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operations against an armed enemy while serving as Pilot of a P-40 Fighter
Airplane in the 47th Pursuit Squadron, 18th Pursuit Group, Hawaiian Air Force, in action over the Island of Oahu, Territory of Hawaii and waters adjacent thereto, on 7 December 1941. When surprised by a heavy air attack by Japanese forces on Wheeler Field and vicinity at approximately 8 a.m., Lieutenant Welch left Wheeler and proceeded by car, under fire, to Haleiwa Landing Field, approximately ten miles distance, where his squadron's planes were stationed. Immediately, on his own initiative, he took off for the purpose of attacking invading forces, without first obtaining information as to number or type of Japanese in the attacking force, and proceeded to his initial point over Barbers Point. At time of take off he was armed only with thirty-caliber machine guns. Upon arrival over Barbers Point, he observed a formation of approximately twelve planes over Ewa, about 100 feet below and ten miles away. Accompanied by only one other pursuit ship, he immediately attacked this enemy formation, shooting down an enemy dive bomber with one burst from three .30-caliber guns. At this point one .30 gun jammed. While engaged in this combat, his plane was hit by an incendiary bullet which passed through the baggage compartment just in rear of his seat. He climbed above the clouds, checked his plane, returned to the attack over Barbers Point and immediately attacked a Japanese plane running out to sea, which he shot down, the plane falling in the ocean. No more enemy planes in sight, he proceeded to Wheeler to refuel and replenish ammunition. Refueling and reloading completed but before repairing guns, a second wave of about fifteen enemy planes approached low over Wheeler. Three came at him and he immediately took off, headed straight into the attack and went to the assistance of a brother officer being attacked from the rear. This enemy plane burst into flames and crashed halfway between Wahiawa and Haleiwa. During this combat his plane was struck by three bullets from the rear gun of the ship he was attacking, one striking his motor, one the propeller and one the cowling. This attack wave having disappeared he returned to the vicinity of Ewa and found one enemy plane proceeding seaward, which he pursued and shot down about five miles off shore, immediately thereafter returning to his station at Haleiwa Landing Field. Lieutenant Welch's initiative, presence of mind, coolness under fire against overwhelming odds in his first battle, expert maneuvering of his plane, and determined action contributed to a large extent toward driving off this sudden unexpected enemy air attack. Second Lieutenant Welch's unquestionable valor in aerial combat is in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, the Hawaiian Air Force, and the United States Army Air Forces.
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Yeager, had also disputed the Welch story, stating that Welch was not flying that day because his plane was being repaired. The highest Mach number reached by Welch in 1947, as indicated by official flight test records, was about 0.93, in a maximum power dive from 45,114 ft (13,751 m) with the engine at 100.8% Military RPM (i.e. maximum power). North
American conducted this test, their "High Mach Number Investigation", on November 13. The USAF verified all North American results and this test Mach number in their own Phase II tests conducted in December 1947. One person, William B. Cassidy, engineer, was involved in the development of pressure suits and space suit. He was in the drop plane making last minute checks on Welch’s and Yeager’s suits. In an interview he asserted that because Yeager was a national treasure the Air Force was unwilling to risk his life in breaking the sound bearer and Welch tested the viability before Yeager was permitted to make his flight.
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493:. North American originally proposed a straight-wing version of the XP-86 and the Army Air Forces accepted this on May 1, 1945. On November 1, North American, with the aid of captured German technology, proposed and was given permission for a major redesign of the XP-86 to a 35-degree, swept-wing configuration. This was new technology and the USA's first high-speed, swept-wing airplane and a significant advance over Republic Aviation's
556:. The claim of the XP-86 passing Mach 1, with Welch at the controls, was not made until April 26, 1948, five and a half months after the X-1 supersonic flight. Blackburn, however, maintains that a record on the Muroc radar theodolite, of the two flights Welch made on November 13, 1947, indicated supersonic flights, as well, noting 20 minutes before the X-1 broke the record, a sonic boom was heard over the desert, centered on the
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403:. The first Japanese aircraft was only damaged and made it back to its carrier, while the second was finished off by Ken Taylor, shortly before he landed at Wheeler Field to get .50-cal ammo for his two cowl guns. On his second sortie, Welch shot down a Val (which was behind Ken Taylor, and crashed in the community of Wahiawa) then one
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contradicts the claim, contending for Welch's aircraft to break the sound barrier with an underpowered engine was impossible. He notes that the XP-86 airframe was capable of transonic flight, but the interim low-power J35-C-3 limited its performance. The late Bob Hoover, chase pilot for Welch and
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After about a 30-minute flight, Welch lowered the flaps and gear to land. At this point, the nose gear would not extend completely. For 40 minutes, Welch unsuccessfully tried everything to extend the nose gear. When he reached a low-fuel state, he elected to land on Muroc Lake Bed without a fully
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had instructed North
American that they were not, under any circumstances, to break the sound barrier before the X-1 achieved this milestone. He could exercise his authority in this regard because both the XP-86 and X-1 were Air Force programs. Welch's only complaints about the aircraft was the
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The
President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Second Lieutenant (Air Corps) George Schwartz Welch, United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military
603:, with Yeager flying the chase plane. Welch became the first man to break the sound barrier in level flight with this type of aircraft on May 25, 1953. Stability problems were encountered in the flight test program, and on Columbus Day, October 12, 1954, Welch's
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fighters prepared for takeoff. Taylor immediately drove his Buick at high speed to
Haleiwa to join the air battle. While climbing into their P-40s, the crew chiefs informed them that they should disperse their planes. "To hell with that", Welch said.
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in an early flight of the XP-86 prototype. Welch himself never made that claim. Blackburn based his contention on interviews of eyewitnesses, former North
American employees, and access to contemporary historical accounts. Robert Kempel, author of
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engine lacked power and the rate of climb was only a disappointing 4,000 ft (1,200 m) per minute. North
American, however, had already contracted with General Electric for more powerful
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Senator James H. Hughes (D-del.); Mrs. Hughes; Mrs. Julia Welch
Schwartz and Mr. George L. Schwartz, Welch's parents; and Lieutenant Welch shaking hands with President Roosevelt, 1942
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while "supervising" his students. Welch's kills were in disobedience of direct orders for him not to engage, and credits for the kills were thus distributed among his students.
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extended nose gear. Upon touchdown, in a nose-high attitude, Welch cut the engine, and as the XP-86 slowed, the nose gear snapped down and locked. The aircraft was undamaged.
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By the end of 1947, the XP-86 had logged 29 hours and 23 minutes of flight test time, most flown by Welch. On
October 14, 1947, Captain Charles Yeager exceeded Mach 1 in the
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367:, were coming back from a Christmas dinner and dance party at a rooftop hotel in Waikiki, that ended in an all-night poker game. They were still wearing mess dress when the
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449:(which flew P-38s) until he was granted a transfer. Between June 21 and September 2, 1943, flying a P-38H, Welch shot down nine more Japanese aircraft: two Zeros, three
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to George Lewis
Schwartz, Sr. (November 15, 1887 – May 30, 1972) and Julia Ann Welch (April 29, 1891 – May 21, 1974), but his parents changed his name to avoid the
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In September 1947, the first of three XP-86 prototypes (AAF Ser. No. 45-59597) was moved from North American's Mines Field (later
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about 45 miles (72 km) north of Los Angeles. When he was found, Welch was still in the ejection seat, critically injured. He was
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539:(1998), fellow North American test pilot Al Blackburn speculates that Welch may have broken the sound barrier two weeks before
461:. Welch flew three combat tours (a total of 348 combat missions with 16 confirmed victories, all achieved in multiples) before
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to become a company test pilot. With the recommendation of General Arnold, Welch resigned his commission in the
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Powers, Sheryll Goeccke. "Women in Flight Research at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center from 1946 to 1995,"
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437:. Despite his aerial victories on December 7, 1941, Welch was dissatisfied with flying the poorly performing
296:. He had a younger brother named Dehn Schwartz Welch (March 31, 1920 – November 1, 1999) who served with the
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Welch went on to work as chief test pilot, engineer, and instructor with North American Aviation during the
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See Sabre Pilots Association web site for this and other articles related to the XP-86 and F-86 aircraft.
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The United States Air Force became an independent branch of the U. S. military on September 18, 1947.
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The Happy Bottom Riding Club was more formally known as the Rancho Oro Verde Fly-Inn Dude Ranch.
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Air Force Historical Study 85: USAF Credits for the Destruction of Enemy Aircraft, World War II
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was being tested. The maiden flight of the XP-86 was on October 1, 1947, flown by Welch.
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Taking off with only .30-cal ammunition in the wing guns, Welch claimed two kills of
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At dawn on December 7, 1941, 2nd Lieutenant Welch and another pilot, 2nd Lieutenant
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After receiving his wings and commission in January 1941, Welch was posted to the
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13 November 1944 to 1 April 1953. He went on to fly the prototypes of the Navy's
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AIAA paper 80-3039, Evolution of Aircraft Wing Design Symposium, March 18, 1980.
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1242:"Pearl Harbor Japanese Aircraft Crash Sites, Records, & Artifacts: Part II"
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Hallion, Richard P. "On the Frontier, Flight Research at Dryden, 1946–1981."
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The Quest for Mach One: A First-Person Account of Breaking the Sound Barrier
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After Pearl Harbor, Welch returned to the continental United States to give
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Morgan, M. "Mac" Blair. Rockwell International. "Evolution of the F-86."
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1609:"The Mach 1 Whodunit: Don't believe everything you read on the internet"
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Aviators killed in aviation accidents or incidents in the United States
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Yeager, Chuck, Bob Cardenas, Bob Hoover, Jack Russell and James Young.
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1582:(American Aviation Historical Society), Vol. 51, No. 1, Spring 2006.
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After the war, Welch returned to flight testing; this time in the
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in 1939. While attending Purdue, he was initiated as a brother of
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after the war. Welch is best known for having been one of the few
1319:"The Amazing George Welch, Part 2. First Through the Sonic Wall."
616:
462:
422:, the second-highest US Army medal for valor, for their actions.
30:
1094:
357:
1633:
Young, James O. "Meeting the Challenge of Supersonic Flight."
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Beirut, Lebanon: HPM Publications, 2010? (X-Planes Profile 12)
1209:"The Amazing George Welch, Part 1. The Tiger of Pearl Harbor."
656:
2420:
Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United States)
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Historic P-40 aircraft returns to 'action' near Kawamura Gate
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47th Pursuit Squadron, 18th Pursuit Group, Hawaiian Air Force
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Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)
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Garden City, New York: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1981.
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978:
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320:. USAAC flight training schools that he attended included:
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and for his work as a test pilot. Welch resigned from the
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by helicopter, but was pronounced dead on arrival at the
497:. Welch was chosen as chief test pilot for the project.
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Kempel, Robert. "Mach 1 and the North American XP-86."
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1418:
William Cassidy interview by his son Donald W. Cassidy
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Kempel, Robert W. "The Conquest of the Sound Barrier."
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Wolf, William. "Aerial Action... Pearl Harbor Attack."
893:
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able to get airborne to engage Japanese forces in the
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and accepted the job; his rank was as a major in the
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United States Army Air Forces pilots of World War II
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Number 6, 1997, NASA Headquarters, Washington, D. C.
1388:"Mach Match: Did an XP-86 beat Yeager to the punch?"
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At Dawn We Slept: The Untold Story of Pearl Harbor.
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American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics,
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584:, with markings identical to the one flown by Welch
2445:Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in 1954
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1340:Davis, Larry H. "XP-86 Swept Wing Development."
560:, a dude ranch restaurant and hotel operated by
473:In the spring of 1944, Welch was approached by
1669:Medal of Honor Recipients and Nominees on Film
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504:) to the Muroc North Base test facility (now
410:Both Welch and Taylor were nominated for the
407:fighter about 5 miles west of Barbers Point.
2405:Military personnel from Wilmington, Delaware
1635:Air Force Flight Test Center History Office,
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641:, Welch was portrayed by actor Rick Cooper.
1546:Missouri City, Texas, USA: SR Books, 1998.
1393:, January 1, 1999. Retrieved: July 8, 2011.
1294:, Volume 12, Issue 3, June 2007, pp. 24–32.
1281:Volume 34, Issue 1, Spring 1989, pp. 63–64.
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592:, where he reportedly downed several enemy
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1637:Edwards Air Force Base, California, 1997.
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779:United States Army Air Forces pilot badge
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1615:September 2014. (Retrieved July 4, 2018)
1573:The Race for Mach 1: Who Was the Winner?
1559:Test Pilots: The Frontiersmen of Flight.
1290:Aiken, David. "Ghosts of Pearl Harbor."
571:
234:(May 10, 1918 – October 12, 1954) was a
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2329:List of United States World War II aces
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909:Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army Air Forces
2435:United States Army Air Forces officers
2400:Burials at Arlington National Cemetery
2347:
1308:
1192:
465:brought an end to his time in combat.
304:(1936). He completed three years of a
2430:St. Andrew's School (Delaware) alumni
1677:
1440:
429:speeches until being assigned to the
268:in 1944, and became a test pilot for
1331:1998–2000. Retrieved: July 13, 2011.
1277:American Aviation Historical Society
1239:
1221:1998–2000. Retrieved: June 11, 2010.
894:Distinguished Service Cross citation
1329:Planes and Pilots Of World War Two,
1219:Planes and Pilots Of World War Two,
532:engines for the production P-86As.
16:World War II flying ace (1918–1954)
13:
1622:. New York: Penguin Studio, 1997.
1364:NASA History Series, NASA SP-4303.
897:
887:with two bronze oak leaf clusters
332:in San Antonio, Texas, as well as
59:Wawaset Park, Wilmington, Delaware
14:
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2380:American World War II flying aces
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915:Date of Action: December 7, 1941
630:
502:Los Angeles International Airport
375:. Welch telephoned the auxiliary
2450:Victims of flight test accidents
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1587:Monographs in Aerospace History,
1374:Blackburn 1998, p. 132, 133–134.
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621:United States Air Force Plant 42
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2365:Accidental deaths in California
1544:Aces Wild: The Race for Mach 1.
1516:"Valor awards for George Welch"
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884:Army Presidential Unit Citation
489:and later the Army Air Forces'
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300:from 1941 to 1945. He attended
280:George Schwartz Welch was born
1613:Air & Space / Smithsonian,
1465:Baugher, Joe (30 April 2011).
1334:
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1233:
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936:Chronicle of aerial victories
832:Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
815:American Defense Service Medal
537:Aces Wild: The Race for Mach 1
508:), the same base at which the
1:
2425:Recipients of the Silver Star
2334:List of top World War II aces
1596:New York: McGraw-Hill, 1981.
1441:Doane, Loran (12 June 2008),
1143:
811:with bronze oak leaf cluster
479:United States Army Air Forces
275:
262:United States Army Air Forces
123:United States Army Air Forces
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433:of the 8th Fighter Group in
251:United States Army Air Corps
119:United States Army Air Corps
7:
2410:Recipients of the Air Medal
1711:United States World War II
1344:Volume 5, No. 3, Fall 1997.
1342:SabreJet Classics Magazine,
1131:
786:Distinguished Service Cross
625:Arlington National Cemetery
580:being moved for display at
519:Secretary of the Air Force
420:Distinguished Service Cross
247:experimental aircraft pilot
192:Distinguished Service Cross
88:Arlington National Cemetery
10:
2466:
2370:American Korean War pilots
1467:"1952 USAF Serial Numbers"
1265:Prange 1981, pp. 534, 538.
842:World War II Victory Medal
798:Distinguished Flying Cross
777:
623:hospital. He is buried in
282:George Lewis Schwartz, Jr.
200:Distinguished Flying Cross
41:George Lewis Schwartz, Jr.
2324:
1969:
1894:Dominic Salvatore Gentile
1822:
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1715:with 15+ aerial victories
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649:His decorations include:
348:, 15th Pursuit Group, at
211:
187:
164:
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136:
128:
112:
94:
82:
65:
45:
37:
28:
21:
1391:Air & Space Magazine
558:Happy Bottom Riding Club
443:Lockheed P-38 Lightnings
2161:William T. Whisner Jr.
1409:HPM Publications, 2007.
835:with silver and bronze
827:American Campaign Medal
605:F-100A-1-NA Super Sabre
475:North American Aviation
418:, but were awarded the
336:in Novato, California.
270:North American Aviation
2390:Aviators from Delaware
2385:Attack on Pearl Harbor
2073:John C. "Pappy" Herbst
1664:"First Supersonic Jet"
929:Aerial victory credits
902:
645:Awards and decorations
585:
568:Later career and death
401:Ewa Mooring Mast Field
385:Curtiss P-40B Tomahawk
306:mechanical engineering
258:attack on Pearl Harbor
228:
177:Attack on Pearl Harbor
1353:Hallion 1981, p. 218.
1304:George Welch Archives
901:
582:Wheeler Army Airfield
575:
447:80th Fighter Squadron
431:36th Fighter Squadron
377:Haleiwa Fighter Strip
346:47th Pursuit Squadron
312:, before joining the
286:anti-German sentiment
232:George Schwartz Welch
226:
159:80th Fighter Squadron
155:36th Fighter Squadron
151:47th Fighter Squadron
129:Years of service
2375:American test pilots
2265:Edward "Porky" Cragg
2241:David Lee "Tex" Hill
2137:James S. Varnell Jr.
2121:John F. Thornell Jr.
1787:Charles H. MacDonald
1557:Hallion, Richard P.
1447:, United States Army
1230:Prange 1981, p. 524.
294:Wilmington, Delaware
76:Palmdale, California
2273:Kenneth H. Dahlberg
2225:Richard A. Peterson
2193:Charles R. Stimpson
1958:Robert B. Westbrook
1902:Fred J. Christensen
1471:USAF Serial Numbers
546:The Race For Mach 1
487:North American FJ-1
439:Bell P-39 Airacobra
302:St. Andrew's School
2041:Glenn T. Eagleston
1985:Patrick D. Fleming
1862:David C. Schilling
1846:Eugene A. Valencia
1592:Prange, Gordon W.
1324:2012-03-25 at the
1214:2015-10-15 at the
903:
586:
360:in February 1941.
288:that stemmed from
229:
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2129:Gerald W. Johnson
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2057:Walter C. Beckham
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2033:Leonard K. Carson
2029:
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2013:
2005:
2001:John Lucian Smith
1997:
1993:Cornelius N. Nooy
1989:
1981:
1962:
1954:
1946:
1942:Donald N. Aldrich
1938:
1930:
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1914:
1910:Ray Shuey Wetmore
1906:
1898:
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1870:Gerald R. Johnson
1866:
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1779:Robert S. Johnson
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1771:Gregory Boyington
1767:
1748:
1740:
1732:
1602:978-0-14-015734-5
1552:978-0-8420-2732-8
1492:"George S. Welch"
1407:X-Planes, Book 7.
1317:Jordan, Corey C.
1240:Lansdale, James.
1207:Jordan, Corey C.
1121:
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1092:Wewak, New Guinea
1075:September 2, 1943
891:
890:
878:
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847:
846:
803:oak leaf clusters
773:
772:
638:Tora! Tora! Tora!
635:In the 1970 film
601:F-100 Super Sabre
365:Kenneth M. Taylor
310:Purdue University
221:
220:
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2315:
2313:Harold L. Spears
2307:
2299:
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2281:James A. Goodson
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2113:Duane Beeson
2089:Hubert Zemke
1918:John J. Voll
1728:Richard Bong
1659:George Welch
1649:ANC Explorer
1634:
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1580:AAHS Journal
1579:
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1536:Bibliography
1523:. Retrieved
1519:
1510:
1499:. Retrieved
1495:
1486:
1474:. Retrieved
1470:
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1449:, retrieved
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1249:. Retrieved
1245:
1235:
1226:
1218:
1175:
1166:
1157:
1118:
1103:36 FS, 8 FG
1097:, New Guinea
1070:36 FS, 8 FG
1064:, New Guinea
1043:36 FS, 8 FG
1035:, New Guinea
1018:36 FS, 8 FG
1010:, New Guinea
985:P-40 Warhawk
923:
820:service star
648:
636:
634:
598:
587:
551:
545:
541:Chuck Yeager
536:
535:In his book
534:
518:
514:
499:
472:
469:Mach 1 claim
455:Ki-43 Oscars
424:
409:
397:dive bombers
390:
383:to have two
373:Pearl Harbor
362:
343:
340:World War II
322:Brooks Field
308:degree from
281:
279:
236:World War II
231:
230:
172:World War II
165:Battles/wars
71:(1954-10-12)
56:May 10, 1918
23:George Welch
2360:1954 deaths
2355:1918 births
2177:Bill Harris
1713:flying aces
791:Silver Star
506:Edwards AFB
483:Air Reserve
459:Ki-46 Dinah
451:Ki-61 Tonys
414:by General
381:North Shore
326:Kelly Field
290:World War I
196:Silver Star
2349:Categories
1525:2022-08-29
1501:2022-08-29
1144:References
590:Korean War
576:A replica
457:, and one
435:New Guinea
379:on Oahu's
276:Early life
239:flying ace
216:Test pilot
95:Allegiance
52:1918-05-10
38:Birth name
1187:Citations
1117:SOURCES:
1002:Aichi D3A
970:Aichi D3A
950:Location
920:Citation:
808:Air Medal
617:evacuated
393:Aichi D3A
371:attacked
298:U.S. Army
205:Air Medal
132:1939–1944
1803:Joe Foss
1451:22 March
1322:Archived
1212:Archived
1132:See also
981:, Hawaii
554:Bell X-1
510:Bell X-1
453:, three
427:war bond
369:Japanese
113:Service/
2244:(15.25)
2236:(15.25)
2228:(15.25)
2220:(15.25)
2156:(16.25)
2148:(16.33)
2124:(17.25)
2116:(17.33)
2092:(17.75)
1937:(20.75)
1913:(21.25)
1897:(21.83)
1798:(26.83)
1476:11 June
1251:29 June
611:in the
463:malaria
2164:(16.4)
2108:(17.5)
2100:(17.5)
2052:(18.5)
2044:(18.5)
2036:(18.5)
2028:(18.5)
2020:(18.5)
1905:(21.5)
1865:(22.5)
1654:Mach 1
1626:
1600:
1565:
1550:
1095:Madang
358:Hawaii
188:Awards
115:branch
104:
83:Buried
1970:15–19
1823:20–24
1756:25–29
1149:Notes
1062:Wewak
947:Type
941:Date
818:with
495:XP-84
491:XP-86
399:over
266:major
264:as a
141:Major
2316:(15)
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2012:(19)
2004:(19)
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1841:(24)
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1814:(25)
1806:(26)
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1747:(34)
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1624:ISBN
1598:ISBN
1563:ISBN
1548:ISBN
1478:2011
1453:2013
1253:2014
1008:Buna
979:Oahu
578:P-40
395:Val
354:Oahu
328:and
241:, a
147:Unit
137:Rank
78:, US
66:Died
61:, US
46:Born
1721:30+
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530:J47
526:J35
207:(2)
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