Rigby’s Recognition

Alden Rigby, who on Jan. 1, 1945, shot down four German aircraft in 25 minutes, on Memorial Day (May 28) will join the Utah Aviation Hall of Fame at the Hill Aerospace Museum. Rigby and fellow WWII fighter pilots found themselves on the runway at their base in Asch, Belgium, when it was attacked by an estimated 50-plus German fighters, part of a coordinated attack aimed at 16 Allied bases. Over Rigby’s base that day, 11 American P-51s downed 23 German aircraft without losing one of their own in a battle that has come to be known as the legend of Y-29. Rigby’s own account of the battle can be found here. Rigby’s tour included more than 70 combat missions over Europe. He held the Silver Star, served in the Air National Guard, served three years’ active duty in Korea and spent 25 years with the FAA as an air traffic controller and supervisor at Salt Lake International Airport, among other accomplishments.