George Preddy
Encyclopedia
George Preddy was an American ace
credited with 26.83 enemy air-to-air kills, ranking him as the top P-51 Mustang
ace of World War II
and sixth on the list of all-time highest scoring American aces.
He initially served in the Southwest Pacific Theater, flying P-40s with the 9th Pursuit Squadron, 49th Pursuit Group
which performed air defense duties against Japanese aircraft attacking Darwin, Australia. Preddy claimed two Japanese aircraft damaged over Darwin. He was hospitalized after a collision with another P-40.
After his recovery, Preddy was reassigned to the 352nd Fighter Group in the European Theater, flying P-51s. The group flew out of RAF Bodney
, England and Asch Airfield, Belgium. On August 6, 1944, Preddy claimed six German Luftwaffe
fighters in a single sortie
.
Preddy was killed by "friendly fire" on the morning of December 25, 1944. As commanding officer of the 328th Fighter Squadron, 352nd FG, he was leading a formation of 10 Mustangs. They had been patrolling for about three hours, when they were directed to assist in a dogfight already in progress. Preddy destroyed two Messerschmitt Bf 109
s, before being vectored to a lone Focke-Wulf FW 190
, strafing Allied ground forces southeast of Liege, Belgium. As the FW-190, Preddy and two other Mustangs passed over the Allied front line at tree-top height, a US Army anti-aircraft (AA) battery (believed to be part of the 430th AA Battalion, XIX Corps
), fired at the FW-190 and missed, but hit all three P-51s. Preddy's aircraft hit the ground at high speed and a low angle, which caused it to break up into many pieces. Preddy had no chance of surviving the crash.
Preddy's brother William, a P-51 pilot with the 503rd Fighter Squadron, 339th Fighter Group, was later buried alongside him at the Lorraine American Cemetery, Saint Avold, France. (William Preddy died in Czechoslovakia on the April 17, 1945, from wounds he sustained when he was shot down by AA fire, while strafing Budejovice airfield.)
Memorials
Veterans of Foreign Wars
Post 2087 in Greensboro was named after George Preddy, soon after the end of World War II.
In 1968, Business Interstate 85, through Greensboro, North Carolina was given the street name Preddy Boulevard, in memory of both Preddy brothers
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
credited with 26.83 enemy air-to-air kills, ranking him as the top P-51 Mustang
P-51 Mustang
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
ace of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and sixth on the list of all-time highest scoring American aces.
He initially served in the Southwest Pacific Theater, flying P-40s with the 9th Pursuit Squadron, 49th Pursuit Group
49th Fighter Wing
The 49th Wing is an air combat unit of the United States Air Force and the host unit at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. The 49 WG is part of the Air Combat Command Twelfth Air Force....
which performed air defense duties against Japanese aircraft attacking Darwin, Australia. Preddy claimed two Japanese aircraft damaged over Darwin. He was hospitalized after a collision with another P-40.
After his recovery, Preddy was reassigned to the 352nd Fighter Group in the European Theater, flying P-51s. The group flew out of RAF Bodney
RAF Bodney
RAF Bodney is a former World War II RAF Station and USAAF airfield in England. The field is located 4½ miles west of Watton in Norfolk.-RAF Bomber Command use:...
, England and Asch Airfield, Belgium. On August 6, 1944, Preddy claimed six German Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
fighters in a single sortie
Sortie
Sortie is a term for deployment or dispatch of one military unit, be it an aircraft, ship, or troops from a strongpoint. The sortie, whether by one or more aircraft or vessels, usually has a specific mission....
.
Preddy was killed by "friendly fire" on the morning of December 25, 1944. As commanding officer of the 328th Fighter Squadron, 352nd FG, he was leading a formation of 10 Mustangs. They had been patrolling for about three hours, when they were directed to assist in a dogfight already in progress. Preddy destroyed two Messerschmitt Bf 109
Messerschmitt Bf 109
The Messerschmitt Bf 109, often called Me 109, was a German World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser during the early to mid 1930s...
s, before being vectored to a lone Focke-Wulf FW 190
Focke-Wulf Fw 190
The Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Würger was a German Second World War single-seat, single-engine fighter aircraft designed by Kurt Tank in the late 1930s. Powered by a radial engine, the 190 had ample power and was able to lift larger loads than its well-known counterpart, the Messerschmitt Bf 109...
, strafing Allied ground forces southeast of Liege, Belgium. As the FW-190, Preddy and two other Mustangs passed over the Allied front line at tree-top height, a US Army anti-aircraft (AA) battery (believed to be part of the 430th AA Battalion, XIX Corps
XIX Corps
A number of countries have or had a nineteenth, or XIX, Corps:* XIX Corps * XIX Corps * XIX Corps * XIX Corps * XIX Corps -See also:* 19th Division * 19th Brigade...
), fired at the FW-190 and missed, but hit all three P-51s. Preddy's aircraft hit the ground at high speed and a low angle, which caused it to break up into many pieces. Preddy had no chance of surviving the crash.
Preddy's brother William, a P-51 pilot with the 503rd Fighter Squadron, 339th Fighter Group, was later buried alongside him at the Lorraine American Cemetery, Saint Avold, France. (William Preddy died in Czechoslovakia on the April 17, 1945, from wounds he sustained when he was shot down by AA fire, while strafing Budejovice airfield.)
Memorials
Veterans of Foreign Wars
Veterans of Foreign Wars
The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States is a congressionally chartered war veterans organization in the United States. Headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, VFW currently has 1.5 million members belonging to 7,644 posts, and is the largest American organization of combat...
Post 2087 in Greensboro was named after George Preddy, soon after the end of World War II.
In 1968, Business Interstate 85, through Greensboro, North Carolina was given the street name Preddy Boulevard, in memory of both Preddy brothers