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operations against an armed enemy while serving as Pilot of a P-51 Fighter
Airplane in the 334th Fighter Squadron, 4th Fighter Group, EIGHTH Air Force, in aerial combat against enemy forces on 6 and 8 March 1944, in the European Theater of Operations. On 6 March 1944, he attacked enemy rocket fighter planes although outnumbered, destroying one and damaging another. On an escort mission on 8 March 1944, he was attacked by German fighters and destroyed one. three more enemy fighters attacked and he damaged one of them. Two more then attacked and he knocked another from the sky. With all his ammunition expended except for one gun, Captain Megura then engaged and severely damaged a Junker-88 with his few remaining rounds. Captain Megura's unquestionable valor in aerial combat is in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, the 8th Air Force, and the United States Army Air Forces.
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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 Captain (Air Corps), [then First Lieutenant Nicholas Megura, United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military
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and was held until June 28. Megura chewed out his engineering officer for his faulty canopy when he returned to Debden. Due to diplomatic relations in securing his release from Sweden, Megura was no longer allowed to fly combat missions during the war and he was given an administrative job. Megura
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attacked the group. Megura was able to quickly down one, and then engaged another Bf 109 which was attacking a B-17. Forcing the pilot of the Bf 109 to bail out, Megura claimed his fifth victory of the war along with ace status. Megura then damaged a third Bf 109 as it was landing at an airfield.
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Megura stayed in the military after the war, transferring the newly established Air Force in 1947, later retiring as a lieutenant colonel. Nicholas Megura died on
November 4, 1988, in
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with his last operating gun, knocking out one engine before he completely ran out of ammunition. For his actions during this three day period, Megura was awarded the
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from another group engaged over 30 German fighters. While Megura was engaging three Bf 109s, his own aircraft was severely damaged by
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with 11.83 aerial victories before he himself was nearly shot down. Megura was able to crash-land his aircraft in
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Megura's coolant system was damaged, and he decided to bail out of his plane. However, he could not get his
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finished the war with a total of 11.83 aerial victories, plus an additional four on the ground.
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In July 1943, Megura transferred to the United States Army Air Forces. He was assigned to the
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from a P-38. The pilot of the P-38 had mistaken Megura's plane for an Bf 109.
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334th
Fighter Squadron, 4th Fighter Group, 8th Air Force
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276:. When Megura was attached to the squadron, they flew
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and damaged a second one. Two days later, while on a
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United States Army Air Forces pilots of World War II
371:. He was buried in Lakeview Cemetery in Bridgeport.
304:While he was returning to Debden, Megura engaged a
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624:Captain (Air Corps), United States Army Air Forces
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630:Date of Action: March 6, 1944 and March 8, 1944
833:American Royal Air Force pilots of World War II
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555:European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
240:Nicholas Megura was born on July 28, 1920, in
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753:"Encounter Reports of P-51 Mustang Pilots"
339:open. Megura then nursed his plane toward
75:Lakeview Cemetery, Bridgeport, Connecticut
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206:(July 28, 1920 – November 4, 1988) was a
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609:Distinguished Service Cross citation
489:with three bronze oak leaf clusters
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725:Philip Kaplan (19 February 2006).
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838:American World War II flying aces
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601:Air Force Longevity Service Award
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773:4th Fighter Group:Debden Eagles
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705:American Air Museum in Britain
587:National Defense Service Medal
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215:United States Army Air Forces
133:United States Army Air Forces
299:bomber escort mission, five
291:Megura shot down one German
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858:Recipients of the Air Medal
405:Distinguished Service Cross
391:Army Air Forces Pilot Badge
324:Megura's group and several
310:Distinguished Service Cross
182:Distinguished Service Cross
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573:World War II Victory Medal
430:Distinguished Flying Cross
217:as a fighter pilot during
186:Distinguished Flying Cross
843:Aviators from Connecticut
354:Upon landing, Megura was
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250:Royal Canadian Air Force
124:Royal Canadian Air Force
105:United States of America
757:wwiiaircraftperformance
516:American Campaign Medal
369:Bridgeport, Connecticut
208:United States Air Force
145:United States Air Force
65:Bridgeport, Connecticut
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375:Awards and decorations
262:334th Fighter Squadron
236:Early life and service
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502:Prisoner of War Medal
363:Later career and life
301:Messerschmitt Bf 109s
316:Internment in Sweden
293:Messerschmitt Bf 110
284:after a few months.
242:Ansonia, Connecticut
49:Ansonia, Connecticut
221:, and he became an
213:. He served in the
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557:with three bronze
287:On March 6, 1944,
211:lieutenant colonel
160:Lieutenant Colonel
798:"Nicholas Megura"
728:Two Man Air Force
701:"Nicholas Megura"
670:"Nicholas Megura"
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320:On May 23, 1944,
278:P-47 Thunderbolts
266:4th Fighter Group
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58:November 4, 1988
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803:Find A Grave
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448:Purple Heart
432:with silver
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256:World War II
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219:World War II
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196:Purple Heart
171:World War II
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166:Battles/wars
60:(1988-11-04)
828:1988 deaths
823:1920 births
272:, based in
35:Nickname(s)
817:Categories
644:References
312:in April.
274:RAF Debden
81:Allegiance
635:Citation:
487:Air Medal
191:Air Medal
111:Service/
38:"Cowboy"
347:at the
341:Denmark
322:Captain
227:neutral
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337:canopy
230:Sweden
178:Awards
142:
113:branch
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93:Canada
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71:Buried
326:P-38s
778:ISBN
733:ISBN
297:B-17
151:Rank
55:Died
43:Born
223:ace
193:(4)
188:(6)
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
