George Preddy

Major George E "Ratsy" Preddy Jr. of the 352nd Fighter Group in the cockpit of his P-51 Mustang (HO-P, serial number 44-13321) nicknamed Cripes A' Mighty 3rd.

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 and in December 1942, 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.[6] On June 30, 1943,[7] 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.[8]

Preddy flew his first European combat mission in September 1943[7] 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 and on December 22, he led his flight in breaking up an attack by Me 210s against a straggling B-24 Liberator and managed to shoot down one of them and lure the remaining away from the B-24, for which he received the Silver Star.[6] [9]

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. He managed to fly his P-47 over the English Channel and then bailed out of his aircraft. Preddy's wingman Lt. William T. Whisner kept circling over Preddy and repeatedly radioing his coordinates despite his risk in running out of fuel until air-sea rescue could triangulate the position. A Royal Air Force flying boat arrived and attempted to rescue Preddy, but rough seas resulted in the aircraft almost drowning him. After rescuing him, the aircraft had to be towed to the coast by the Royal Navy, as the aircraft broke one of its pontoons in the rough sea.[9]

In April 1944, the 352nd FG converted to North American P-51 Mustangs. Preddy became a flying ace after 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.[9]

George Preddy was killed on the morning of December 25, 1944, by friendly fire. As commanding officer of the 328th Fighter Squadron, 352nd FG, he was leading a formation of 10 P-51s. After patrolling for about three hours, they were directed to assist in a dogfight already in progress. Preddy destroyed two Messerschmitt Bf 109s[11] before being vectored to intercept a lone Focke-Wulf Fw 190 strafing Allied ground forces southeast of Liège, Belgium. As he pursued the Fw 190, Preddy's aircraft as well as two other P-51s passed over the Allied front line at treetop height. A US Army anti-aircraft (AA) battery (believed to be part of the 430th AA Battalion, XIX Corps) fired at the Fw 190 but missed and, instead, hit Preddy's P-51. Preddy managed to release his canopy but was unable to bail out before his aircraft hit the ground at high speed. Although the shallow angle of impact meant the crash was potentially survivable, his wounds from .50-caliber machine gun fire were mortal.[12]

Preddy's brother William, a P-51 pilot with the 503rd Fighter Squadron, 339th Fighter Group, was later buried alongside George at the Lorraine American Cemetery, Saint-Avold, France. William died in what is today's Czech Republic on April 17, 1945, from wounds he sustained when he was shot down by enemy AA fire, while strafing České Budějovice airfield.