Gottfried Dulias: for real or an imposter

[FLYBOYJ]

After writing humbly to the Air Force, thanking them for the invitation, I mentioned that I do not measure up to the Hero standard of the other 15 other invitees. Shortly after that I received a letter from the U.S. Air Force stating, that I am worthy to be an Eagle! After a careful investigation and consideration, their board made the decision to invite me as an honoree.

During their invitation two U.S. Air Force majors came to my house to interview me and told me that there are some dissidents who are making derogative accusations about me. They completed a thorough investigation and dismissed them as armchair historians who ought to know better.

The majors didn't tell me where the board got their information from, but they acknowledged, a lot of records got lost due to the bombing and strafing in the last few months of WW II in Europe. But, evidently they had enough info about me to make their considered decision.

The fact, that the USAF made a thorough investigation about me and found me worthy, this alone is proof, that those false accusations by the doubting Thomas's are just that: false.
The USAF could not risk an embarrassment of that magnitude and made sure, that it wouldn't happen.

Bob C - all very interesting but who from the USAF investigated Gottfried? Again, you come out with information vindicating the man but this proof becomes just as vague as the original story. Where were these two Major's from? Their command? This is a very easy piece of information that could be stated which will very easily vindicate Gottfried. I truly would like to believe Gottfried - if he would tell all who investigated him (it seems this is recent so these two Majors can be verified and even contacted) I think it would be a starting point to turn all this around. I don't believe this to be unreasonable...

BTW I work at the US Air Force Academy and have access to many active duty and reserve units and personnel. If you wanted to provide me this information I would be willing to verify this investigation in confidence and if found to be true, would be a forever lasting advocate for Gottfried...

[Erich]

although the person feels the USAF seems to think he is legit the country that he fought for sure does not think so. The experten of the Fliegergemeinschaft of the Luftwaffe and the author of the JG 53 volumes the outfit G.D. says he flew for does not have anything on the man nor has ever heard of him. that is pretty sound evidence to me to doubt this fellow .........

[Njaco]

He keeps going to the prisoner episode and nothing about his flying. YOU DON'T NEED A DIARY TO REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME YOU SHOT A PLANE DOWN. That should be as traumatic as the gulag. And with as many claims for victories he states, there should be ONE he remembers or can verify.

I don't know about a hoax but something is fishy and it should be thrown back.

[Erich]

lock this thread please ..............

[kriegrelic1]

I don't believe that Mr. Dulias has ever claimed to be an "ace". Five aerial victoreis might qualifty an American pilot for that status, but not by Luftwaffe standards. By his own admission, Dulias says that five shoot-downs was nothing in terms of recognition, either from fellow pilots or the powers in Berlin. Most Luftwaffe aces never received their Knight's Crosses until they achieved scores of victores. That was just the nature of the beast , especially on the Eastern front.
I believe that if Mr. Dulias was going to ebellish or inflate his wartime record he would inflated his "kill" record; if for no other reason than to sell more books. He states that he was just a junior officer (Leutnant) who was impressed into becoming a pilot late in the war and did his duty to the best of his ability and endured three years of imprisonment in a Soviet gulag.

[Erich]

Someone please close this thread as it is a waste of time ......... Dulias acct and record is found nowhere in the JG 53 war diaries by Dr. Jochen Prien. that says alot........ in fact his war record is being researched right now by several European historians checking on the kills he makes claim too at the many archivs within Germany ..........

CLOSE THIS THREAD ~

[lesofprimus]

Closed....