Hoagy Carmichael (deceased) *Signature Value : £50
| Commander Peter (Hoagy )Carmichael was born on the 11th of August 1923. In 1942 Peter Carmichael joined the Royal Navy and began pilot training in the US and South Africa, and went on to fly the Spitfire and F4U Corsairs during the final days of the Second World War. After the war, Carmichael flew the Blackburn Firebrand. In June 1948 Carmichael converted to fly the Hawker Sea Fury. In 1952 Hoagy Carmichael, was deployed to Korea with 802 Squadron. The squadron was on board HMS Theseus and travelled to Malta. This was followed by a two month break for an intensive work-up at RNAS Hal Far on Malta, before the squadron sailed to Korea aboard HMS Ocean in April, with a four day stop over in Hong Kong where addtional aircraft arrived. On 9th August 1952 Carmichael, flying his regular Sea Fury (WJ232), was leading a four aircraft formation to attack railway facilities in North Korea between Manchon and Pyongyang. While flying over Chinnampo they came under attack from MiG 15's diving down on them. Hoagy Carmichael later stated: Eight MiGs came at us out of the sun. I did not see them at first, and my No. 4, 'Smoo' Ellis, gave a break when he noticed tracer streaming past his fuselage. We all turned towards the MiGs and commenced a 'scissors'. It soon became apparent that four MiGs were after each section of two Furies, but by continuing our break turns, we presented impossible targets. They made no attempt to bracket us. One MiG came at me head on. I saw his heavy tracer shells. I fired a burst, then he flashed past me. I believe Carl got some hits on him too. This aircraft then broke away, and went head on to my Nos 3 and 4, Lieutenant Pete Davies and 'Smoo' Ellis. They were seen to get good hits on one who broke away with smoke coming from him. Hoagy Carmichael in his Sea Fury became one of the few prop-driven aircraft to down a jet fighter and was the only British Pilot in a British aircraft to do so. For this action he was awarded the DSC. Commander Peter (Hoagy )Carmichael was CO of 806 Naval Air Squadron at Lossiemouth, the last Royal Navy unit flying Sea Hawks. Carmichael later went on to serve as Commanding Officer of T.S. Prince of Wales, Holyhead Sea Cadets until his retired in 1984. Sadly, Hoagy Carmichael died on the 25th of July 1997 |