Foil: 6 Panel: Distinguished Flying Cross Society Column: 1 Line: 17

Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:

Glider pilot in operation “Varsity” across the Rhine, the largest and most successful airborne operation of WW II. British Airborne consisted of 699 planes and 429 gliders from 11 airfields. American airborne consisted of 903 airplanes and 897 gliders from 12 airfields. Fighter planes covering this huge armada consisted of 215 RAF and 676 Ninth Air Force planes.

German Flak defense in the Ruhr area was very extensive – some 440 troop carrier aircraft were damaged seriously and 53 were destroyed.

All in all – “One hell of a ride”.

Awarded Distinguished Flying Cross, 22 June 1945:

RICHARD W MAUGER, T 122 480, Flight Officer, Air Corps, 302nd Troop Carrier Squadron, 3145th Troop Carrier Group, For extraordinary achievement while piloting a troop carrier glider, laden with troops and equipment, during the vital airborne operation at Wesel, Germany, on 24 March 1945. Released from tow at a relatively high altitude with fields obscured by battle haze, Flight Officer MAUGER guided his unpowered craft through a hail of enemy flak which severed rudder controls and shot away one rudder pedal. By supreme physical effort and faultless flying skill, he successfully landed the crippled craft in a field already saturated with gliders. Entered military service from Ohio.