Bio

I am the daughter of Capt. Charles H. Maehrlein, a P-47 pilot in the 358 th fighter group, 366 th fighter squadron, orig. 8th Air Force, which then became the 9 th Air Force.. He served with a wonderful group of men. My dad flew. Cover for troop tranports and gliders over the Normandy invasion force. He flew valiant sorties against Operation Bodenplatte, and terrifying missions which helped turn back the German panzer onslaught in the Battle of the Bulge. My father was recommened for the DFC for his stellar airmanship in the European theater in 1945. His unit received a Distinguished Unit Citation and the French Croix De Guerre with Palm . He stayed in the Air Force until 1963. The last reunion of the. 358 th/366 th was held in San Antonio, Texas in 2005. There were so many of the pilots in attendance from the 366 th and 365th. I know because my sister and I represented our father as he had passed away. My father has 5 daughters and a son. We are Proud of our fathers service in the Ar Force and to our country.