Ernest Shipman (pilot) explained

Honorific Prefix:	Major
Ernest Shipman
Birth Name:	Ernest Shipman
Nickname:	Ernie^[1]
Birth Date:	6 April 1923
Birth Place:	Jackson Heights, Long Island, New York
Alma Mater:	Columbia College, New York
Branch:	U.S. Army Air Force
Serviceyears:	1944-1957
Rank:	Major
Unit:	307th FS 31st FG
Awards:	Congressional Gold Medal Air Force Longevity Service Award with 4 oak leaf clusters Air Medal with 11 oak leaf clusters (2 silver, 1 bronze) American Campaign Medal American Defense Medal Armed Forces Reserve Medal Distinguished Flying Cross National Defense Service Medal Prisoner of War Medal Silver Star World War II Victory Medal Air Force Commendation Medal European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 4 bronze stars

Maj Ernest Shipman U.S. Army Air Force (April 6, 1923 -) from Saginaw, Michigan was an American World War II Ace pilot who shot down seven aircraft in the Mediterranean theatre of World War II.^{[2] [3]}

Career

On May 5, 1944, Shipman shot down his first enemy aircraft: an Italian Air Force Fiat G50 over Ploesti, Romania. On June 13, 1944, he shot down a Me-210 twin engine over Landshut, Austria. He shot down several more planes in June and July 1944, and reached Ace status on July 21, 1944, when he destroyed an Bf 109 over Budapest.^{[4] [5]} Shipman was flying a P-51 when he was shot down on July 30, 1944, Budapest by a P-38 and captured. He became a prisoner of was until the end of World War II.^{[6] [1]}

After the war he earned a Bachelor's degree (1948) and Master's degree from Columbia College, New York (1950). Shipman stayed in service with the New York Air National Guard until he retired as a Major in 1957.^[1]

Awards

• Air Force Longevity Service Award with 4 oak leaf clusters
• Air Medal with 11 oak leaf clusters (2 silver, 1 bronze)
• American Campaign Medal^[2]
• American Defense Medal^[2]
• Armed Forces Reserve Medal^[2]
• Congressional Gold Medal (2015)^[7]
• Distinguished Flying Cross^[3]
• National Defense Service Medal^[2]
• Prisoner of War Medal^[3]
• Silver Star^[2]
• World War II Victory Medal^[2]
• Air Force Commendation Medal^[2]
• European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 4 bronze stars^[2]

See also

• List of World War II aces from the United States
• List of World War II flying aces

Further reading

• Book: Hammel . Eric . 1992 . 2010. Aces Against Japan . . New York . 9781890988081 .
• Book: Hammel . Eric . 1998 . Aces in Combat: The American Aces Speak . 5 . Pacifica, California. Pacifica Military History . 0935553614 .

Notes

Notes and References

1. Book: Hammel . eric . Aces In Combat: The American Aces Speak: Volume V . 1998 . Eric Hammel . Pacifica, california . 187 . 5 October 2021.
2. Web site: Ernest Shipman . American Air Museum in Britain . IWM Imperial War Museums . 5 October 2021.
3. Web site: Ernest Shipman . Military times . Sightline Media Group . 5 October 2021.
4. Book: Hammel . Eric . Aces In Combat: The American Aces Speak: Volume V . 1998 . Pacifica Military History . Pacifica, California . 181 . 9 October 2021.
5. Book: Hammel . Eric . Air War Europa Chronology . 1994 . Eric Hammel . Pacifica, California . 532 . 5 October 2021.
6. Book: Jablonski . Edward . Airwar Volumes 1-4 . 1979 . Doubleday . Michigan . 87 . 5 October 2021.
7. Web site: 113th Congress . H.R.685 - American Fighter Aces Congressional Gold Medal Act . Congress.gov . Library of Congress . 22 July 2020.