Hello everyone.
Like many before me have said, this really is the most amazing thread for interested in US-trained RAF aircrew.
I have recently embarked on the research of my late father's second cousin, Paul Albert Levy (b. 10 Feb 1923).
LAC Paul A Levy was gazetted to be a 'Pilot Officer on probation' from 5th August 1942. However, scarcely a year later the Lancaster (W5008) he was flying crashed during 57 Squadron's raid on Nuremberg on 27/28 August 1943.
Thanks to the wonders of the internet, I have recently been contacted by a woman whose mother befriended Paul during his pilot training at Maxwell Field, which can only mean that he was trained under the Arnold Scheme. She has number of letters written by Paul that are helping to provide a picture of his movements in 1942/43.
In a letter written in Sep. 1942, he wrote that he was stationed in Moncton (No. 31 PD presumably) and "living a life of complete boredom, awaiting our fate."
By Nov. 1942, he wrote to her from a 'receiving centre' in Yorkshire (No. 7 PRC at Harrogate would be my guess).
I'm trying to determine which course Paul attended and am wondering how that ties in with his commission date.
At this website, (
Jims Posting's - Jcproctor.co.uk) the movements and postings of James Kenneth Ives are reported in detail. Jim Ives graduated from course 42G on 5th August 1942; the date that Paul was promoted to P/O. Is that just coincidental, or can I conclude that Paul also graduated from course 42G?
Nicola Bate (arnold-scheme.org) has of course told me that very few graduates gained a commission unless they stayed on to instruct for a year. However, we know that the first class 42A graduated little over 6 months earlier on 3 Jan 1942.
The other perplexing aspect of this story is how he came to meet and befriend the teenager with whom he later corresponded. The girl was apparently at a boarding school in Birmingam, Alabama - not exactly round the corner from Montgomery.
Any thoughts?
Justin