Turtledove
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Terry DeFrancis
Fictional Character
Southern Victory
POD: September 10, 1862
Appearance(s): The Grapple;
In at the Death
Type of Appearance: Direct
Nationality: United States
Date of Birth: Early 20th century
Occupation: Pilot, Soldier
Military Branch: United States Army (Second Great War)

Terry DeFrancis was a member of the United States Army Air Corps during the Second Great War. While a colonel, DeFrancis was made commander of the air wing of General Abner Dowling's Eleventh Army in Houston and Texas with initial orders to "smash" the Confederate air power in west Texas. To do this, Dowling's air contingent was tripled in strength. Both were puzzled by the War Department's sudden interest but it was caused by the successful Confederate air raid on the U.S. superbomb works in Hanford.

After gaining complete command of the air, DeFrancis oversaw a series of aggressive bombing campaigns which allowed the US to inflict major damage on Confederate Brigadier General Whitlow Ling's ground forces despite Philadelphia's undersupplying of Dowling's own ground component. DeFrancis also disrupted Confederate rail travel including trains carrying Negroes to Camp Determination.

DeFrancis was tepidly supportive of Dowling's goal of capturing Camp Determination but thought an attack on Amarillo better suited the Eleventh Army's purposes. Nonetheless, he was instrumental in the fall of Determination in 1943. When Dowling was promoted and transferred to the East, DeFrancis was promoted to general and given command of Eleventh Army.


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