Welcome to the Website of Joe Peterburs!
This site is currently under construction! We are adding new things everyday! Please browse & enjoy!

Contact Joe Peterburs


Joe Peterburs enlisted in the US Army Air Corps on the 30th of November, 1942 and was called to active duty as an Aviation Cadet on 26 January, 1943. On 15 April, 1944 after a rigorous flying training program, he received his pilots' wings and commission as a 2nd Lieutenant. After graduation he flew the P-40N and A-24 during combat replacement training. On 6 November, 1944 Lt. Peterburs arrived in England and was assigned to the 55th Fighter Squadron of the 20th Fighter Group. He was 19 years old. The unit was equipped with the P-51 and he quickly checked out in a P-51B and accumulated about 20 hours in the B, C and D models before flying combat. He flew many memorable missions, the 49th and last of which was the most exciting. On this mission, 10 April, 1945, Joe Peterburs shot down an Me 262 turbo jet piloted by the renowned German Ace Walter Schuck. Later that day Joe Peterburs was also shot down by enemy ground fire while strafing an airfield. He was captured, escaped and fought with a Russian tank unit to the battle of Wittenberg on the Elbe.

In December 1951 he was assigned to the 12th Fighter Bomber Squadron of the 18th Fighter Bomber Group flying the P-51D in Korea. He flew 76 missions over North Korea sustaining battle damage on several of those missions including a .50 caliber round through the prop of his P-51. He also sustained small arms fire into the cockpit which directly struck his face. In 1954 he participated in Atomic bomb tests in Nevada sitting in trenches while a 20 kiloton bomb blew. In January 1955, he ejected from a burning T-33. From 1965 until 1967 a tour as an exchange officer with RAF Fighter Command headquarters in England. In the fall of 1967, Lt. Colonel Peterburs was assigned to Vietnam as Staff Operations Officer responsible for Command and Control in the war zone. During the Tet offensive, the Viet-Cong were able to lob a 122mm rocket into his barracks blowing up his room as he slept.

From 1972 until 1978, Colonel Peterburs was assigned to Germany. He first held the position of Air Liaison to the US Army's 7th Corps Commander. He was then called upon to organize, form and command the 601st and 600th Tactical Air Control Groups. He was the principal architect in reorganizing the 601st Tactical Air Control Wing and assumed the position of Wing Deputy Commander for Tactical Control. During this period he was responsible for all direct air support and mobile / fixed radar control facilities providing command and control throughout Central Europe.

In 1979, after over 36 years of active duty, Colonel Peterburs retired. He is a Command Pilot, a Master Air Weapons Controller and an inductee into the USAF Air Weapons Controller Hall of Fame. His military decorations include: The Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross w/ 1 OLC, Bronze Star w/ 1 OLC, Purple Heart w/ 1 OLC, Air Medal w/ 7 OLC, POW Medal and 32 other medals and decorations.

Colonel Joe Peterburs is invited to and attends a handful of air shows / conventions a year. His last appearance was in Columbus Ohio at The Gathering of the Mustangs and Legends in September, 2007. He was invited as one of the 50 Legends in attendance. His next appearance will be at The Show of Shows in Louisville, Kentucky, February, 21-24 - 2008! He sells beautiful prints from WWII and Korea depicting various accounts of his career and missions including his encounter with German Luftwaffe Ace Walter Schuck. Colonel Joe also sells his book entitled "WWII Memories of a Mustang Pilot". Hundreds of copies have been sold throughout the US & Europe. Through much demand Colonel Joe has created this website for you to gain a little WWII history and purchase these fine prints and books directly through this website! 

Thank you for visiting................

Page created by Dave Ails - 2007