Walter Carl Beckham (May 16, 1916 – May 31, 1996) was a United States Army Air Forces officer during World War II and an American ace credited with 18 air-to-air victories.{{cite book|author=William Hess|title=America's Top Eighth Air Force Aces in Their Own Words|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=80M51n8bJbcC&pg=PA28|publisher=Zenith Imprint|isbn=978-1-61060-702-5|pages=28–}}{{cite book|author=Jerry Scutts|title=P-47 Thunderbolt Aces of the Eighth Air Force|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hh0yvgAACAAJ|date=30 October 1998|publisher=Bloomsbury USA|isbn=978-1-85532-729-0}}{{cite book|author1=John Anderson|author2=Steve Sperry|title=Thunderbolt to War: An American Fighter Pilot in England|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qgIkDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT246|date=17 May 2017|publisher=Fonthill Media|pages=246–}} He remained in the Air Force after the war, obtained a Ph.D. in physics and was a nuclear weapons scientist.

Early life

Beckham was born on May 12, 1916, in Paxton, Florida.

Military career

Beckham became a United States Army Air Corps cadet in early 1941, Upon graduation from Aviation Cadet Class 41I(SE) in December, he was commissioned a second lieutenant and assigned to the Panama Canal Zone and Ecuador. After his return to the US, he was promoted to captain and was assigned to the 351st Fighter Squadron of the 353rd Fighter Group, flying Republic P-47 Thunderbolts.

=World War II=

In mid-1943, the 353rd FG was initially stationed at RAF Goxhill in Lincolnshire, England, before moving to RAF Metfield in Suffolk, England in August 1943.

After switching its base to Metfield, the 353rd FG flew its first combat mission. In late September, Beckham scored his first kill, an Fw 190 over Nantes, France. Credited with a second kill, a Bf 109 on October 6, and then on October 10 he became a flying ace by destroying three twin-engined Messerschmitt Bf 110s.

During the winter of 1943-44, his score mounted, with victories frequently coming in pairs. By mid-February, Beckham had 18 victories, which at that time, made him the top scoring ace of the Eighth Air Force. On February 22, while on his 57th combat mission, he was hit by flak over Ostheim, Germany and [https://time.com/archive/6865509/world-battlefronts-take-the-boys-home/ bailed out] of his P-47D successfully near Bergen-Neukirchen, but was captured and remained a Prisoner of War until he was released during April 1945.

=Post war=

After his release in April 1945, Beckham was promoted to lieutenant colonel and stayed with the United States Air Force. He earned a PhD in physics in 1962 and joined the Air Force Weapons Laboratory at Kirtland Air Force Base as chief scientist, working on nuclear weapons. First Chief Scientist of the United States Air Force. Mentored by Edward Teller. Researcher at Lawrence Livermore Laboratories. Instructor at University of UC Berkeley. Beckham remained active in this field until his retirement on 1969 as colonel in the USAF.

Later life

Beckham continued his career as nuclear scientist in civilian life until he retired in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Beckham died in Albuquerque on May 31, 1996.

Awards and decorations

Beckham earned many decorations, including:{{Cite web|url=https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/6021|title = Walter Beckham - Recipient|newspaper=Military Times|access-date=2025-02-07}}

150px

|US Air Force Command Pilot Badge

{{ribbon devices|number=|type=oak|name=Distinguished Service Cross ribbon|width=106}}

|Distinguished Service Cross

{{ribbon devices|number=3|type=oak|name=Silver Star ribbon|width=106}}

|Silver Star with three bronze oak leaf clusters

{{ribbon devices|number=|type=oak|name=Legion of Merit ribbon|width=106}}

|Legion of Merit

{{ribbon devices|number=4|type=oak|name=Distinguished Flying Cross ribbon|width=106}}

|Distinguished Flying Cross with four bronze oak leaf clusters

{{ribbon devices|number=5|type=oak|name=Air Medal ribbon|width=106}}

|Air Medal with silver oak leaf cluster

{{Ribbon devices|number=1|type=oak|ribbon=Outstanding_Unit_ribbon.svg|width=106}}

|Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with bronze oak leaf cluster

{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|name=Prisoner of War ribbon|width=106}}

|Prisoner of War Medal

{{Ribbon devices|number=|type=service-star|ribbon=American Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}

|American Defense Service Medal

{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|name=American Campaign Medal ribbon|width=106}}

|American Campaign Medal

{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|name=European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign ribbon|width=106}}

|European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with bronze campaign star

{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|name=World War II Victory Medal ribbon|width=106}}

|World War II Victory Medal

{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|name=National Defense Service Medal ribbon|width=106}}

|National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star

{{ribbon devices|number=6|type=oak|name=Air Force Longevity Service ribbon|width=106}}

|Air Force Longevity Service Award with silver and bronze oak leaf clusters

{{ribbon devices|number=|type=oak|ribbon=USAF Marksmanship ribbon.svg|width=106}}

|Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon

{{Ribbon devices|number=|type=service-star|ribbon=Oorlogskruis with Palm.jpg|width=106}}

|Croix de Guerre, with Palm (Belgium)

=Distinguished Service Cross citation=

File:Army distinguished service cross medal.png

:Beckham, Walter C.

:Captain (Air Corps), U.S. Army Air Forces

:351st Fighter Squadron, 353rd Fighter Group, 8th Air Force

:Date of Action: October 10, 1943

:Citation:

For extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Pilot of a P-47 Fighter Airplane in the 351st Fighter Squadron, 353d Fighter Group, Eighth Air Force, in action over enemy occupied Europe on 10 October 1943, while serving as a flight leader on a mission escorting withdrawing bombers. Major Beckham destroyed at unfavorable altitude two enemy aircraft as a result of his aggressiveness and the viciousness of his attacks. Though almost out of ammunition and with a dwindling fuel supply, he voluntarily engaged two additional aircraft. One of the planes he destroyed with the last of his ammunition and the other he drove from the combat area by simulated attack. The courage and aggressiveness of Major Beckham have been an inspiration to his fellow pilots and reflect the highest credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States.{{cite web|url=http://veterantributes.org/TributeDetail.php?recordID=2462 |title=Walter Beckham|website= Veteran Tributes |access-date=2025-02-07}}{{cite web|url=https://homeofheroes.com/distinguished-service-cross/world-war-ii/distinguished-service-cross/army-air-corps-a-c/ |title=World War II - Distinguished Service Cross - Army Air Corps|website= Home of Heroes |access-date=2025-02-07}}

References

External links

{{cite web |url=http://www.americanairmuseum.com/person/219006 |title=Walter Carl Beckham |work=American Air Museum in Britain |access-date=2018-06-10 }}
{{cite web |url=https://airforce.togetherweserved.com/usaf/servlet/tws.webapp.WebApp?cmd=ShadowBoxProfile&type=Person&ID=98724 |title= Beckham, Walter Carl, Maj |work=Togetherweserved.com Inc |access-date=2018-06-10 }}
{{cite web |url=https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/6021 |title=Walter Carl Beckham |work=Military Times Hall of Valor |publisher=Sightline Media Group |access-date=2018-06-10 }}

Category:1916 births

Category:1996 deaths

Category:American World War II flying aces

Category:Recipients of the Air Medal

Category:Recipients of the Silver Star

Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United States)

Category:United States Army Air Forces officers

Category:American prisoners of war in World War II

Category:United States Army Air Forces pilots of World War II

Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit

Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)

Category:20th-century American physicists