Pierce McKennon

Pierce McKennon in his P-51 Mustang

Pierce Winningham McKennon (born November 30, 1919 in Clarksville , Arkansas , † June 18, 1947 in San Antonio , Texas ) was an American fighter pilot in World War II .

Life

Pierce McKennon, nicknamed "Mac", joined the US Army Air Corps in 1941 . His pilot training was rejected on the grounds that he was unsuitable. Then he went to Canada. The Royal Canadian Air Force put other priorities in the selection of its pilots. He passed the pilot's test and was transferred to a Spitfirestaffel in Great Britain. In November 1942 he was transferred to the 4th Fighter Group of the US Air Force. His first aerial victories were with the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt . After a conversion to the North American P-51 Mustang , further kills took place, so that by the end of his first period of service he had won 10 1/2 aerial victories.

He returned to Debden on August 18, 1944 . On August 28th he was shot down over France. With the help of the Resistance , he escaped captivity, but did not return to his unit until September. During an attack on the Neubrandenburg airfield, it was shot down by the flak on March 18, 1945. He was able to save himself with the parachute. Before he could be captured, Lieutenant George Green landed near him and picked him up. Together they flew back to Debden in Green's plane. McKennon ended the war with 11 aerial victories and 9.83 aircraft destroyed on the ground.

After the war, Pierce McKennon worked as a flight instructor. He died on June 18, 1947 in an aircraft accident near San Antonio, Texas.

literature

• Jerry Scutts: Mustang Aces of the Eight Air Force . Osprey Publishing, Oxford, ISBN 1-85532-447-4

Web links

• CV in "The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture" [1]