/2005 - HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. (AFPN) -- Sixty years after serving in the Army Air Corps, a 7th Fighter Squadron pilot received a Distinguished Flying Cross and an Air Medal.
First Lieutenant James Costley, a P-38 pilot in World Word II, received the last of his military decorations in front of three generations of his family, friends and fellow military veterans at the Veterans of Foreign Wars hall in Two Harbors, Minn., on Oct. 25.
He entered the Army Air Corps at the age of 24. Throughout his time in service, he flew 87 combat missions and had nearly 300 flying hours. Lieutenant Costley joined the 7th Fighter Squadron and the 49th Fighter Group at Tacloban, Leyte, in the Philippines in 1944. . .
According to Lieutenant Costley, he enjoyed his military experience, especially flying the P-38. He said the P-38 was like a Cadillac.
“With the counter-rotating props, you took off at slow speed and landed at slow
speed. It just practically landed itself because of the torque from the engines. It is unbelievable to have a plane like that in the South Pacific, because it could out perform any other plane by total tonnage,†Lieutenant Costley said. “I had so much fun shooting everything up."
Throughout his service, Lieutenant Costley and his squadron held a unique record because all their pilots returned home safely.
One of his missions, Lieutenant Costley said, turned everything around for him in an instant.
“I was having fun until my aircraft got shot,†he said. “(The mission) wasn’t so neat any more.â€
After his plane was hit, he was ordered to return to base. He dropped out of formation and flew solo back to the base a couple hundred feet above the sea.
“That is the worst feeling to have, especially when you don’t know how bad the damage is,†Lieutenant Costley said.
For years, Lieutenant Costley had told his children stories of his war experiences and achievements. But to his dismay, none of them believed him until now.
“Now they will believe me when I say that I have earned these medals,†he said.
In reviewing the base records, Sergeant Henneman came across a letter written in 1949 authorizing an Air Medal for Lieutenant Costley and later found documentation for the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Sergeant Henneman said the documentation was never finalized so “the medals were never presented.â€
“(Lieutenant Costley’s) initial reaction was over the phone, but I could tell he had a tear in his eye because he’s been waiting for (these medals) for so long,†Sergeant Henneman said.
Members of Lieutenant Costley's family were in attendance to witness the moment.
“The greatest thing about the ceremony is that the entire family got to see it, including his great grandchildren,†said Mr. Bill Young, a son-in law. “This would never have happened if he had received the medals years ago.â€
Lieutenant Costley said he was glad his family could be there to witness him receive the medals.
“This is something I will never forget,†he said.
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