Alexandru Şerbănescu
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| Alexandru Şerbănescu | |
|---|---|
| 17 May 1918 – 18 August 1944 | |
 Alexandru Şerbănescu |
|
| Nickname | Alecu |
| Place of birth | Coloneşti, Olt County |
| Place of death | Ruşavăţu, Buzău County |
| Allegiance |  Kingdom of Romania |
| Service/branch | Romanian Air Force |
| Years of service | 1941-1944 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Unit | 7th Fighter Group |
| Commands held | 57th Fighter Squadron 9th Fighter Group |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Order of Michael the Brave Order of the Star of Romania Iron Cross |
Alexandru "Alecu" Şerbănescu (May 17, 1912, Coloneşti, Olt County - August 18, 1944, Ruşavăţu, Buzău County) was a leading Romanian fighter pilot and flying ace in World War II. On August 22 was assigned a fighter pilot within the 7th Fighter Group, which fought on the Eastern Front, including Stalingrad. He flew mostly on IAR-80 and Messerchmitt Bf-109 fighters.
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[edit] Early military career
He graduated the Military Coleege at Târgovişte, the Infantry Officers School at Sibiu in 1933 and was soon appointed the commander of the 3rd Mountain hunters battalion, located at Braşov. In 1942, he joined the Air Force Flight School in Ghimbav and became soon a fighter pilot in the 7th Fighter Group. [1]
[edit] Eastern front
The 7th Fighter Group was detached in 1942 in the surroundings of Stalingrad. Şerbănescu distinguished himself during the retreat from Stalingrad's Romanian airfields in a fierce battle. When Soviets broke German and Romanian defenses in November 1942 and approached the Romanian airfield, where the 7th Fighter Group was stationed, Şerbănescu successfully organized the defense of the airbase, helped by his infantry experience. He had at his disposition only two anti-aircraft batteries (one Rheinmetall 37mm gun and one 75 mm Vickers-Reşiţa gun), the 20mm guns on the Bf-109Es and a company of ill-equipped and trained soldiers. The Romanian camouflaged positions and well led defense stopped the Soviet tanks attacking the airfield during the next two days. Using the Bf 109's 20 mm guns as antitank weapons on the ground (by lifting the airplane's tail on barrels), this being a unique case of airplane-tank duel. On November 23 1942 the Romanians evacuated eight Bf-109E (another 3 were lost due to take off under fire). Each airplane carried two or three people in the cockpit. After this, what remained of Şerbănescu's unit was stationed on the Morozovskaya airfield and was soon retreated in Romania in order to be rebuild. [2]
[edit] Back in Romania
On March 29 1943, Şerbănescu was appointed commander of the 57th Fighter Squadron, equipped with the new Messerschmitt Bf-109G, and promoted to the rank of Captain. Between June and August he shoot down 28 enemy aircraft, and received the highest Romanian military decoration, Order of Michael the Brave, 3rd Class. On October 23, the 9th Fighter Group replaced the tired 7th Fighter Group, but Şerbănescu and the other aces remained. He kept fighting and shooting down airplanes and as a result to this he was named the Group's commander on February 13 1944 . The Soviets entered Romania and had already occupied northern Bessarabia and Moldavia, but they were stopped after some fierce fighting, in which the pilots had a very important role. On June 11, Şerbănescu shot down his first USAAF aircraft, a B-17 Flying Fortress, his 45th victory. This was followed by two P-51 Mustangs shot down on July 31 and on August 4 respectively, which were his last kills. [3]
[edit] Death
On August 18 1944, Alexandru Şerbănescu took off for his last mission. In that day he and his twelve wingmen, together with twelve other fighters from the 9th Fighter Group, attacked a swarm of Mustangs and Lightnings. When Lieutenant Dobran and Adjutant Dârjan tried to clear his tail it was to late. His last words were: "My boys, i'm going down...". Apparently his radio wasn't functioning properly and he could not hear his wingmen's warnings. After the death of Şerbănescu, all the fighters were retreated in front of the Americans until a new strategy would be adopted. Five days later, on August 23 1944, Romania signed the armistice with the Allies. [4]
During his entire pilot career, he was credited with 47 confirmed victories (and 8 probable) in aerial combat which, with eight unconfirmed, yielded 55 points in the Romanian scoring system, second only to Constantin Cantacuzino with 69.[4]
[edit] Legacy
Today, a boulevard in Bucharest bears his name and passes very close to the Aurel Vlaicu Airport. Each year, on 18 August, veterans, air force officers and aviation enthusiasts gather at his tomb to commemorate him. On August 18, 2004, the 30th Honor Guard Regiment commemorated with military honors 60 years since Captain Alexandru Şerbănescu was killed in action. [4]
On December 1, 2006, the Romanian Air Force 95th Air Base received the Cpt. Av. Alexandru Şerbănescu honorific name. [5]
[edit] See also
- List of World War II flying aces from Romania
- Horia Agarici
- Constantin Cantacuzino
- Romanian Air Force
[edit] References
[edit] Notes
- ^ (Romanian) Şoimii Grupului Şerbănescu, Şerbănescu's Eagles, Timpul, May 4, 2006. Retrieved on February 20, 2008.
- ^ (English) Alexandru Şerbănescu - from Infantry to Aviation, Victor Niţu, Octavian Ghiţă and Dariusz Tyminski, April 29, 2001. Retrieved on 21 February 2008.
- ^ (Romanian) Alexandru Şerbănescu Foundation, January 10 2008. Retrieved on 21 February 2008.
- ^ a b c (English) Cpt. av. Alexandru Şerbănescu, Bogdan Patrascu, Unofficial site. Retrieved on February 21 2008.
- ^ (Romanian) Bacău Air Base received Alexandru Şerbănescu honorific name, event365.ro, December 3, 2006. Retrieved on 21 February 2008.
[edit] Further reading
- Dénes Bernád, John A. Weal, Romanian Aces of World War 2, Osprey Publishing, Botley, Oxfordshire, 2003 ISBN 184176535X
- Vasile Tudor, Un nume de legenda - Cpt. av. erou Alexandru Şerbănescu (A legendary name, Captain Alexandru Şerbănescu), Editura MODELISM, 1998.
- Ion Bucurescu, Aviaţia Română pe Frontul de Est şi în apărarea teritoriului Vol. I; II (Romanian Aviation on Eastern Front and defending the national territory), Editura Fast Print, 1994.
