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October 6, 2025 16 mins

In this week’s episode of Duty & Valor, we share the remarkable story of Air Force Lt Col Louis Curdes, a WWII ace unlike any other. Curdes was one of only a handful of American pilots to shoot down aircraft from all three major Axis powers. Germany, Italy, and Japan. But his most astonishing feat came when he made a split-second decision to shoot down an American transport plane to save its crew from capture.

From his early days in Fort Wayne, Indiana, to daring escapes as a POW, and finally to his legendary “Bad Angel” Mustang, Curdes’ story is one of courage, resilience, and duty above all else.

Join us as we explore the life of a pilot whose unmatched record and quick thinking made him one of WWII’s most extraordinary aviators.

Please visit our YouTube channel to learn more about other American Heroes @
youtube.com/@DutyandValor

Sources:

historicmysteries.com 

warhistoryonline.com 

thecollector.com

wikipedia.org

findagrave.com


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Music by Amelie Leclerc. Artist's other music can be found here.

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