THE BOYS FROM BRAZIL

摘要

The 1° Grupo de Aviagao de Caca (1° GAVCA, or 1st Fighter Squadron) was established by the Brazilian Air Force on 18 December 1943 as the unit that would be deployed alongside AAF units in Italy. After training in Panama on P-40s, it moved to Suffolk Field, Long Island, New York, where it converted to the P-47. The squadron arrived in Italy on 6 October 1944. It flew its initial missions on 31 October 1944, being attached to the AAF's 350th Fighter Group. On 6 November, 2° Ten-Av John Richardson Cordeiro e Silva was the first squadron pilot killed in action. The unit flew ground attack and bomber escort missions until the end of the war in Italy on 3 May 1945.