dinomartino1
Well-Known Member
"Born into a farming family and the living through the tough times of drought and the Great Depression, Phillip Zupp could only ever dream of flying.
Forced to leave school before completing his education to assist his family, the outbreak of World War Two curiously offered the youngster a chance at flight. Initially he trained as a navigator, only to be told that he was surplus to requirements in 1944 and would not serve actively.
Offered a discharge from the air force, training in an alternate role or a transfer to another branch of the armed forces, he opted for the latter.
Joining the army, he was identified during his initial training for the specialist role of ‘commando’ and soon found himself undergoing even more intensive jungle training. As the war drew to a close in 1945, Zupp saw active service in the Pacific near Wewak in New Guinea at the age of nineteen.
The final pockets of Japanese resistance made raids upon the commando’s camp at night and attempted to ambush their patrols by day. During this time, Zupp lost two of his friends to one such ambush, only to discover their bodies on a subsequent patrol.
At the cessation of hostilities Trooper Phillip Zupp made his way by ship to Japan as one of the first contingents of the British Commonwealth Occupation Forces (BCOF). Serving in Hiroshima and Tokyo he witnessed first-hand the aftermath of the bombing, both atomic and conventional, that Japan had been subjected to.
On returning to Australia in 1947, it was not long before he enlisted in the RAAF for a second time, now as an aircraft mechanic. Learning to fly privately, Zupp was selected for pilot training at the outbreak of war in Korea, despite his lack of formal education. He graduated from pilot training in February 1951 and after further training on Mustang fighters and deHavilland Vampire jets, he shipped out for Japan. He spent a short period in Japan being trained of the Gloster Meteor F.8 twin-engined fighter jet before being posted to his new base at K-14 Kimpo in Korea with 77 Squadron RAAF.
The British jet did not lend itself to aerial combat at altitude with the nimble, swept wing Mig-15 and was far better suited to the demands of ground attack although the exposed, belly-mounted fuel tank was possibly jet’s weakest component in its new role. Offensively, the Meteor was armed with 4 x 20mm nose-mounted Hispano cannons and up to sixteen x 60lb rockets beneath its wings.
By this stage, he had accumulated 400 hours total flying time, but only around eight hours on the Meteor before entering combat.he later reflected that "…it was pretty much on-the-job training and the longer you lasted, the greater your chance of survival." His log-book for the next seven months is littered with entries relating to the ground attack role 77 Squadron fulfilled. There are references to numerous occasions in his 201 missions when his aircraft was holed or landed with minimum fuel, as well as the various targets the squadron had attacked. Inconspicuously glued in between a couple of pages is his Citation, "Mentioned in Despatches".
When “Butch” Hannan had been brought down by ground fire near Sibyon-Ni area, Zupp was dispatched to search for the downed pilot. After his jet was hit, Zupp’s next recollection was a roar as the cockpit seemingly exploded around him. With the canopy gone, the freezing airflow rushed by at 300 knots, he hauled back on the control column as only a matter of feet separated the earth and his ventral tank. Struggling to gain altitude and his own orientation, he reached to straighten his oxygen mask and shattered goggles.
As he pointed the Meteor south for Kimpo, he advised the controller that he had been hit and stated he had injuries to his head. An Aussie drawl came across the frequency, “Don’t worry Zuppie, that’s your hardest part.” He had expected nothing less from his mates.
After landing, he reported to the medical staff and completed his de-brief. No further sign was found of “Butch” Hannan and he was to see out the remainder of the war in captivity. The next day Zupp was flying again and participated in two missions.
This had been Sergeant Zupp’s 48th mission. He was to complete 201 before his tour ended and he would receive the American Air Medal and be “Mentioned in Dispatches”.
Awarded American Purple Heart and Air Medal.
” The enigma of Australia’s first Purple Heart had surfaced in a confidential ‘Assessment of Character and Trade Proficiency’. A document the young fighter pilot was never to see.
The actions of Sergeant Phillip Zupp on the morning of 6th February 1952 had resulted in the award of the first Purple Heart to an Australian serviceman.
However, despite the support of Australia’s Governor-General and Prime Minister, it had apparently been denied by a bureaucrat in London.
It was only in the final years of his life that Phillip Zupp had even become aware of being awarded the Purple Heart.
The events of 6th February 1952 and the award of the ‘Purple Heart’ would lie dormant for many years. In 1991, Zupp became terminally ill, succumbing to cancer after a typically short, sharp battle.
Curiously, after one procedure that had surgically removed growths from his face, the pathology report showed fragments of metal and Perspex.
On being questioned whether he could pinpoint their origin he replied simply, “I’ve got a rough idea. It’s a fair while ago now.”
Extracting details from Phil Zupp about his combat days was never an easy task. He was a quiet man who believed "that was then and this is now". With the exception of his American decoration - the Air Medal - his medals remained unmounted in their brown paper boxes until his latter years. In fact, certain medals have only surfaced recently as a result of research since his passing. This is indicative of the modesty he always exhibited, not a lack of pride in his military service. "
His Meteor "Black Murray"
Phil to the right
Phil to the left
Still in the army, british commonwealth occupation force Japan
His damaged goggles after his meteor was hit by flak.
Flak damage to his Meteor.
The nose of the meteor he flew his first combat mission in on display ash the AWM, they have the whole plane but due to lack of space the rest is in storage.
Forced to leave school before completing his education to assist his family, the outbreak of World War Two curiously offered the youngster a chance at flight. Initially he trained as a navigator, only to be told that he was surplus to requirements in 1944 and would not serve actively.
Offered a discharge from the air force, training in an alternate role or a transfer to another branch of the armed forces, he opted for the latter.
Joining the army, he was identified during his initial training for the specialist role of ‘commando’ and soon found himself undergoing even more intensive jungle training. As the war drew to a close in 1945, Zupp saw active service in the Pacific near Wewak in New Guinea at the age of nineteen.
The final pockets of Japanese resistance made raids upon the commando’s camp at night and attempted to ambush their patrols by day. During this time, Zupp lost two of his friends to one such ambush, only to discover their bodies on a subsequent patrol.
At the cessation of hostilities Trooper Phillip Zupp made his way by ship to Japan as one of the first contingents of the British Commonwealth Occupation Forces (BCOF). Serving in Hiroshima and Tokyo he witnessed first-hand the aftermath of the bombing, both atomic and conventional, that Japan had been subjected to.
On returning to Australia in 1947, it was not long before he enlisted in the RAAF for a second time, now as an aircraft mechanic. Learning to fly privately, Zupp was selected for pilot training at the outbreak of war in Korea, despite his lack of formal education. He graduated from pilot training in February 1951 and after further training on Mustang fighters and deHavilland Vampire jets, he shipped out for Japan. He spent a short period in Japan being trained of the Gloster Meteor F.8 twin-engined fighter jet before being posted to his new base at K-14 Kimpo in Korea with 77 Squadron RAAF.
The British jet did not lend itself to aerial combat at altitude with the nimble, swept wing Mig-15 and was far better suited to the demands of ground attack although the exposed, belly-mounted fuel tank was possibly jet’s weakest component in its new role. Offensively, the Meteor was armed with 4 x 20mm nose-mounted Hispano cannons and up to sixteen x 60lb rockets beneath its wings.
By this stage, he had accumulated 400 hours total flying time, but only around eight hours on the Meteor before entering combat.he later reflected that "…it was pretty much on-the-job training and the longer you lasted, the greater your chance of survival." His log-book for the next seven months is littered with entries relating to the ground attack role 77 Squadron fulfilled. There are references to numerous occasions in his 201 missions when his aircraft was holed or landed with minimum fuel, as well as the various targets the squadron had attacked. Inconspicuously glued in between a couple of pages is his Citation, "Mentioned in Despatches".
When “Butch” Hannan had been brought down by ground fire near Sibyon-Ni area, Zupp was dispatched to search for the downed pilot. After his jet was hit, Zupp’s next recollection was a roar as the cockpit seemingly exploded around him. With the canopy gone, the freezing airflow rushed by at 300 knots, he hauled back on the control column as only a matter of feet separated the earth and his ventral tank. Struggling to gain altitude and his own orientation, he reached to straighten his oxygen mask and shattered goggles.
As he pointed the Meteor south for Kimpo, he advised the controller that he had been hit and stated he had injuries to his head. An Aussie drawl came across the frequency, “Don’t worry Zuppie, that’s your hardest part.” He had expected nothing less from his mates.
After landing, he reported to the medical staff and completed his de-brief. No further sign was found of “Butch” Hannan and he was to see out the remainder of the war in captivity. The next day Zupp was flying again and participated in two missions.
This had been Sergeant Zupp’s 48th mission. He was to complete 201 before his tour ended and he would receive the American Air Medal and be “Mentioned in Dispatches”.
Awarded American Purple Heart and Air Medal.
” The enigma of Australia’s first Purple Heart had surfaced in a confidential ‘Assessment of Character and Trade Proficiency’. A document the young fighter pilot was never to see.
The actions of Sergeant Phillip Zupp on the morning of 6th February 1952 had resulted in the award of the first Purple Heart to an Australian serviceman.
However, despite the support of Australia’s Governor-General and Prime Minister, it had apparently been denied by a bureaucrat in London.
It was only in the final years of his life that Phillip Zupp had even become aware of being awarded the Purple Heart.
The events of 6th February 1952 and the award of the ‘Purple Heart’ would lie dormant for many years. In 1991, Zupp became terminally ill, succumbing to cancer after a typically short, sharp battle.
Curiously, after one procedure that had surgically removed growths from his face, the pathology report showed fragments of metal and Perspex.
On being questioned whether he could pinpoint their origin he replied simply, “I’ve got a rough idea. It’s a fair while ago now.”
Extracting details from Phil Zupp about his combat days was never an easy task. He was a quiet man who believed "that was then and this is now". With the exception of his American decoration - the Air Medal - his medals remained unmounted in their brown paper boxes until his latter years. In fact, certain medals have only surfaced recently as a result of research since his passing. This is indicative of the modesty he always exhibited, not a lack of pride in his military service. "
His Meteor "Black Murray"
Phil to the right
Phil to the left
Still in the army, british commonwealth occupation force Japan
His damaged goggles after his meteor was hit by flak.
Flak damage to his Meteor.
The nose of the meteor he flew his first combat mission in on display ash the AWM, they have the whole plane but due to lack of space the rest is in storage.
