Walter Duke: Missing No More
The formal dedication of the Captain Walter Francis Duke Elementary School brought forth a trove of county dignitaries, county historians, and family members of the long missing World War II hero, Capt. Walter Duke.
The decision to name the new elementary school at 23595 Hayden Farm Lane, Leonardtown, MD, came shortly after Capt. Duke’s remains were located in Burma, in 2012, 68 years after he was shot down in what was to be his final mission in World War II.
In addition to naming their new elementary school after him, Leonardtown has honored Capt. Duke in parades, proclamations, videos, and printing a biography by local historian Al Gough of Walter Duke’s brief life and wartime heroism. Some of Mr. Gough’s story appears here:
Walter Francis Duke was born in Leonardtown, MD on August 6, 1921, one of nine children of Roland B. “Colonel” Duke (1893-1960) and Lillian Drury Duke (1895-1971). Walter grew up in Leonardtown in a “Tom Sawyer World”, graduating from Saint Mary’s Academy in 1940 where he played football, was a proficient violinist and was president of his senior class and of the Drama Society.
Shortly after graduation he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force transferring to the United States Army Air Corps upon the United States’ entry into war on December 7, 1941. He received advanced flight training and graduated at the top of his class at Napier Field, Dothan, Alabama in May of 1942. In August 1942 he was promoted to Second Lieutenant and assigned to the 89th fighter squadron of the 80th fighter group at Mitchell field in Long Island. They were the second air corps group to be issued the new P47 Thunderbolts.
On April 13, 1943 he married his longtime sweetheart, Verja Graham of Washington D.C. Verja had been a border at Saint Mary’s Academy in Leonardtown and “Walters best girl through eight years of school and his accompanist at violin recitals.” One week after the wedding Walter, now a First Lieutenant, shipped out to India.
After five hours of training on the P38 he began flying combat missions with the 459th. He would name his P38 the “Miss V” after his wife Verja. The 459th began operations primarily as escort for bombers striking such targets as Rangoon and Meiktila.
On March 11, 1944 Walter got his first official victory, shooting down two enemy aircraft for which he received the Distinguished Flying Cross and a promotion to Captain. In a March 30, 1944 letter to his family, he wrote: “I am getting my share… …I get a little scared in the tough spots but I am doing okay. The next time I write I will have something special to tell you about……I haven’t received a scratch as yet. I have 52 missions and have been awarded the Air Medal…..there is nothing to getting the Air Medal. Out here they are a dime a dozen.”
During the period between March 11, 1944 and June 6, 1944 Captain Duke was credited with destroying 19 enemy planes and becoming the squadron’s and Maryland’s leading war ace. On April 16th, he, along with 10 other Lightening pilots led by Captain Luehring, participated in the longest fighter sweep ever attempted in the CBI Theater. Captain Luehring and his squadron flew to Rangoon Burma, some 460 miles to the target and descending from 27,000 feet to some 200 to 300 feet off the ground and with frosted windshields resulting from the descent in altitude swept across the target area at 450 mph
. Captain Luehring and Lt. Goodrich were credited with destroying one bomber on the ground, Captain Broadfoot and Lt. Jarvis with another, Lt. Sealy knocked out a Sally, Duke was credited with one black sedan and Boggs got a tar mixer! The following day Captain Duke participated in a 9 plane sweep on Heho. They accounted for 7 planes shot down with two damaged and 2 destroyed on the ground and 3 damaged. Duke was credited with destroying one Oscar in the air. The 459th would receive a distinguished unit citation for destroying 119 planes between March 11 and May 19, 1944.
On May 27 he received word that orders were to be cut for his return home. To celebrate his return St. Mary’s County planned a “Duke Day” celebration in concert with the County’s Fifth War bond campaign of which his father, Colonel Duke was the chairman. It was not to be. On the eve of the celebration (June 22nd) word was received that Captain Duke had been missing in Burma since June 6th. A squadron history recounts his last mission.
On June 6, 1944 the squadron divided into two groups to attack both Heho and Meiktila. Maj. Verl D. Luehring, the squadron commander, led one group of eleven aircraft and his executive officer, Capt. William Broadfoot, led the second group of seven aircraft. Captain Broadfoot, known informally as “B-Foot”, described the action after both enemy fields had been attacked: “At the western edge of the Burma Valley we were jumped from above by many Oscars and Zeros. We had some ammunition but not enough gas to fight. The total effort was to shake them off and go home. 1st Lt. Goodrich was shot down at this time. When he was finally clear and headed over the mountains, Capt. W.F. Duke radioed that he was missing his wingman, 2nd Lt. W.G. Baumeister Jr., that he had sufficient gas, he was going to make a circle back to make sure that Baumeister wasn’t in trouble. Baumeister returned to base ok but Duke didn’t.”
After the war, Hampton Boggs, a member of the 459th, was sent on an intelligence hop to various Japanese bases with the aid of an interpreter. Boggs discovered that when Captain Duke had gone back to look for his wingman he had been jumped by a flight of Zeros that was waiting for just such an opportunity. Duke had surprised the Japanese pilots by turning into them and downing three Zeros before he went to his death. A squadron history referred to Captain Walter Francis Duke as the “Dragon with the sharpest claws.”
Before he failed to return to base, 22-year old Duke destroyed 10 Japanese planes in the air and nine on the ground to become the India – Burma Theater’s leading ace. In addition he probably destroyed or damaged nine other enemy planes.” On June 6 he accounted for three more. During his short life and career Captain Walter Francis Duke earned the Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross with two oak leaf clusters, the Purple Heart, the American Defense Medal, the American Campaign Medal, Asia/Pacific Area Service Medal, the Canadian War Medal and the British Burma Star. His unit received two distinguished unit citations, one for defending an oil refinery at Assam India on March 27, 1944 and the other for destroying 119 enemy aircraft between March 11 and May 19, 1944.
Walter Francis Duke was a phenomenal pilot who was courageous in battle while going above & beyond the call of duty. Especially when he lost his life while in pursuit of his wingman companion. And downing enemy planes as he does so.
In my humble view, this is the sort of thing that earns the Presidential Medal of Honor. Maybe a review of his exploits can achieve just that!