The story of an IAF pilot who later flew for the Royal Australian Air Force, in the Korea War of 1953 flying P51s and Gloster Meteors. He was awarded DFC and the United States Air Medal for 76 daring missions even though was shot down once and force landed twice.
Charles Ronald Albert Howe was born 10 Nov 1922 in DerhdDun and educated at St Thomas’ school, Achieving matriculation to Cambridge but was unable to accept the offer due to the war. He enlisted to do his duty in the war and chose the RIAF because he thought he might like flying.
He was commissioned with the 16th Pilot Course in March 1943 and served with No. 9, No. 1, and No. 7 Squadrons till 1947. He was ‘demobbed’ as part of the reduction in service size in 1946 and left India for Australia in 1947.
He had a few ‘nothing jobs’ on arrival in Perth (selling vacuum cleaners for instance) before seeing ads for experienced pilots for the RAAF. He enlisted as a Warrant Officer. He was stationed in Sale, Victoria; Canberra; Newcastle, NSW. Here he met his wife Ellayne Rankin.
Six weeks after marrying he was posted to Japan for combat action in Korea. During this period he flew P51s and later Gloucester Meteors. He was shot down once and had two forced landings, being brought home by American helicopters.
He left RAAF on 30 October 1953, A senior officer promised to block him from becoming an officer. After RAAF he worked for Trans Australian Airways (as a clerk) and then in the Dept of Defence where his job was to assess how to blow up bridges from aerial photos.
He retired in 1984 and enjoyed gardening and woodworking until frailty caught him. He died in 2012, a few months short of his 90th birthday – unsung to India, Australian or American forces.
Originally published on Twitter
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