Captain Walter F. Duke
U.S. Army Air Force, 10th Air Force
Background
Walter Francis Duke was born on August 6, 1921 to parents Roland Benjamin “Colonel” Duke and Mary Lillian Drury Duke in Leonardtown, Maryland. Nicknamed “Wally”.
Wartime History
 During July 1941 joined the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) where he completed primary and intermediate flight training. During May 1942, he was discharged from the RCAF. On May 20, 1942 enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as a corporal with serial number 11998546. Commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant with serial number O-790505. Duke was sent overseas to India. During January 1943 assigned to the 80th Fighter Group (80th FG), 89th Fighter Squadron (89th FS). In March 1943 promoted to the rank of 1st Lieutenant. On November 30, 1943 assigned to the 459th Fighter Squadron (459th FS). By the end of December 1943, he had a total of 223 hours 30 minutes of student pilot flying time and 496 hours 15 minutes of first pilot time for a total of 719 hours, 45 minutes flying time. During March 1944 promoted to the rank of Captain.
Mission History
On June 6, 1944 took off from Chittagong Airfield piloting P-38J "Miss V" 42-67626 as one of seven P-38s on a fighter sweep and strafing mission against Meiktila in Burma. The formation was led by led by Captain William "B-Foot" Broadfoot, executive officer of the squadron. Duke and his wingman, 2nd Lt. William G. Baumeister, Jr. flew top cover, descending to 12,000' as they reached the target area. Weather was ceiling and visibility unlimited (CAVU) on the Burma side of the Chin Mountains.
Approaching the target, the formation was intercepted from above by Oscars and Zeros [sic] without enough fuel to dog fight, the P-38s attempted to shake off the attackers and return to base. P-38H 42-67001 piloted by 1st. Lt. Burdett Goodrich was damaged and force landed in enemy territory.
Returning, Duke and Baumeister were jumped by two Ki-43 Oscars from 11 o'clock and above, one attacking at their level and the other split-S'ed. While turning into the first enemy fighter, wingman Baumeister had to break
away with the other Oscar on his tail and lost sight of Duke. After evading the Oscar, Baumeister was unable to locate Duke and spotted a P-38 that had crash landed (Goodrich's aircraft) and circled it until he ran low on fuel then turned back to base.
While returning, Baumeister received a radio call from Duke requesting his position, altitude and acknowledged he was returning to base low on fuel. Duke stated he was on the Burma side of the Chin Mountains at roughly Lat 21° 15' N Long 94° 50' E and was never heard from again. When Duke failed to return, he was officially declared Missing In Action (MIA).
Aerial Victory Claims
Duke was officially credited with ten aerial victories between March 11, 1944 until May 23, 1944. Wartime sources state he claimed 10 confirmed kills, 2 probables, 5 damaged plus 8.5 ground victories.
Memorials
Duke was officially declared dead on February 8, 1946. He earned the Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Air Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters and Purple Heart, posthumously.
Duke is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. He also has a memorial marker at Old St. Aloysius Cemetery off Cemetery Road in Leonardtown, Maryland in his family plot.
After his loss, St. Mary’s County Regional Airport was renamed
Duke Field" in his honor but has since been renamed St. Mary’s County Regional Airport. The terminal building remains named in honor of Duke.
During 2013, the Leonardtown, Maryland Veterans Day parade was dedicated to Duke, with some of his family in attendance. On October 8, 2013 during a groundbreaking ceremony attended by Duke's family, the new Leonardtown elementary school was named the "Captain Francis Duke Elementary School - Where Children Soar" after Duke that opened in 2015.
Awards
Duke earned the Siver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) with two oak leaf clusters and Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters and Purple Heart, posthumously.
Display
His medals, awards and decorations were displayed St. Mary’s County Regional Airport then the the St. Mary’s County Historical Society and are now displayed at the Captain Francis Duke Elementary School.
Relatives
Angela Hicks (sister of Duke)
Eleanor Ann Fearns (sister of Duke)
George Duke (brother of Duke)
References
NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Walter F. Duke
USAF Historical Study No. 85 USAF Credits For The Destruction of Enemy Aircraft, World War II Alphabetical: Duke, Walter F. page 56 (PDF page 61)
USAF Serial Number Search Results - P-38J-10-LO Lightning
42-67626
"67626 (459th FS, 80th FG) lost Jun 6, 1944. MACR 5379"
Missing Air Crew Report 5379 (MACR 5379) created June 7, 1945
Stars & Bars (1995) pages 44 (459th FS) 242-243
(Duke)
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) -
Walter F. Duke
FindAGrave - Capt Walter F "Wally" Duke (photo, tablets of the missing photo)
FindAGrave -
Capt Walter Francis Duke (photo, St. Aloysius Cemetery)
Southern Maryland News "Solving a WWII mystery" December 12, 2012
St. Mary's County "Captain Walter F. Duke"
University of Maryland Alumni Dinner "Walter Duke Bags Zeros"
"Capt. Walter Duke, University student in 1940-41, Maryland's No. 1 ace, downed two Japanese fighters recently, to bring his record of planes shot down to 14. The fighter which Captain Duke pilots in the Burma theater is named "Miss V" after his wife, Verja Duke. In writing about shooting down his twelfth plane, he told his wife that "the buck-tooth who put the first hole in my plane will never put a hole in anybody else's." Captain Duke joined the Royal Canadian Air Force before war broke out between Germany and the United States but transferred to the American Air Force before completing his training. He has been overseas since April, 1943, and received his captaincy in March of this year. The Distinguished Flying Cross for heroism has been awarded to Captain Duke.
CNN iReport "World War II Hero remains found" by tammsfa December 14, 2012 [Link removed]
Leonardtown Beacon "Not Missing: WWII Hero, Captain Walter Duke" by Al Gough Fall 2013 pages 1-2, 7 [PDF]
Thanks to Phillip A. Fazzini for additional information
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