Philip Cochran

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Philip Gerald Cochran
January 29, 1910(1910-01-29) – August 26, 1979 (aged 69)
Image:Replace this image male.svg
Place of birth Erie, Pennsylvania, United States Flag of the United States
Place of death New York, United States Flag of the United States
Allegiance United States of America
Service/branch U.S. Army Air Corps (1935–1941)
U.S. Army Air Forces (1941–1945)
Years of service 1935—1945
Rank Colonel
Commands held 1st Air Commando Group
Battles/wars World War II
Awards Distinguished Service Medal
Distinguished Service Order (UK)

Philip Cochran (29 January 1910–26 August 1979) was an officer in the United States Army Air Corps. He was known for tactical air innovations in North Africa and Burma and air assault warfare in Burma as commander of the 1st Air Commando Group.[1] Cochran was the inspiration behinds characters in the Terry and the Pirates and Steve Canyon by Milton Caniff.

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[edit] Early life

After earning a business degree from Ohio State University in 1935. Cochran enlisted as a pilot in the Army Air Corps because "it looked like a good way to make an easy living."[2]

Cochran had known Milton Caniff at Ohio State and approached him in 1941 to design an insignia for his 65th Fighter Squadron.[3] After watching Cochran's squadron, Caniff thought Cochran and his squadron had potential as characters for comics. Cochran became famous during the war as the model for the character Flip Corkin, a character in the comic strip Terry and the Pirates.[4] Later on in life, Cochran became the model for another Caniff comic strip called Steve Canyon. Cochran's character was named General Philerie; a combination of his first name, Phil, and his hometown, Erie.

[edit] World War II

Cochran led a group of replacement fighter planes and pilots to the North African campaign that he organised into the "Joker Squadron"[2] His Deputy Commander called him “a colorful individual, a natural leader. He was aggressive, but not ambitiously so" and Cochran soon found himself mentioned in press reports.[5] One example was when flying his P-40, Cochran dropped a bomb that skipped directly into the German headquarters at the Hotel Splendida, Kairouan, Tunisia.[6] Cochran destroyed telegraph wires by flying over them with a lead weight attached with a wire from his plane. Cochran also shot down two German fighter planes.[7]

Though a fighter pilot, Cochran flew the lead C-47 on Christmas Eve 1942 airdropping paratroopers of the 509th Infantry Regiment to destroy the El Djem Bridge in Tunisia as he knew the area.[8]

Cochran and former deputy commander of the 75th Fighter Squadron John Alison were picked by General Hap Arnold as commander and deputy commander respectively of the 1st Air Commados.[9]

[edit] Postwar

Cochran was director of aerial scenes in the Howard Hughes film Jet Pilot starring John Wayne and Janet Leigh.

Cochran died of a heart attack while fox hunting in New York in 1979.[2]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Busch, Briton Cooper (2006). Bunker Hill to Bastogne: Elite Forces and American Society. Brassey's, 176. ISBN 1574887750. 
  2. ^ a b c Col. Philip Cochran. Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (2003). Retrieved on 2008-06-08.
  3. ^ http://www.specialoperations.net/CochranLtr.htm
  4. ^ "Escape Artist" (1947-01-13). Time. 
  5. ^ Maeder, Jay. "Flip Corkin, 1943 Fighting Heart", 1998-06-15. Retrieved on 2008-06-08. 
  6. ^ O'Leary, Michael (October 2003). "We Fought With What We Had". Air Classics. ISSN 0002-2241. 
  7. ^ Weber, Mark (2008). Colonel Philip G. Cochran, USAAF. Erie Hall of Fame. Retrieved on 2008-06-08.
  8. ^ http://members.aol.com/SamBlu82/sof.html
  9. ^ "The All-American Airman" (March 2000). Air Force Magazine 83 (3). ISSN 0730-6784.