|
|
|
Bomber Pilot
Born: 1915
Units:
Combat missions: 60
Victories: N/A
Decorations:
War episode:
On 7 May 1944, the He-111H-6 no. 48, flown by lt. av. Sorin Tulea, with lt. Mihai Oncioiu as observer, was intercepted by Soviet fighters, which followed them all the way to Roman. The bomber was badly hit and caught fire. The crew had to bail out. Lt. Oncioiu (a "Mihai Viteazul" Order recipient) was shot and killed while hanging in the harness of his parachute. Lt. av. Sorin Tulea jumped the last. The air current directed him into the tail stabilizers and he broke both his legs. As if that wasn't enough, after he hit the ground he was attacked by peasants who thought he was a Soviet pilot. They hit him with clubs and almost killed him. Fortunately a German patrol appeared in the area and took him to a hospital, where he will spend the next two years of his life. Apparently the Soviet pilot who shot them down and killed Oncioiu was the second top scoring Allied ace: Alexandr Pokhryshkin.
He is presently living in Bucharest
@ 2002-2004