"Happy Jack's Go Buggy" ©2004 Nick King

Then-Captain Ilfrey just after returning from a mission.
(Photograph courtesy of Jack Ilfrey)


Maj. Ilfrey at the 20th. Fighter Group Reunion in November, 1980

(Photograph courtesy of Arthur Heiden)


Ilfrey in the cockpit on D-Day


Ilfrey in the cockpit of his P-38
(Photographs courtesy of Jack Ilfrey)



The wing of Capt. Ilfrey's P-38 "Happy Jack's Go Buggy" after colliding with a Messerschmitt Bf109 over Berlin. Ilfrey nursed the aircraft back to King's Cliffe. This wasn't the first time Ilfrey had nursed a badly damaged Lightning home, during his first tour of duty in North Africa he brought a P-38F back after having received over 260 holes in the aircraft from machine gun and cannon fire.

ADOLF GALLAND
GENERALLEUTNANT A.D.


Hauptmann Jack Ilfrey
Somewhere In Texas             21 April 1987

My Dear Captain Ilfrey.

    You son of a b***h! You and that God-d****d Eddie Rickenbaker Give me a pain in the a**!
How dare you shoot down my brand new Messerschmidts with that forked-tail airplane you fly. You are a devil.

    We offered you grossen gelt to stay out of our skies and confine yourself to chasing those stupid Italians in their god-d****d Macchis! But you refused. You won't even take a bribe. What the h**l kind of banker will you make?

    If those Portugese dumkoffs knew what they were doing you'd be up to your a** in a bait tank mit all of dem sardines.

    Also, Hauptmann, I don't like being reffered to as "Adolph Garbonzo". My name is Galland G-A-L-L-A-N-D! One time we had a bomb with your name on it but one of our schweindhund Italian bomb-handlers blew the god-d****d thing up on the ramp along with eleven Messerschmidts! Nothing works right when you are involved.

    I don't know how you slipped through our fingers when we shot your a** down in France. I heard you put on your best suit and were mistaken for a peasant - - - you sneaky Texas snake.
In spite of all the trouble you have made for me and all the bulls**t I've taken from Herr Georing because of you, I forgive you. I am sending Baron Von Heinz two medals to present to you: The famous "Blue Max" and the "Knight's Cross With Swords and Oak Leaves."

    Incidentally, I have re-named my 109 "Happy Adolph's Go Buggy".


    Auf weidershen,
    Adolph Galland


From a roast given for Maj. Ilfrey in 1987.
(Courtesy of Jack Ilfrey)


Adolph Galland
Luftwaffe General of Fighters
A top ace of the Western Front - 104 victories
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