Master B-17 Pilot

On May 20, 1945 the newly married Cpt. Austin Simmons was again assigned as a B-17 pilot in Memphis, TN.  There is a bit of speculation about his having flown the infamous 8th Air Force B-17 Memphis Belle. If there were ever a time in his career for doing so, it would have been during his time in Memphis, TN from May 20 to July 21, 1945. The original Memphis Belle was decommissioned as a combat aircraft on June 8, 1943, well before Lt. Simmons made it over to the European Theatre and was used back in the States as a show piece to garner support for the purchase of war bonds.  However, most of it's flights within the United States during the 31 city war bond tour were performed by various components of it's original crew.  I have not found any evidence yet to support the stories about his piloting this aircraft.  I can only speculate that if he did, it was for relocation purposes, etc...

6/11/2010 Edit:  In the 2004 interview with Austin his daughter Karen asks about the Memphis Belle and he confirms that he never flew or saw the plane.  Saying only that it was part of the 8th Air Force. 

End Edit

It should come as no surprise that the Air Force would have him return to the plane he flew so successfully. During his short leave right after completing his 30th combat mission and prior to his marriage, Cpt. Simmons was pulled aside and awarded one of the most prestigious flying awards a pilot could receive: The Distinguished Flying Cross. Which was awarded to him on April 9, 1945.

Cpt. Simmons receiving the Distinguished Flying Cross 1945.

The order, which read in part, “For extraordinary achievement while serving as Pilot of a B-17 airplane on bombing missions over Germany and German occupied territories, 1 August 1944, 8 August 1944 and 15 October 1944. The superior airmanship and singular determination evinced by Captain Simmons resulted in the successful completion of the operations. Although the aircraft which he was piloting sustained severe battle damage on 1 August 1944 and 8 August 1944 Captain Simmons expertly maintained control and succeeded in accomplishing the return flight to base….”

No surprise, the government ran out of medals to hand out and finally on September 26, 1945 did he actually receive the actual Distinguished Flying Cross medal.

It would seem that every time he turned around he was being issued medals and written commendation. His training instructors prior to the war as well as his wartime commanding superiors definitely saw something great in his flying skills as was evidence in their accompanying him on many missions rather than with other pilots.

August 12, 1944, 2nd Lt. Simmons was awarded the Air Medal ‘for meritorious achievement while participating in sustained bomber combat operations of Germany and German occupied territory….’

Written notification of Air Medal, 12 August, 1944.

He would later go on to receive multiple oak leaf clusters to accompany the Air Medal on October 2nd, December 15 and February 26, 1945

On October 27, 1944, 1st Lt. Simmons was issued a written commendation for the October 15, 1944 mission he flew as leading aircraft where the target within Cologne, Germany was destroyed. It was written that he ‘performed his duties in an outstanding and superior manner.’

Given the amount of successful combat and non-combat flight time he had under his wings, it was very apparent that Austin was a natural and skilled pilot. As we shall see later in his career he would be called upon to train other young pilots in combat and non-combat roles.

Photo of his Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster (left) and Distinguished Flying Cross (right) taken May 2010.