Hi,

Another great grouping of Victory Museum - Brig Nero Moura:

THEOBALDO ANTONIO KOPP born May 28, 1918 in Brazil. Enlisted a Aviation Cadet in 1937, graduated in 1939 Flight instructor until 1942. In 1943 was stationed at Belem Air Base flying Catalinas on anti-submarine patrol missions. In 1944 as First Lieutenant, volunteered to join the Brazilian Expeditionary Force in the Mediterranean Theatre of Operation.

Lt Kopp - 1st Brazilian Fighter Squadron - Italian Front

After a fighter training course in Orlando and Gainsville, Florida, he joined his outfit - 1st Brazilian Fighter Squadron - in Aguadulce, Panama, where the training continued, attached to the US 6th Air Force participating in the Canal Defense, Flying P-40's.

Lt Kopp - 1st Brazilian Fighter Squadron - Italian Front

Lt Kopp - 1st Brazilian Fighter Squadron - Italian Front

In July the whole Squadron was transferred to Suffolk County Air Base, Long Island to be trained in the P-47. In November 1944 he began flying combat missions from his Squadron's base in Tarquinia, Italy, attached to the US 350th Fighter Group.

Lt Kopp - 1st Brazilian Fighter Squadron - Italian Front

He flew 57 ground attack missions destroying supply routes, ammunition depots, bridges, railroads and was downed by 30 and 20mm flack on his last mission, March 7th, 1945.

He stayed with the partisans in the Paco Valley until the allied offensive at the end of April. He was awarded the Brazilian Air Force Cross (Ribbon A and B), the Brazilian Air Force Italian Campaign Medal, the Brazilian Air Force South Atlantic Patrol Medal, the US Air Medal with two clusters, US Presidential Unit Citation, and the British DFC.

Lt Kopp - 1st Brazilian Fighter Squadron - Italian Front

In 1949, as Major, he graduated in Communication Engineering at the Army Engineering School. In 1951 and 1952 he acted as Brazilian representative in the Air Navigation Commission of ICAO, Montreal, Canada.

In 1961, he retired as Brigadier General and after two years as maintenance manager of an airline he joined the telephone business. Presently he is President of the Telephone Co. of the State of Minas Gerais.

He flew about 5000 hours, 350 of which in P-47.

Lt Kopp - 1st Brazilian Fighter Squadron - Italian Front

RIP