One for the history books

The Altenburg residents knew when their hometown boy flew in the sky overhead.

Air Force Capt. Ray Littge flew his airplane as low as he could, knocking shingles off the roofs of Perry County residents.

Last week, Ralph Littge recalled stories of his brother at the Lutheran Heritage Center and Museum, where a memorial hangs from the wall honoring Ray Littge -- Missouri's top-ranking fighter pilot of World War II.

"As kids we were so damn poor, they used to call me trash. It really hopped me up," Ralph Littge said. "At least someone from my family did something constructive for the war effort -- that's how I looked at it all."

Ray Littge was credited with destroying 23 1/2 enemy planes in two years during the war -- the average fighter pilot might destroy one-tenth of a plane during the war, Ralph Littge said. He was also a recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross medal, the second highest military honor awarded for risking your life in combat with an armed enemy force.

"He was a damn good pilot," Ralph said about his brother. "One thing about him, he had no fear -- absolutely no fear."

On May 20, 1949, Ray was flying in Oregon en route to the dedication of a dam, where he was to be part of an air show. Unfortunately, Ray never made it to the air show. His F-84 Thunderjet went down over Maupin, Ore. The death was attributed to a faulty oxygen system in the jet. Ray was just 26 years old.

Ray and Ralph Littge were born in a log house in rural Altenburg during the Great Depression in the 1930s.

"Growing up, we were damn poor. It was absolutely horrible," Ralph Littge said. "I remember those times; those were sad times."

The brothers were among eight children of Henry and Martha Ahner Littge. Five of the seven boys went to fight in World War II.

Ray Littge's fascination with flying began early. While attending high school, Ray used money he earned at summer jobs to take flying lessons and eventually earned his pilot's license.

After he graduated from Perryville High School, Ray enlisted in the Army Air Corps in July 1942. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in December 1943 and was shipped to England in May 1944. Ray Littge was 19 years old.

Ralph Littge was stationed in London when Ray was shipped over. At the age of 21, Ralph was an intelligence officer and interrogated German prisoners during the war.

Recently, Ralph transcribed the diary his brother kept during the war.

An Aug. 12, 1944, entry described how brave Ray Littge was. During a mission in eastern France, he wrote, "Engine failed and almost didn't get back. Paddled back. Landed on Beachhead and spent five days there." A month later, Ray described a patrol over a parachute landing area in Holland. "Much ground fire. Got shot up," he wrote.

Ray Littge returned home May 7, 1945, the same day Germany surrendered.

On Nov. 25, 1945, he married his high school sweetheart Helen Fischer of Frohna. The couple had two sons, George and Ray.

Years later, Ray Littge's son, Ray, chose a military career and served as a combat pilot during the Vietnam War. He was killed in 1979 when his F-4 Phantom fighter jet crashed while he was engaged in air combat maneuvers at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. The Littge family boasts three other pilots. Ralph started flying at the age of 47, and two other Littge brothers flew airplanes.

Twenty years ago, Ralph Littge traveled to Essex, England, where his brother's aircraft is stored. The plane was found after the war at a Swedish airport. Ray's is the only plant from World War II that was used in combat that still flies.

A memorial for Ray Littge sits on the lawn at the Perry County Courthouse in Perryville. The Altenburg native will forever be remembered as one of the nation's best fighter pilots, who died doing what he loved.

His brother Ralph continues to remember his younger brother and has donated most of Ray's World War II memorabilia to the Perry County Museum in Perryville and the Lutheran and Heritage Museum in Altenburg.

"I'm real proud of this guy, real proud. He's in every history book when it comes to the Air Force," Ralph Littge said.

jfreeze@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 246