knowing What Enemy Planes Might Be There To Engage Them.

An example of a very successful strafing mission by Ray and his 351st Fighter Squadron. These types of strikes on "targets of opportunity" on the infrastructure of the Nazi's (and in this instance many enemy soldiers as well) proved to be as important as any offensive strategy in the war. This was Ray's next to last mission. Today he was hit by Anti Aircraft fire while coming off of strafing a train. The Nazi trains pulled along "flak cars" which were traveling anti-aircraft weapons. Here's a brief description of the incident. [Ray's aircraft] "44-11565 Flak. A/C hit in left wing while strafing. Landed on continent. Left landing gear collapsed plane skidded off runway. Extent of damage unknown. A.O.C."

Ray Flying 3rd Position "B" Group "White Flight"

   

(Artist unknown?)

RAY'S FINAL MISSION

RESULTS FROM HIS FINAL MISSION...HE WENT DOWN SWINGING.

Damage Claims 24/02/45

18-0-0 Oil Cars (cars blew up but did not burn)

3-0-0 Trucks

0-0-1 Loco [engine]

0-0-1 Railway Station

1LT. RAYMOND HILGENBERG'S LAST FLIGHT

(excerpts from this short story)

Obviously, the pain the family went through was unimaginable when they first received a telegram telling them their son was MIA. It wasn't until July of '45 that they would learn of his fate. 

From this day on my grandmother (a mother of NINE and an immigrant from Russia at age 15) would be an American Gold Star Mother. She never missed a meeting. I recall when I was a teenager in the 1970s driving her to the meetings but not really grasping the depths of her grief. She kept her son's memory alive for our family until her passing at 89.

Ray in the middle. This is near Chicago where they used to ski over a frozen river in the Forest Glen area, it included a ski jump! 

My Aunt Katherine Hilgenberg with one of the greatest renditions ever of You'll Never Walk Alone" It's our family's touch-tone song during difficult times...

I should add, when Ray was shot down on 02/24/45 and was MIA, my dad, Sergeant Richard Hilgenberg, had just finished training in Clovis, New Mexico, (gunner/radio in B-17's and B-29's) and was scheduled that week to be deployed with his B-29 crew to the war in the Pacific. But, without explanation, he was reassigned to another crew. He was devastated because these were his Band Of Brothers, they had bonded while readying themselves for war. He said at first he didn't really understand why that happened because he excelled at his job. But later learned it was because of Ray's MIA status. 

He ended up at Hickam Airforce Base, Pearl Harbor. Flying the planes out of Barber's Point with special extended runways for the B-29s. His assignment was to ferry war-torn B-29's and from Hawaii to Travis Airfare Base, California. Needless to say, he had some harrowing missions over the pacific in these damaged planes. Like a two hundred foot flaming engine halfway between Hawaii and the West Coast, in the pitch black of night! Struggling to get his parachute on but he couldn't get it attached...he'd forgotten he had stuffed his pockets with candy bars for the long flight! Ha. Stories for another time...

A special thanks to Graham Cross historian and archivist of the 353rd. Without his lifelong dedication to the preservation of the amazing exploits of these young men and everything related to their 353rd FG, these stories would not have been as complete or possible. 

Also, thanks to Peter Randall, Katy Compton (daughter of the great Capt. Gordon Compton of the 353rd) Gerrit & Silvie Kamphuis, The Stanley S. Petticrew Collection, and everyone on various social media groups who have been patient with me and incredibly helpful.  

And of course, my dad, Richard Hilgenberg, who at 94 is as lucid as ever and regales me with incredible stories of his immigrant family...The Hilgenbergs Of Chicago! His days while serving in the Army Air Force in B-17s and B-29s during WWII are coming soon!

As a screenwriter and filmmaker, I look forward to continuing this journey wherever it leads me.