Jack Ilfrey

P-38  "Lightning"  "Happy Jacks Go Buggy"

Artwork and research is by;

Sir Ernie Hamilton Boyette

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Captain Jack M. Ilfrey

By Sir Ernie Hamilton Boyette

Jack Milton Ilfrey joined the Army Air Corps and graduated from flying school at Luke Field Arizona on December 12, 1941 just days after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor . Jack was assigned to the 94th "Hat in the Ring", Fighter Squadron, 1st Fighter Group. The 94^th Squadron was famous from the group’s success in World War I when Eddie Rickenbacker was the top American Ace.

Jack was sent to England with his group in the spring of 1942. After the Allies invaded North Africa code named “Operation Torch”, Jack and his squadron were sent to Tafaroui were they began flying combat missions. The flight from England to North Africa was eventful with a stop over because of engine trouble in Portugal . When Jack landed at the Portuguese military airfield the Portuguese military pilots were awe-struck with the total awesomeness of the P-38 fighter. Truly at the time the advanced design fighter looked like it came out of a science-fiction comic book. The P-38 was bigger than anything the Portuguese pilots had ever seen or flown short of a multi-engine cargo plane. Plus the Lighting had a tri-cycle landing gear setting the fighter high off the ground which made it even more intimidating.

The majority of the missions the group flew in North Africa were both ground support and bomber escorts. Not all missions held the chance of enemy aircraft encounters. The bombing and strafing of German and Italian troops as well as anti-aircraft batteries, artillery, and vehicles was dangerous enough.

Flying a P-38 Lighting named “Texas Terror”, Jack saw combat for the first time on November 29th with an aerial victory by shooting down a Messerschmitt 110 while returning from an attack on the German Airdrome at Gabes. The P-38 Jack flew from England was painted light gray on the bottom wing areas as well as the bottom of the fuselage and engine booms. The top was standard Olive Drab with stars on a plain dark blue field on the winds and engine boom.

On December 2nd, Jack shot down two Bf 109’s, over Gabes, and became an ace on December 26th while leading a flight to Bizerte Tunis by shooting down two Focke Wulf 190s.

On March 3, 1943, Jack shot down another Bf 109 which would make a total of six he would get credit for in Africa . These victories made Jack the first ace in the 94th Fighter Squadron and the second pilot to be an ace in the P-38.

Their squadron was used for dangerous ground strafing missions supporting the allied advances. On one mission Jack and his fellow pilots strafed German gun positions that were located in a mountain passage on the road to Sfax. Their success in attacking the German gun batteries led to an allied victory.

Jack flew 72 Combat missions while in North Africa and returned to the States becoming an instructor for new pilots in the P-38 and P-47.

Jack was promoted to Captain and returned to England to join the 79th Fighter Squadron, 20th Fighter Group in March 1944 as the commander officer. On this tour Jack was flying a new aluminum finished P-38 named “Happy Jacks Go Buggy.”

Jack scored two more aerial victories over Bf 109’s on May 24th while escorting heavy bombers over Berlin . Jack and his squadron of sixteen P-38’s were jumped by thirty plus Germans. The ensuing aerial battle became frantic, filling the sky with twisting, turning and looping aircraft.

While in a head on attack with one of the 109’s, the German plane hit Jacks P-38, tearing off the end of his right wing. Jack was able to keep his Lighting from going into a spin, the German was not so lucky.

On June 12th Jack and his squadron successfully dive bombed a bridge that crossed the Loire River . While reassembling with his squadron they came upon an enemy train. Jack attacked the train and destroyed the locomotive. As he was pulling up his right engine exploded and caught on fire. Jack bailed out of "Happy Jack’s Go Buggy" just before it exploded.

He parachuted behind enemy lines and avoided capture by befriending the French people who helped him escape. Jack was disguised as a deaf mute named Jacques Robert. Jack carried a note that a French woman wrote, explaining that he had been injured and could not speak or hear. She signed it as a doctor. This note saved Jacks life and enabled him to openly travel in daylight.

This is a photo of Jack after he got back to base dressed like a Frenchman.

It took Jack several weeks to return to the allied lines. Jack rode a bicycle most of the way and walked the rest. Along the way he met many German troops. He was even asked to transport a wounded German soldier to a field hospital by pushing him in a wheel borrow, which he did.

Jack witnessed first hand the destruction the Allied aircraft was doing to the towns, cities and the German airdromes. Jack even witness several air attacks while making his way back to the allied lines.

After reaching the Allied lines his concern was not being shot by American or Allied troops. Once he reached American troops Jack worked his way back to his airbase. The unit soon thereafter transitioned to the P-51D Mustangs of which Jack named his, “Happy Jack’s Go Buggy”.

Jack left the service after the war credited with 8 confirmed aerial victories and two damaged. His awards were the Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross with 5 Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Air Metal with 13 Oak Leaf Clusters.

All research, writings and artwork are by Sir Ernie Hamilton Boyette.

No one is permitted to republish any part of this story with out my personal permission.

Please call or e-mail me for any use of this story.

I do not mind sharing, just call or e-mail and ask for permission.

Sir. Ernie Hamilton Boyette

1-904-406-5791

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Posted 2-10-07