Len Krenzler - Crew Signatures

A special display for honored veterans who have signed
artwork for Len Krenzler

Notes on signatures: Len's originals are signed in person by veterans or relatives directly involved in the creation of the image. Prints have signatures reproduced with their permission.

For more info on honored pilots please visit out Facebook page which includes images of signing, events, and archival photos and video.

Bill Overstreet - 363rd Fighter SQD. - 357th Fighter Group

Bill Overstreet (featured in "The Berlin Express Arrives in Paris") finally receives the well deserved "Legion of Honor" award from the French government. You can view some of the news stories here:

News Link 1 | News Link 2 | News Link 3 | News Link 4 | News Link 5 | News Link 6 |

More to come on Bill soon.

1st. Lieutenant Raymond T. "Ted" Conlin

Ted Conlin (featured in "Geronimo's Lucky Strike" and "Clash over the Rooftops of Paris") enlisted in the Army Air Corps in July, 1942, Detroit, Michigan and graduated as a fighter pilot in November, 1943 at Luke Field, Arizona.

In April, 1944, he was assigned to the 357th Fighter Group, 362 Squadron. Ted took part in 71 combat missions, including D Day Normandy, the Second Shuttle Mission from England to Russia and Italy and back to England and the massive air operation and ground battle known as “Market Garden”.

He later became a flight leader and was awarded the D.F.C., Air Medal with 4 O.L.C.s, and received 4 Theatre Battle Stars and the Russian Medal of The Great Patriotic War.

You can find more on Ted here.

Flt.Lt. Neil Fuller, D.F.C. (featured in "Berlin Busters")

Neil Fuller was a veteran pilot of distinction. he served with the Royal Air Force for close to 25 years. After " Wings " training in Canada he was posted to Bomber Command where he proved his worth and bravery on many dangerous operations over Europe. He earned his DFC by bringing back his badly damaged Lancaster to a safe arrival at his squadron base in northern England.

When the war ended he was transferred to the Central Flying School where he earned an Instructor Rating for fixed wing aircraft. This rating was soon raised to A1 which is the highest possible, and also entailed a Green Instrument Rating . This Blind Flying ability was earned mostly by his aptitude for continuing to fly onward on operations, when other less gifted pilots headed back to base. As an instructor, his friendly approach always put his students at ease whether he was teaching basic learners, or advanced maneuvers on multi-engined craft.

In the mid 1950s, when helicopters began to make their appearance, he completed a course at the Westland Factory near Yeovil, and was then sent to Malaya to fly operations against the Communist Terrorists who were attempting to overthrow the Malay Government. The underpowered Dragonfly helicopters at that time required exceptional skill to maneuver in and out of tiny jungle clearings with any kind of load.

The advent of the more powerful S55 Whirlwind helicopter arriving at Kuala Lumpur, the prospects of survival improved greatly. They could carry heavier loads. Neil soon learned the entire landscape of mainland Malaya by flying countless sorties stretching from Singapore in the South, to the border of Thailand.

Many an injured soldier owes his life to Flt.Lt. Fuller. After retiring from the RAF in 1964, Fuller and family emigrated to Canada where Neil easily found employment with commercial helicopter operators. These contracts found Neil flying on survey work all over Canada. Fighting forest fires in many provinces was also a task which he mastered before retiring. Sadly he passed away after an illness which confined him to a wheel chair.

I was proud to be known as a friend of Neil Fuller, and I shared many of his contracts in each of the countries mentioned.

Written by Jim McCorkle

P/O Roderick Harold MacLeod DFC (signee of "Beyond Praise")

Harold joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in March 1942. He trained at No. 5 Bombing and Gunnery School at Dafoe, Saskatchewan and after further training in the U.K. served with No. 103 and No. 576 Squadrons. His first three operations were to Berlin during late 1943. While with No. 576, he was grounded for medical reasons and during this time his crew was shot down, the only survivor being the bomb aimer that had taken his place.

He was then posted to No. 101 Squadron where he made ten very dangerous trips with various crews prior to taking Pathfinder training. Upon completing the course, Harold was assigned to No. 635 Squadron where he joined W/C LeGood’s crew and completed 36 operations including eighteen aboard the Lancaster that was given the “F2-T” designation after Bazalgette’s “F2-T Tommy” (ND-811) failed to return on August 4th, 1944. P/O Macleod completed a total of 49 operations and was awarded the DFC, the citation referring to, “many successful operations against the enemy in which he has displayed high skill, fortitude and devotion to duty.”

F/O Donald MacKay Currie: (signee of "Beyond Praise")

Following training as a navigator at No. 2 AOS in Edmonton, Alberta, Don volunteered to join the Pathfinder Force following his Advanced Flying Unit Training. He was accepted and upon completing PFF training at RAF Warboys, was posted to No. 635 Squadron. His first operation was to Hamburg on 31 March, 1945 and he completed five more before the war ended.

F/O Robert Douglas Curtis DFC: (signee of "Beyond Praise")

After joining the Royal Canadian Air Force in February 1941, Doug trained at No. 3 Bombing and Gunnery School at MacDonald, Manitoba. He then served with No. 6 Squadron RCAF based on the Queen Charlotte Islands where he flew Stranraers looking for Japanese submarines.

Doug was then posted overseas and began serving as an air gunner with No. 9 Squadron RAF in June 1943 and later served with No. 97 Squadron. In March 44 his Flight, together with a Flight from No. 35 Squadron, was posted to RAF Downham Market to form No. 635 Squadron. On May 19, 1944 Doug’s crew flew Lancaster ND-811, “F2-T Tommy,” to what was referred to only as a “Special Target.” This was the same aircraft that Baz flew on the Victoria Cross Flight ten weeks later.

Doug’s crew completed their second tour in May 1944, after flying a total of 47 operations. A letter on file with the RAF states that F/O Curtis, “is the rear gunner of a crew which have many very successful sorties to their credit, and who have been attacked several times by enemy aircraft but have always successfully pressed home their attacks, frequently in the face of the heaviest opposition. There is no doubt that Warrant Officer Curtis’s vigilance and coolness under fire have, on more than one occasion, been the means of enabling his crew to reach the peak of efficiency which they have now attained.”

Many more to come!