Charles Goffin was the 1st Belgian to receive Silver Wings. He was already a Belgian military pilot who downed two German Bf109 with his Fiat CR42 biplane in the early days of the German invasion of Belgium in 1940. He fled the country and tried to engage in the RAF but ended up in the US Army Air Force (the predecessor of the USAF, created in 1947). He earned his Silver Wings in the 495Th Fighter Training Group UK, 1943. Sadly, he was shot down by German FLAK over Luxemburg whilst operating his Spitfire PhotoRecce Mk XI on his 35th operational recce sortie, September 8th 1944.
Every year, the American Overseas Memorial Association, www.aomda.org , organizes a memorial at the cemetery of Graide (Charles Goffin’s natal village in the Ardennes) to honor this national hero. The Silver Wing Association tries to be present at this event.
