LT SANDY SANSING
He flew several different aircraft for the CAF including the T-6, P-39, Kate and Zero with Tora! Tora! Tora!. Sansing is a decorated World War II Veteran. On June 20, 1944 at the age of 22, he was shot down while flying a P-51 Mustang and strafing an enemy train. He parachuted out of the aircraft and arrived safely on the ground. Sandy Sansing immediately went into hiding in the French countryside. For the next few months he was assisted by French families and members of the French Resistance, which helped him reach his base in England. For 61 years Sansing had a deep appreciation for the members of the French Resistance for saving him and helping him get back home. In April 2005, the CAF French Wing contacted the Mayor of Puiseux, Patrick Tricoche, to report that the Texan pilot which landed in his town during World War II is alive and wants to come to the scene of his parachute landing. City Council Puiseux was thrilled at the idea and decided to invite him to the village feast. For his heroism he was elevated to the rank of Knight of the Legion of Honor. The decoration was presented to him at the Museum of Air and Space at Le Bourget (Seine-Saint-Denis) by General Air, Patrick Marbach. In 2006 Sansing was inducted into the CAF American Combat Airman Hall of Fame.