Raymond H. Littge

During World War II, Littge flew 91 combat missions and was credited with the destruction of 10.5 enemy aircraft in aerial combat plus 1 shared kill, and 13 destroyed on the ground while strafing enemy airfields. While serving with the 352nd FG, he flew P-51C and P-51Ds bearing the names "Silver Dollar", "E Pluribus Unium" and "Miss Helen". He was also credited in destroying three V-1 flying bombs over the English Channel, but they were not included in his overall aerial victory credits.

Littge's son Raymond II became a pilot in the U.S. Air Force and flew combat missions during the Vietnam War. He was killed in a flying accident in 1979, while flying an F-4 Phantom II in air combat maneuvers at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada.

On May 20, 1949, Littge was flying an F-84 Thunderjet to an air show at Coulee Dam in Washington, when his aircraft crashed near Maupin, Oregon, killing him. It is suspected that a faulty oxygen system of his aircraft was the cause of the crash.

Littge left active duty on December 19, 1946, and joined the United States Air Force Reserve. He returned to active duty on March 17, 1947, for jet training and was assigned as an operations officer for the 83d Fighter Squadron at Hamilton Air Force Base in California.

During the Battle of the Bulge, which started on December 16, the 487th Fighter Squadron was moved forward to airfield Y-29 near Asch, Belgium. On New Year's Day 1945, Littge was one of 12 Mustang pilots led by 487th FS commander John C. Meyer that had started their takeoff roll when a large formation of Fw 190s and Bf 109s hit the field. In the ensuing battle, Littge shot down two Fw 190s. For his heroism in the aerial battle, he was awarded the Silver Star.

Littge continued to score aerial and ground victories. On January 24, 1945, he shot down a Bf 109 over Bonn and on March 23, while leading the 'Yellow' flight, Littge attempted to attack a jet-powered Messerschmitt Me 262 that attacked a group of B-24 Liberators. After engaging in a 15-minute chase of the aircraft, he decided to break of the chase and to orbit around Rechlin–Lärz Airfield in the hopes of engaging a Me 262 in a landing pattern. Not long, he noticed another Me 262 approaching the airfield. Littge flew behind the Me 262 and fired at it, with strikes hitting the right engine of the aircraft. After engaging in brief evasive maneuvers, the Me 262 crashed, crediting Littge with his tenth and final aerial victory.

On April 17, 1945, Littge led his flight in attacking a German aerodrome in Plattling. Of the fourteen aircraft destroyed in the attack by the flight, Littge was personally credited in destroying six aircraft in the attack, while carrying out seven strafing attacks against the aerodrome despite his aircraft sustaining severe damage including damage to the aircraft's oil line resulting in oil leak and left wing tip shot out due to anti-aircraft fire. For his heroism in the mission, he was awarded Distinguished Service Cross - the second only to Medal of Honor.

After the end of World War II, Littge returned to the United States in May 1945 and was assigned to Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, where he was part of the team evaluating captured German aircraft. During this time, he test flew a captured Me 262 and wrote an evaluation report for it.

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Captain (Air Corps) Raymond Henry Littge, United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving as Pilot of a P-51 Fighter Plane of the 487th Fighter Squadron, 352d Fighter Group, Eighth Air Force, in action while leading a flight of P-51 aircraft in a strafing attack on an airdrome at Plattling, Germany, on 17 April 1945. Captain Littge and his flight destroyed fourteen airplanes, of which Captain Littge personally accounted for six. During this attack, Captain Littge's airplane sustained severe damage, including one and one-half feet shot off the left-wing tip, damage to the oil line causing a serious leak, and a gaping hole where the middle gun of the left wing was also shot out. However, he carried out seven additional strafing attacks against the airdrome. The determination, coolness, and courage displayed by Captain Littge on this occasion reflects highest credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States.

Littge's exploits during Operation Bodenplatte on January 1, 1945, was featured in the "Death of the Luftwaffe", which was the sixteenth episode of the second season of the History Channel series Dogfights, which recreated historical air combat campaigns using modern computer graphics.

After completing training in the P-51 Mustang, Littge was assigned to the 487th Fighter Squadron of the 352nd Fighter Group. Based at RAF Bodney in Norfolk, England, he flew his first combat mission on July 1, 1944. On his 46th mission, Littge scored his first aerial victories, when he shot down three Messerschmitt Bf 109s on November 27, 1944. Initially he was credited in shooting down two Bf 109s, but a review of Littge's gun camera resulted him in being credited with three aerial victories. He finally became a flying ace, when he shot down three Focke-Wulf Fw 190s on December 27, bringing his total to six aerial victories. On a fighter sweep later in the year over France, he was shot down, but managed to bail out his aircraft. With the help of French Resistance, he escaped capture and managed to return to England within 12 days.

After graduation from high school, Littge enlisted in the Aviation Cadet Program of the U.S. Army Air Forces on July 1, 1942, and was not inducted until January 19, 1943, at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri. Littge was commissioned a second lieutenant and awarded his pilot wings at Dale Mabry Field in Florida, on December 5, 1943.

Littge married to Helen Susan, née Fischer (1924-2013) in 1945. The couple had two sons: Raymond Littge II and George Preddy Littge. Following Littge's death in 1949, Helen Littge remarried to James R. Starnes, a P-51 Mustang World War II flying ace in the 339th Fighter Group and later a colonel in the U.S. Air Force.

Raymond Henry Littge (October 18, 1923 - May 20, 1949) was an American flying ace in the 352nd Fighter Group during World War II, who was credited with 10.5 aerial victories.

Littge was born on 1923 to Henry and Martha Abner Littge. After his father passed away when he was at age 4, Littge and his sister were raised by their mother. In 1939, he gained interest in flying and worked in a farm to pay for his flying lessons. He attended Altenberg High School for two years, but graduated from Perryville High School in 1942.