This was in the draft section of the blog I had created in 2016 for Ed Poscavage. My interest was rekindled during the last Memorial Day which remembers the Fallen in the United States. Ed Poscavage was an American who enlisted in the RCAF after being washed out as a cadet in the US.
R.C.A.F.
RECORD OF SERVICE
POSCAVAGE, Edmund William (J26132)
Place & Date of Enlistment:
Windsor, Ontario – 21 January 1942
Postings:
No. 1 Service Flying Training School, Camp Borden, Ontario – on Appointment
Eastern Air Command, Halifax, Nova Scotia – 14 May 1943
No. 126 Squadron, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia – 17 May 1943
R.C.A.F. Station, Goose Bay, Labrador -27 July 1943
No. 129 Squadron, Bagotville, Quebec – 15 October 1943
No. 129 Squadron, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia – 31 December 1943
Rank – Reclassifications Appointments & Promotions:
AC2 21 January 1942 (Aircraftman Second Class)
LAC 17 July 1942 (Leading Aircraftman)
T/Sgt. (Pd) 30 April 1942 (Temporary Sergeant (Pending)
P/O 30 April 1943 (Pilot Officer)
T/F/O (Pd) 30 0ctober 1943 (Temporary Flying Officer (Pending)
Pay-Remustering & Classification:
P or O “S” 21 Januany 1942 (Pilot or Observer)
Aircrew I.T.S. 26 June 1942 (I.T.S. = Initial Training School)
Airman Pilot “S” 17 July 1942
Airman Pilot “SG” 30 April 1943
(SR) G.L. Pilot 30 April 1943
Service Courses:
Initial Training Course no. 54 at Toronto, Ontario,
from 25 May 1942 to 17 July 1942 Passed 79%
Elementary Flying Training course no. 63 at Oshawa, Ontario,
from 31 August 1942 to 23 October 1942
Passed 72.3%
Service Flying Training Course no. 70 at Camp Borden, Ontario,
from 7 December 1942 to 30 April 1943
Passed 72.17%
Mentions and & Awards:
Pilot’s Flving Badge, 30 April 1943
C.V.S.M 15 July 1944 (C.V.S.M = Canadian Volunteer Service Medal)
Punishments:
nil
Date 3 June 1944
CERTIFIED TRUE EXTRACT
(T.K. McDougall ) Group Captain
R.C.A.F. RECORD DIVISION
Ed Poscavage probably crossed the U.S. borders in Detroit on January 21, 1942, thinking about his training days at Maxwell Field. Ed enlisted on September 5th, 1941, and was sent to Maxwell Field, in Alabama. Very little is known about the time he spent there and the type of plane he had flown.
Little is also known about his mishap when he crashed his plane at Maxwell Field. He most probably flew this type of trainer.
Vultee BT-13
And had this kind of accident…
Or this kind…
I guess we will never find out unless someone leave a comment on this post.
This is what Maxwell Field looked like in 1937.
Jake Gaudaur tells us how it was like when he met Ed for the first time in his life.
In January 1942, I reported to a temporary RCAF locale that was called Manning Depot No 1 that was located on the CNE grounds in Toronto. It had been the building where cows were berthed during the annual, Royal Winter Fair. Dubbed “the cow palace” by the time I reported. I would learn that the name was well earned. On the same day I checked in, I was assigned a bunk next to an American named Ed Poscavage who had arrived the same day.
Jake and Ed became what you call AC2s.
I have a little booklet given to AC2s that a veteran shared with me.
Being both athletes and football players Jake and Ed had no problems with this first part of training and went to No. 1 Initial Training School, the Eglinton Hunt Club, in Toronto, Ontario. Both were in Course no. 54 according to Jake Gaudaur’s memoirs.
That’s our next stop. He earned his wings.
Ed Poscavage was testing Hurricane 5407.
Source: http://rwrwalker.ca/RCAF_5400_5449.html
5407
Hawker Hurricane Mk. XIICanada Car & Foundry, Fort William
BW832
first date: 20 July 1942 – Taken on strength
Delivered to No. 4 Training Command for No. 135 (F) Squadron at Mossbank, Saskatchewan on 20 July 1942. Still with this unit when it transferred to Western Air Command, and moved to RCAF Station Patricia Bay, BC on 1 October 1942. To stored reserve with No. 3 Training Command 4 August to 20 November 1944. Transferred from No. 3 TC to No. 1 Air Command on 15 January 1945. To stored reserve with Eastern Air Command on 27 June 1945. Available for disposal at Mount Pleasant, PEI from 27 November 1945, when it had 476:45 airframe time.
last date: 30 June 1947 – Struck off, to War Assets Corporation for sale.
We can only imagine Ed in the cockpit of 5405…
My Forgotten Hobby II 