Danish WW2 Pilots

SSgt Alex Juhl

(1908 - 1991)

Profile

Alex Juhl was born in Denmark in 1908. He emigrated to the United States and was one of the many Danish-American mobilized during the Second World War. He was an aircraft mechanic in the 86th Fighter Squadron in North Africa, Italy and France.

Alex Juhl was born 9 May 1908 on the farm Virkelyst in the parish of Seest near Kolding, to Rasmus Petersen Juhl and Petra Mathilde Juhl (née Bramsen).[1]

Juhl emigrated to the United States in 1927, arriving in New York onboard SS Hellig Olav on 1 March 1927. [2] He settled in Oakland, California, where he worked as a car mechanic. [3] He was naturalised at some point before 1940.[4]

The 86th Fighter Squadron

On 26 November 1940, that is before the United States entered the war, Juhl enlisted as a private (19000752) in the Army Air Corps in San Francisco, California.[5]

Staff Sergeant Alex Juhl as mechanic in B Flight, 86th Fighter Squadron.
Staff Sergeant Alex Juhl as mechanic in B Flight, 86th Fighter Squadron.

Juhl served overseas as crew chief and mechanic in the ‘B’ Flight of the 86th Fighter Squadron, 79th Fighter Group in North Africa, Italy and Southern France. [6] This fighter group was activated on 9 February 1942 as part of the 81st Pursuit Group and redesignated 79th Fighter Group with the 85th, 86th, and 87th Fighter Squadrons in April 1942. The unit was send overseas in October 1942 and supported the British Eighth Army as part of the Desert Air Force.[7]

Senior Sergeant Axel Juhl standing in front of P-47 ‘X-49’ as number to from the left. In the front row from left are Kunst, Wilfred J. Mailhot, Robert P. Jackson, Melvin D. Solley, Robert C. Maratta and Bruno Palumbo, and in the back are John H. Bullock, Juhl, Johnson, Carlson, Jerico and James E. Davies.
Senior Sergeant Axel Juhl standing in front of P-47 ‘X-49’ as number to from the left. In the front row from left are Kunst, Wilfred J. Mailhot, Robert P. Jackson, Melvin D. Solley, Robert C. Maratta and Bruno Palumbo, and in the back are John H. Bullock, Juhl, Johnson, Carlson, Jerico and James E. Davies.

Crew Chief

The squadron history recounts a couple of incidents involving Juhl. In February 1943, the squadron moved to the Castel Benito aerodrome outside Tripoli. The commanding officer of the squadron, Major Tarleton N. Watkins was presented an Italian Fiat G-50 as a gift, and succeeded in making the Italian fighter serviceable. However running up the engine one morning, Juhl mistakenly opened the throttle wide open, and the aircraft started to turn and roll forward. Juhl did not know that in this aircraft the throttle was pulled back instead of pushed forward to increase pressure. The G-50 crashed, but Juhl was able to bail out of the wreck unhurt. Major Watkins’ own Curtiss P-40 ‘X-40’ was hit by the G-50 and the fuselage severed in two.[8]

The Italian Fiat G-50 which Staff Sergeant Alex Juhl managed to get serviceable before wrecking it at Castel Benito.
The Italian Fiat G-50 which Staff Sergeant Alex Juhl managed to get serviceable before wrecking it at Castel Benito.

Following the defeat of the Axes Forces in North Africa, the squadron followed the Allied advance to Malta, then Sicily and mainland Italy. They arrived at Foggia airfield No. 3 in early October 1943, where rain was pouring down continually.

Crew chief Alex Juhl distinguished himself by adding a third cluster to his German Iron Cross with Diamonds and Swords, awarded him by his respectful comrades-in-toolkits. Taxiing his P-40 from the parking area to the radio shack for new installations, not quite attaining flying speed, he struck a chuck hole and lost a landing gear strut plus a wing tip.[9]

Juhl was awarded the Soldier’s Medal by General Order No. 23 on 2 February 1945. [10] This medal was awarded to a person who had distinguished himself or herself by heroism not involving conflict with an enemy. [11] There is no information available at the time about the backgrund of the award to Juhl.

At the end of the war in Europe 79th Fighter Group was stationed in Austria as part of the occupational forces until June 1947.

After the War

However, Juhl returned to the United States. On 8 September 1945, he married Edith Johanne Kirstine Larsen. [12] She was born in Denmark as well and had emigrated to Canada in 1924 and, in 1927, to the United States. She had enlisted in the Women’s Army Corps (WAC) in March 1944.

Juhl returned to the auto industry in the San Francisco area and retired in 1972. He died in 1991.[13]

Endnotes

[1] DNA: Parish register, Seest sogn.

[2] Ancestry: New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957.

[3] Ancestry: 1930 United States Federal Census.

[4] Ancestry: 1940 United States Federal Census.

[5] Ancestry: U.S., World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946.

[6] Alex Juhl, The Tribune, 18 Dec 1991, p. 28.

[7] Lind, R. G. (2008). Falcon: combat history of the 79th Fighter Group, United States Army Air Forces, 1942-1945.

[8] Op.cit., p. 183.

[9] Op.cit., p. 188.

[10] NARA: RG 64, Award Cards, Greear, Wayne - Lazarewicz, Michael.

[11] Soldier’s Medal, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soldier%27s_Medal (accessed 3 November 2024).

[12] Ancestry: Colorado, U.S., Select County Marriages, 1863-2018.

[13] Obituaries - Alex Juhl, The Tribune, 18 December 1991, p. 28.