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George Preddy
George Earl Preddy Jr. (February 5, 1919 – December 25, 1944) was a United States Army Air Forces officer during World War II and an flying ace credited with 26.83 enemy air-to-air kills (a number that includes shared one-half and one-third victory credits), ranking him as the top P-51 Mustang ace of World War II and eighth on the list of highest scoring American aces.
Preddy was born in 1919 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the second of four children born to George Earl Sr. and Clara Noah Preddy. He attended Aycock School and Greensboro High School. After graduation, he worked at a cotton mill and attended Guilford College for two years before becoming a barnstormer pilot.
In September 1940, he enlisted in the North Carolina National Guard and served with the 252nd Coast Artillery Regiment. Preddy attempted to become a naval aviator in the U.S. Navy, but was rejected thrice. As a result, he entered the Aviation Cadet Program of the U.S. Army Air Corps on April 29, 1941. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Air Forces and was awarded his pilot wings at Craig Field in Alabama, on December 12, 1941, just five days after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
Preddy was assigned as a P-40 Warhawk pilot with the 9th Pursuit Squadron of the 49th Pursuit Group, which provided air defense against Japanese aircraft attacking Darwin, Australia. Preddy claimed two Japanese aircraft damaged over Darwin. He was hospitalized after a midair collision with another P-40, in which the other pilot, 2nd Lt. John Sauber, was killed. After his recovery, he arrived at Hamilton Field in California, looking for an assignment. In December 1942, following recommendation by I. B. Donalson, who served in the 49th FG with Preddy in Australia, he was sent to Mitchel Field in New York and later to Westover Field in Massachusetts, where he was assigned to the 487th Fighter Squadron of the 352nd Fighter Group, flying P-47 Thunderbolts. On June 30, 1943, the 352nd FG boarded the troopship RMS Queen Elizabeth. The group landed in the United Kingdom and was assigned to RAF Bodney in Watton, Norfolk, under the operational control of the 67th Fighter Wing, VIII Fighter Command.
Preddy flew his first European combat mission in September 1943 and on October 14, 1943, he took part in the Second Schweinfurt raid but was forced to turn back from the mission along with 196 other P-47 pilots due to near-empty fuel tanks. On December 1, 1943, he shot down a Bf 109, his first aerial victory. On December 22, he led his flight in breaking up an attack by Me 210s against a straggling B-24 Liberator; he shot down one of the twin-engine fighters and lured the remaining ones away, for which he received the Silver Star.
On January 29, 1944, the 352nd FG escorted a formation of 800 bombers returning after targeting industrial complexes in Frankfurt. Over the French coast, Preddy shot down an Fw 190 but was hit by enemy flak. After he bailed out over the English Channel, his wingman Lt. William T. Whisner circled over Preddy, his fuel dwindling as he repeatedly radioed Preddy's location while air-sea rescue arrived. A Royal Air Force flying boat arrived and attempted to rescue Preddy, but struck him with a pontoon in the rough seas. The bruised Preddy was hauled aboard, but a broken pontoon left the aircraft unable to take off. A Royal Navy launch eventually towed the aircraft to the English coast.
In April 1944, the 352nd FG converted to North American P-51 Mustangs. Preddy became a flying ace when he shot down two Bf 109s during a bomber escort mission to Neubrandenburg on May 13. On June 20, while escorting bombers to Magdeburg, he shot down a Fw 190 and shared in the destruction of an Me 410 with another airman. From June 12 to August 5, he had nine aerial victories.
His biggest day came on August 6, 1944. Despite suffering from a hangover during a war bond party on the previous day, Preddy led his squadron on a bomber escort mission over Hamburg, Germany. As they reached the target, the bombers were attacked by a formation of Bf 109s. As the Bf 109s did not notice the escorting P-51s, Preddy led an attack against the Bf 109s from astern and shot down two of them. Preddy shot another two Bf 109s before the Germans began to escape after realising they were being attacked. As the Americans continued to follow them, Preddy shot down a fifth Bf 109. As the fighters descended to 5000 ft, Preddy shot down a sixth Bf 109, making him one of the 38 USAAF pilots to become an "ace in a day". For his actions in the mission, Preddy was nominated for the Medal of Honor, the highest American military award, by his squadron commander John C. Meyer. On August 12, Preddy was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in recognition for his actions during the August 6 mission. After the mission, Preddy returned to the United States for a 30-day stateside tour.
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George Preddy
George Earl Preddy Jr. (February 5, 1919 – December 25, 1944) was a United States Army Air Forces officer during World War II and an flying ace credited with 26.83 enemy air-to-air kills (a number that includes shared one-half and one-third victory credits), ranking him as the top P-51 Mustang ace of World War II and eighth on the list of highest scoring American aces.
Preddy was born in 1919 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the second of four children born to George Earl Sr. and Clara Noah Preddy. He attended Aycock School and Greensboro High School. After graduation, he worked at a cotton mill and attended Guilford College for two years before becoming a barnstormer pilot.
In September 1940, he enlisted in the North Carolina National Guard and served with the 252nd Coast Artillery Regiment. Preddy attempted to become a naval aviator in the U.S. Navy, but was rejected thrice. As a result, he entered the Aviation Cadet Program of the U.S. Army Air Corps on April 29, 1941. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Air Forces and was awarded his pilot wings at Craig Field in Alabama, on December 12, 1941, just five days after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
Preddy was assigned as a P-40 Warhawk pilot with the 9th Pursuit Squadron of the 49th Pursuit Group, which provided air defense against Japanese aircraft attacking Darwin, Australia. Preddy claimed two Japanese aircraft damaged over Darwin. He was hospitalized after a midair collision with another P-40, in which the other pilot, 2nd Lt. John Sauber, was killed. After his recovery, he arrived at Hamilton Field in California, looking for an assignment. In December 1942, following recommendation by I. B. Donalson, who served in the 49th FG with Preddy in Australia, he was sent to Mitchel Field in New York and later to Westover Field in Massachusetts, where he was assigned to the 487th Fighter Squadron of the 352nd Fighter Group, flying P-47 Thunderbolts. On June 30, 1943, the 352nd FG boarded the troopship RMS Queen Elizabeth. The group landed in the United Kingdom and was assigned to RAF Bodney in Watton, Norfolk, under the operational control of the 67th Fighter Wing, VIII Fighter Command.
Preddy flew his first European combat mission in September 1943 and on October 14, 1943, he took part in the Second Schweinfurt raid but was forced to turn back from the mission along with 196 other P-47 pilots due to near-empty fuel tanks. On December 1, 1943, he shot down a Bf 109, his first aerial victory. On December 22, he led his flight in breaking up an attack by Me 210s against a straggling B-24 Liberator; he shot down one of the twin-engine fighters and lured the remaining ones away, for which he received the Silver Star.
On January 29, 1944, the 352nd FG escorted a formation of 800 bombers returning after targeting industrial complexes in Frankfurt. Over the French coast, Preddy shot down an Fw 190 but was hit by enemy flak. After he bailed out over the English Channel, his wingman Lt. William T. Whisner circled over Preddy, his fuel dwindling as he repeatedly radioed Preddy's location while air-sea rescue arrived. A Royal Air Force flying boat arrived and attempted to rescue Preddy, but struck him with a pontoon in the rough seas. The bruised Preddy was hauled aboard, but a broken pontoon left the aircraft unable to take off. A Royal Navy launch eventually towed the aircraft to the English coast.
In April 1944, the 352nd FG converted to North American P-51 Mustangs. Preddy became a flying ace when he shot down two Bf 109s during a bomber escort mission to Neubrandenburg on May 13. On June 20, while escorting bombers to Magdeburg, he shot down a Fw 190 and shared in the destruction of an Me 410 with another airman. From June 12 to August 5, he had nine aerial victories.
His biggest day came on August 6, 1944. Despite suffering from a hangover during a war bond party on the previous day, Preddy led his squadron on a bomber escort mission over Hamburg, Germany. As they reached the target, the bombers were attacked by a formation of Bf 109s. As the Bf 109s did not notice the escorting P-51s, Preddy led an attack against the Bf 109s from astern and shot down two of them. Preddy shot another two Bf 109s before the Germans began to escape after realising they were being attacked. As the Americans continued to follow them, Preddy shot down a fifth Bf 109. As the fighters descended to 5000 ft, Preddy shot down a sixth Bf 109, making him one of the 38 USAAF pilots to become an "ace in a day". For his actions in the mission, Preddy was nominated for the Medal of Honor, the highest American military award, by his squadron commander John C. Meyer. On August 12, Preddy was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in recognition for his actions during the August 6 mission. After the mission, Preddy returned to the United States for a 30-day stateside tour.