The Versatile Colt 45 M1911

Dick Pedersen provided this for us:

Owen John Baggett was born in 1920 in Graham, Texas. By 1941 he graduated from college and went on to work on Wall Street, but by the following year, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps (now USAF) when the United States entered the war.

A studious man, he graduated from pilot training in just five months and was sent to Burma, flying a B-24 Liberator.
On March 31st, 1943, Baggett and his squadron were sent on a mission to destroy a bridge of strategic importance. On their way, the B-24s got intercepted by Japanese Zeros which hit the squadron hard. Baggett’s plane was riddled with bullets to such an extent that the crew was forced to bail out.

While parachuting, a Japanese pilot decided that downing the plane wasn't enough. He circled around and started shooting at the bailed out pilots, killing two of the crew. Seeing this, Baggett did the only thing he could. He played dead.

Not convinced Baggett was dead, the Zero pulled up to him at near stall speed, the pilot opening his canopy to check on his horrendous work. Not wasting any time Baggett pulled out his pistol and shot the pilot right in the head. This is considered the best shot by a Caliber .45 M1911 pistol of ALL TIME. The last thing he saw was the Zero spiraling toward earth. 

When he landed, he and the other bailed out crew members were captured and sent to a POW camp where they remained till the end of the war. They were liberated by OSS agents (World War II version of the modern CIA) and Baggett was recognized as the only person during the war to shoot down a Zero with a pistol.

COL Bagget passed away in 2006.  His obituary read:

COL. OWEN JOHN BAGGETT, USAF, RET Col. Owen Baggett died at peace and with dignity July 27, 2006 in New Braunfels, TX. Born August 29, 1920 in Graham, Texas to John M. and Mary Pearl Baggett, he was always quick with a smile and a kind word. He never met a stranger, and was loved by many. He relished his activities as Drum Major for the Hardin Simmons University Cowboy band, and made many lifelong friends during his years there. He received some fame for shooting down a Japanese Zero with a revolver while hanging from a parachute after his B-24 bomber was shot down, and he subsequently spent 2-1/2 years as a Prisoner of War at Changi prison camp in Rangoon, Burma during World War II. The essence of the man, however, is that he survived the horrors of war and his internment without bitterness or hatred. Enduring starvation and torture showed the strength of his body, but it is by his forgiveness of his tormentors that truly reveals the strength of his soul. He will be deeply missed by all those he touched. He is survived by his daughter, Diana Farrar of San Antonio, TX, his former wife, Pat Baggett of Kerrville, TX, cousin Pauline Morton of Archer City, TX her son Gary, his wife Carin and daughter Ana of Austin, TX, cousin Ken Garrett of Redwing, MN, his son Jim and daughter Ellie, cousin Julia Garrett of Roanoke, VA., numerous second cousins and countless friends. A memorial service celebrating his life will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, August 1 at the Doeppenschmidt Funeral Home in Canyon Lake, Texas, with internment at 9:15, Wednesday August 2 at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, TX.