Vanished Hero: The Life, War and Mysterious Disappearance of America’s WWII Strafing King

A hell-bent-for-leather fighter pilot, Elwyn G. Righetti remains one of the most unknown, yet compelling, colorful and controversial commanders of World War II. Vanished Hero tells the story of this remarkable man and the air war that he and his comrades fought, while examining his possible fate.

Arriving late to the war, he led the England-based 55th Fighter Group against the Nazis during the closing months of the fight with a no-holds-barred aggressiveness that transformed the group from a middling organization into a headline-grabbing team that had to make excuses to no one. Indeed, Righetti’s boldness paid off as he quickly achieved ace status and additionally scored more strafing victories—27—than any other Eighth Air Force pilot.

However, success came at a high cost in men and machines. Some of Righetti’s pilots resented him as a Johnny-come-lately intent on winning a sack of medals at their expense. But most lauded their spirited new commander and his sledgehammer audacity. Indeed, he made his men most famous for “loco busting,” as they put more than six hundred enemy locomotives out of commission—170 in just two days!

Ultimately, Righetti’s calculated recklessness ran full speed into the odds. His aircraft was hit while strafing an enemy airfield only four days before the 55th flew its last mission. Almost farcically aggressive to the end, he coaxed his crippled fighter through one more firing pass before making a successful crash landing. Immediately, he radioed his men that he was fine and asked that they reassure his family. Righetti was never heard from again.

Table of Contents

Introduction: “I’ll See You When I Get Back”
“I Now Have Cancer”
“He Loved Flying More than Anything” 7
“My Flying Has Been Pretty Good Lately”
“I’d Rather Fly than Eat”
“I’m Really Enjoying This All”
“The Chance of a Skunk Picking on a Lion”
“I’m Going off to War Now, Mom”
“Have My Own Squadron Now”
“Everyone Looks So Well”
“We Try Not to Hit the Crew”
“Tonite This Lad is a Tired Guy”
“It All Happened Pretty Fast”
“Jerry Went Out of Control”
“Seems Like an Excellent Break for Me”
“I Hit the Deck”
“I’m Pretty Much Tired”
“Don’t Be a Fool”
“One More Pass”
“Your Little Daughter is Sure Getting Cuter”
“I Felt Bad”
Epilogue
Author’s Comments
Acknowledgements
Notes
Bibliography
Index