Tommy McGuire: P-38 Lightning Ace

Medal of Honor Recipient

Tommy McGuire was the second highest scoring ace of WW2 for the United States, with his kills made in a P-38 Lightning. Tommy was a good friend to Charles Lindburg and at one time asked Lindburg to get him a cup of coffee. When asked about it later, he felt a little embarrassed about it but they were friends. Having been shot in the hand during one air battle over Papua New Guinea, Tommy nearly was killed trying to bail out as his parachute was snagged on something. He managed to free himself at 1000 ft and land in the water with several broken ribs. In Tommy’s last gunfight, he was killed while trying to save a fellow pilot fighting a Japanese Ki-43 with a highly experienced Japanese instructor pilot at an altitude of 300ft. His plane stalled and dove into the ground, killing him on impact. Filipino resistance on the ground recovered his body and saved his remains till the end of the war for the Americans to recover. Tommy McGuire remains one of the highest decorated American pilots with 1 Medal of Honor, 1 Distinguished Service Cross, 3 Silver Stars, 6 Distinguished Flying Cross, 3 Purple Hearts, and 15 Air Medals.

The Valorous fight like Lions. Valor is in you. Set it free.