B-24L LIBERATOR (SNOOPER) PILOT

373rd Bombardment Squadron / 308th Bombardment Group

USAAF

 

General Bacalis was born in Norfolk, Va., in 1919. He was the son of Nicholas Bacalis who was a native of the village of Prinari (Karagiousi) in the district of Ilia, a few kilometers outside of Pyrgos. His mother was named Elena Konstantopoulou and came from the village of Kamari in the district of Arcadia. Paul graduated from Maury High School in Norfolk in 1938 and entered the U.S. Army as an aviation cadet in December 1941. He received his pilot wings and commission as a second lieutenant in August 1942. During World War II, he served as a pilot and assistant operations officer with the 1st Sea Search Attachment Group at Langley Field, Va., until April 1944. He next served with the 308th Bombardment Group in China as a B-24 aircraft pilot and with the 373rd Bombardment Squadron as operations officer. He flew 50 combat missions flying the radar-equipped LAB bombers for a total of 400 flying hours, sunk four Japanese freighters, and damaged one IJN light cruiser and one destroyer. For his outstanding performance on 10 November 1944, he was awarded the Silver Star. According to the citation:

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Captain (Air Corps), [then First Lieutenant] Paul N. Bacalis (AFSN: FR-9227), United States Army Air Forces, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a B-24 Liberator Bomber of the 373d Bombardment Squadron, 308th Bombardment Group (Heavy), FOURTEENTH Air Force. On the night of 10 November 1944, Captain Bacalis piloted a heavy bombardment-type aircraft in an attack on an enemy destroyer in the South China Sea. His bombs fell in front of the destroyer on the first run and he decided to make a second run at a very low altitude to ensure accuracy, although the destroyer had been alerted by the first attack and the explosion of its own bombs could cause damage to the aircraft at this low level. Despite a heavy barrage of anti-aircraft fire that damaged the wing of his plane, Captain Bacalis maintained a direct course and dropped his bombs on the destroyer. Secondary explosions followed the explosions of the bombs, sinking the destroyer and nearly throwing the aircraft out of control. In spite of the damage to the wing, Captain Bacalis retained control of the aircraft and returned safely to his home base. The gallantry demonstrated in this daring attack reflects honor upon his personal record and is in keeping with the finest traditions of the United States Army Air Forces.

His military decorations also included the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster, the Air Medal with oak leaf cluster, the Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, the Presidential Unit Citation Emblem, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Ribbon, Breast Order of Yun Hie with ribbon (China) and Order of Cloud and Banner (China).  After his return to the United States in April 1945, he was assigned to Langley Field, Va., where he served in a variety of positions including instructor, flight commander, and statistical control officer. From September 1947 to June 1948, he served in the position of statistical control officer for the 10th Reconnaissance Group at Pope Air Force Base, N.C. He served as officer-in-charge of the Cost Control Section and later comptroller for the 51st Fighter Wing at Naha Air Base, Okinawa, from August 1948 to May 1950. He returned to the United States in June 1950 and was assigned as statistical services officer and director of the Management Analysis Division for the 1100th Air Base Group at Bolling Air Force Base, Washington, D.C. From September 1951 to May 1952, he attended the Royal Canadian Air Force Staff College. He then attended the Air Command and Staff School at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. In December 1952 he was appointed comptroller of the 305th Bombardment Wing at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla. He became chief of, the Management Analysis Division, Headquarters Second Air Force at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., in June 1955 and later served as deputy chief of staff. In May 1959 he became a B-52 aircraft commander and then commander of the 436th Bombardment Squadron at Barksdale. In August 1960 General Bacalis went to Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, where he served as deputy commander for operations, vice commander, and then commander of the 4245th Strategic Wing. He was assigned in August 1962 as commander of the 70th Bombardment Wing at Clinton-Sherman Air Force Base, Okla. In June 1964 he became chief, of the Inspection Division, Office of the Inspector General at Headquarters Strategic Air Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. He was assigned as chief of the Safety Division in the Directorate of Operations at Strategic Air Command in January 1965. General Bacalis served as director of special projects at Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C., from July 1966 to July 1968 when he assumed duties as commander of the 14th Strategic Aerospace Division, Beale Air Force Base, Calif. During his service with this unit he was heavily involved to the SR-71 Blackbird operations. In February 1970, General Bacalis was assigned to Headquarters Strategic Air Command at Offutt Air Force Base as assistant deputy chief of staff for materiel in April 1970 he became assistant deputy chief of staff for plans. In July 1970 he assumed duties as deputy chief of staff for plans with additional duty as commander in chief, of Strategic Air Command, representative to the Joint Strategic Target Planning Staff. After his retirement moved with his family to Colorado, a place he loved very much when he was serving as a Captain where he lived until the end of his life. Paul Bacalis passed away on February 9, 2016, leaving behind his beloved wife Phyllis, his sons Perry and Paul, seven grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren.

You can read the "GREEKS IN FOREIGN COCKPITS" Volume C for more information and details regarding his career.

Bacalis 2
Paul Bacalis proudly poses as a 2-star General of the United States Air Force. During his service, the Greek American pilot commanded also the SAC Boeing EC-135C Looking Glass.  It provided command and control of U.S. nuclear forces if ground-based command centers had been destroyed or otherwise rendered inoperable. In such an event, the general officer aboard the Looking Glass serves as the Airborne Emergency Action Officer (AEAO) and by law assumes the authority of the National Command Authority and could command execution of nuclear attacks. (USAF)
Bacalis 1
B-24D1-160-CO, 42-72838, NIP NIPPER was one of the most famous and most photographed 373rd BS bombers, with many crew posing alongside his impressive shark mouth and its numerous mission markings. Paul Bacalis and his crew weren't an exception as seen in the photo above. The Greek American pilot is standing third from the left. It is not known if Paul flew the NIP NIPPER, however, there are 6 missions from July through September 1944 in which it is not known which Liberator he flew. Later, when sufficient numbers of newer B-24s arrived in China, this aircraft was converted to a C-87 or C-109 for hauling cargo or gasoline over the Hump from India to China. Τhis transformation meant that the nose, ball, and top turrets were removed, except the tail turret. (Paul Bacalis)
308th BG was the equivalent of the 25th FG regarding the 14th AF. The crews belonged to the 'Chennault Tigers' although they flew the 4-engine Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bomber instead of the elegant and graceful P-40 Warhawks and later P-51 Mustang fighters. They also decorated their big bombers' nose section with the distinctive sharkmouth nose art, which fitted great upon them—except for the usual bombing missions the need for anti-ship sorties to destroy the Japanese resupply effort from the sea forced Chennault to ask to introduce some LAB-equipped B-24, nicknamed as 'Snoopers' or designated as SB-24s. Those bombers were able to attack their targets from low altitude in complete darkness and also fly the usual bombing sorties as well. Paul N. Bacalis flew many such bombers during his tour of duty in China, serving with the 373rd Squadron, however flying any available bomber either from his or the sister Squadrons of the 308th BG. One such example is the B-24L-1-CO, 44-41446, DRAGON LADY of the 373rd BS. Paul flew both these bombers and while flying the DRAGON LADY he sunk a small freighter and an escort destroyer on 10 November 1944, a mission which earned for him the Silver Star. In the profile, the antennas used for LAB aren't visible. The B-24’s slab-sided fuselage made an excellent canvas for nose art. Toward the end of the war, the 308th BG boasted some highly creative and wonderfully expressive artwork on its bombers. The DRAGON LADY was a character 'Terry and the Pirates Comics' created by Milt Caniff. Another feature the natural metal Liberators had was that the underside of their wings and the fuselage was painted in matt black for night missions while their tail rudders had different colors for each squadron, red for 373rd BS, yellow for 374th BS, black & white for 375th BS and yellow & black for 425th BS. During his career, Paul Bacalis sunk four freighters and one destroyer damaged a light cruiser, and nearly missed one more freighter. (Copyright Gaetan Marie)