(Disclaimer: Longer than usual writeup as this guy had a LOOOOOOOOOOOONG career. I'll try to edit it down some other time.)
Capt. John J. Voll
P-51D-15-NA "American Beauty / Lovely Lila" (HL*N)
S/N 44-15459
31st FG, 308th FS
San Severo, Italy - Novemer 1944
This is Capt. John James Voll's P-51D "American Beauty" / "Lovely Lila" (the latter name being the Crew Chief's handiwork) of the 31st FG, 308th FS. Voll scored 21 victories--along with three probables and four damaged--making him the top scoring USAAF pilot of the Mediterranean Theater and third ranking Mustang ace overall.
After his group transitioned to P-51Bs from P-47s Voll attained his first victory on a mission to Ploesti on 23 June 1944 (FW-190). He added two more (along with a probable) in a three-against-one fight after following a parachuting squadronmate to the ground on 17 August. He would achieve a total of six confirmed kills in the P-51B but it was the final five he scored in the P-51D that are perhaps his most impressive achievement.
On 16 November 1944, Captain Voll left his formation with electrical problems. As he returned to base alone, he spotted a JU-88 over Udine, Italy. While pursuing the German aircraft he was bounced by a mixed gaggle of twelve ME-109s and FW-190s. He downed the JU-88 then turned into the enemy fighters. In a swirling, five-minute battle, Capt. Voll destroyed two FW-190s and a single ME-109 (along with two probables, and two damaged). He also scored a fifth confirmed victory, listed in some sources as a JU-52, making him an "ace in a day" and earning the Distinguished Service Cross.
He was withdrawn from combat and after a short stint stateside joined the China-American Composite Wing Headquarters Staff. He left active duty on 13 November 1945.
Voll's post-WWII career was broad. Recalled to active duty on October 26, 1948, he served with the 3525th Pilot Training Wing at Williams AFB, Arizona, until October 1949, when he was transferred to the 66th Fighter Interceptor Squadron at Elmendorf AFB, Alaska. Voll served with the 66th FIS until October 1951, and then was assigned to the 1002nd Inspector General Group at Norton AFB, California, where he was a Power Plant Specialist and Inspector.
In August 1954 he attended Air Command and Staff College, graduating in June 1955. Voll then served with Air Defense Command at Hamilton AFB, California, from July 1955 to November 1958, when he was assigned to the Air Force Advisory Group at Kimpo AB, South Korea, where he remained until November 1960.
From November 1960 to October 1961, Voll served with the 27th Tactical Fighter Wing at Cannon AFB, New Mexico. He then served as the Commander of the 522nd Tactical Fighter Squadron, also at Cannon, from October 1961 to July 1962, when he was assigned as an Operations Staff Officer for the 832nd Air Division at Cannon.
From October 1962 to August 1964 he was assinged to Headquarters Tactical Air Command at Langley AFB, Virginia. He graduated from Naval Warfare School at Newport, Rhode Island, in June 1965. From July 1965 to June 1966, he went through air Attache training and then was assigned as Air Attache to Singapore from June 1966 to July 1968.
Now a Colonel, Voll served as the Chief of the Plans Division for the 6250th Support Squadron at Tan Son Nhut AB in the Republic of Vietnam from July 1968 to August 1969. He then completed Armed Forces Staff College, graduating in June 1970. His final assignment was as commander of the 77th Aeronautical Systems Wing at McClellan AFB, California, from October 1973 until his retirement from the Air Force on July 31, 1974 after 32 years of service.
His decorations include the Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star with Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Air Medal with 26 Clusters.
John and his wife Joan had two children. He died in Lexington, Massachusetts on 12 September 12 1987 at the age of 65 and is buried at the Massachusetts Veterans Administration National Cemetery in Bourne, Massachusetts (Section 9 Site 727). His wife, Joan died on July 28, 1999 and is buried with him.
Originally skinned by Fester I have redrawn it for AH3. The third image came out a bit dark on the screenshot it seems to me but I included it any way to show the markings. Oboe's excellent pilot uniform artwork served as the basis and inspiration for the one used (with some modifications) here.
