US Army Air Force

P-40 in Tunisia

P-40K from the 64th Fighter Squadron, 57th Fighter Group. Tunisia, 1943. A Curtiss P-40K of 57th Fighter Group’s 64th Fighter Squadron “Black Scorpion” in configuration fighter-bomber (500lbs bomb beneath the fuselage) taxiing before a mission aided by a ground man sitting over the left wing. The plane has the original design of the unit’s emblem. This is the story’s emblem as told by Paul Carll, 64th, in the site of the 57th FG Association: «Anyway, the story of how we got the Black Scorpion insignia is an interesting one. The Group arrived in Palestine with 65th insignia (Fighting Cock) and the 66th Squadron insignia (Exterminator) established and approved by whatever Board or Committee the Air Corps had to authorize such considerations. The 64th Squadron submitted one that portrayed a Knight in full armor, holding a jousting pole, and on a warhorse going full tilt. Get the picture. Anyway, this submission was denied approval and the 64th had no insignia when it arrived in the war zone. Pudge Wheeler, who was the Squadron Commander, and Buck Bilby who was Operations Officer decided to do something about this matter. Both men had problems with black scorpions getting in their shoes when they set them under their cots. Several of our guys got stung by them also. We all learned quickly to tie our shoes to the ridgepole of our tents to keep the pesky critters out of our shoes. In any case, these two great guys suggested that we adopt the black scorpion as our insignia. They were agile. They had a stinger that poured out venom and they could be deadly. The idea took hold and we adopted the Black Scorpion as our insignia. Of course, it was not authorized but we continued to make additions and it evolved into the insignia as you have seen it. We didn't add the pyramid until we got into Sicily and Buck Bilby, Hal Routh and I put the pyramid on to show where we had been. It was also a symbol of strength. So we now have a blue background of sky, a white cloud, a pyramid with a fire-breathing black scorpion poised to sting superimposed on it. Routh, who was the artist, decided to put the red border around it. That is how it came about. Sometime in 1956, General Joe Cannon discovered that this insignia had never been authorized, let alone approved, and he took care of the necessary formality to make everything legal. That is the story». Victor Sierra