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Rex T Barber - Pilot Profile - Rex Barber

Rex T Barber

Victories : 5
-----------------------------
Country : US
Fought in : WW2
Fought for : Allied
Died : 26th July 2001

Rex Theodore Barber was born in Culver, Oregon on May 6, 1917. Barber was accepted at Oregon State University and graduated from that University in 1940. In September of that year Barber enlisted in the Army Air Corps, and served as a private first class, prior to being accepted for flight training in March of 1941. Following graduation with Class 41-H from Mather Field in California in October of 1941, now Lt. Rex Barber was assigned to the 70th Fighter Squadron of the 35th Fighter Group. He arrived in the Fiji Islands with his new unit in January of 1942. Barber's only victory in 1942 was on December 28, 1942 when he downed a twin-engine Japanese "Nell." Early in 1943 the 70th Fighter Squadron was integrated into the 339th Fighter Group, and converted to the Lockheed P-38 Lightning fighter. The P-38 was an ideal aircraft given the long distances involved in combat in the Pacific. In April Rex got credit for downing two Zekes near Cape Esperance. On April 18, 1943 Rex participated in one of the most interesting missions of the War, the interception and destruction of the Betty bomber carrying Admiral lsoruko Yamamoto, the Commander of the Japanese Combined Fleet, and mastermind of the attack on Pearl Harbor. The mission was commanded by Major John Mitchell. While a total of sixteen aircraft were involved, only four were to actually attack the Betty. With Yamamoto noted for his punctuality, and American code-breakers having deciphered his intinerary, Mitchell's flight had a fighting chance of pulling off the mission. Yamamoto's flight arrived on schedule. There were two Betty bombers and only four escorting fighters. Barber, Lt. Frank Holmes and Captain Tom Lamphier got in the heat of the action. Barber got hits on both the Bettys and also bagged a Zeke. The Army Air Force decided after the mission to give equal credit to both Lamphier and Barber for downing the Betty which Yamamoto was a passenger in. Years later Tom Lamphier lobbied hard for getting sole credit for the Yamamoto victory. The Air Force's official investigation concluded that a shared victory was still appropriate. More recent evidence, including testimony from one of the Japanese Zero pilots and a survivor from one of the Bettys which was downed, were supportive of the thesis that Rex Barber should get full credit. A book published by noted aviation historian and author Carroll Glines favors this conclusion, and a recent review panel of the American Fighter Aces Association concluded that Rex Barber deserves the sole credit for downing Yamamoto's Betty. This unfortunate controversy tarnishes the fact that this mission was the longest successful interception of its kind, and all those who participated in all aspects of it deserve credit. Barber served a second combat tour in the Pacific with the 449th Fighter Squadron in China. Following the War, Rex commanded the 29th Fighter Squadron of the 412th Fighter Group. Later he would command one of the Air Force's early jet squadrons flying the P-59A Airacomet and the P-80. Rex retired from the Air Force in 1961. His numerous decorations include the Navy Cross, the Silver Star with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Purple Heart, the Air Medal, and the Air Force Commendation Medal. In January 1945, he returned to duty with 412th Fighter Group, 29th Fighter Squadron, testing the Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star. He flew jet fighters in the Korean War and retired as a Colonel after a full Air Force career. By the end of WWII, Barber had five confirmed aerial victories and three probables. Awarded the Navy Cross, Silver Star, Purple Heart, Air Medal and Veteran of foreign Wars Gold Medal of Merit, he died peacefully in his home on July 26, 2001.

Click here for artwork signed by this Ace!


Latest Allied Aviation Artwork !
A Fairey Albacore of 826 Naval Air Squadron releases its torpedo at the Battle of Cape Matapan, 28th March 1941.  With intelligence from deciphered Italian communications aiding them, the British fleet had a distinct advantage from the outset of this battle.  However, gaining a torpedo hit on the well protected battleship Vittorio Veneto came at a price - Lt Com Dalyell-Stead and the crew of his Fairey Albacore got close enough to launch their torpedo and damage the battleship, but were killed when their aircraft was brought down by the hail of anti-aircraft fire returned.  Ultimately, the battle was a massive British victory with several Italian capital ships sunk, but it was a notable victory for innovation and intelligence, with British ship-borne radar decisive in a night action, and code-breaking by Bletchley Park aiding the British fleet.

Albacore at Cape Matapan by Ivan Berryman.
A prominent aviator in the Battle of the Atlantic, Terry Bulloch flew B-24 Liberators with No.120 Sqn in an anti-submarine role.  Already awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for shooting down two German aircraft in a No.206 Sqn Lockheed Hudson over Dunkirk, he was awarded a Bar to this when he sunk U-boat U-597 in October 1942.  After another attack, this time sinking U-132 and damaging U-89, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order, and gained a Bar to this on leaving No.120 Sqn at the end of 1942.  Bulloch is seen here on 8th July 1943 in Liberator GR Mk.V BZ721 of No.224 Sqn having completed his hat-trick of U-boat kills, this time sinking U-514 in the Bay of Biscay.  This type had been modified by RAF Coastal Command to carry rockets, which Bulloch had used to attack the submarine, finishing it off with depth charges.  After the war, Bulloch became an airline pilot, crossing the Atlantic on more than 1,000 occasions.  He died in 2014.

Tribute to Terry Bulloch by Ivan Berryman.
 In early May 1941, in conditions of strict secrecy because the United States was not yet at war, seventeen pilots of the US Navy had arrived in Britain and been attached to Catalina squadrons of Coastal Command.  These experienced PBY pilots were there to assist the Royal Air Force to become familiar with the Catalina, and also to gain operational experience for the US Navy.  On 26th May 1941 Catalina Z of No.209 Sqn, commanded by Flying Officer Dennis Briggs RAF, with Ensign Leonard B Smith USN as co-pilot, joined the search for the Bismarck.  At 1015 the aircraft was being flown in poor visibility at an altitude of 500ft when Ensign Smith sighted the Bismarck at a range of eight miles.  The Catalina was flown towards the contact so that a positive identification could be made and emerged from the cloud only 500 yards from the German ship.  The aircraft met a hail of anti-aircraft fire but was able to make its escape.  As a result of the sighting report from Catalina Z the Bismarck was again engaged by ships and aircraft of the Royal Navy and was sunk at 1040 on 27th May 1941.  Leonard Smith can be considered therefore, the first American to be directly involved in action in World War Two.  He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (American) for his actions.

The Aircraft That Found the Bismarck by Ivan Berryman.
 Painted with the black and white markings of the D-Day invasion, P-51 Mustang 43-24823 B6-S 'Old Crow' is the personal aircraft of 'Bud' Anderson.  He flew two tours with the 363rd Fighter Squadron and is credited with 16.25 victories in 116 missions from February to December 1944.  After the war he became a test pilot, flying over 100 different aircraft types before retiring in 1972, often speaking at aviation history events ever since.  As of the time of writing in 2023, he is 101 years old and has just been promoted to the honorary rank of Brigadier General.

Tribute to Clarence 'Bud' Anderson by Ivan Berryman.

Rex T Barber

Squadrons for : Rex T Barber
A list of all squadrons known to have been served with by Rex T Barber. A profile page is available by clicking the squadron name.
SquadronInfo

35th Fighter Group


Country : US
The Eagles. Stationed at Debden.

Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of 35th Fighter Group
35th Fighter Group

Full profile not yet available.

412th Fighter Group


Country : US
The Eagles. Stationed at Debden.

Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of 412th Fighter Group
412th Fighter Group

Full profile not yet available.
Aircraft for : Rex T Barber
A list of all aircraft associated with Rex T Barber. A profile page including a list of all art prints for the aircraft is available by clicking the aircraft name.
SquadronInfo

Airacomet


Click the name above to see prints featuring Airacomet aircraft.

Manufacturer : Bell

Airacomet

(YP-59)

Lightning




Click the name above to see prints featuring Lightning aircraft.

Manufacturer : Lockheed

Lightning

Designed by Kelly Johnson the P38 made its maiden flight on the 27th January 1939 and introduced into service in 1941. they cost $134,284 at the time each and a total of 10,037 were built. The Lockheed P-38 was introduced as a inceptor fighter but soon proved a valuable long range bomber escort for the 8thUS Air Force's B-17 and-24 bombers as they bombed targets further into Germany.

Shooting Star


Click the name above to see prints featuring Shooting Star aircraft.

Manufacturer : Lockheed

Shooting Star

(P-80), (RF-80), (T-33)

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