Thomas McGuire

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Thomas B. McGuire, Jr.
August 1, 1920 - January 7, 1945
Place of birth Ridgewood, New Jersey
Place of death KIA at Negros Island
Allegiance U.S. Army Air Corps
Rank Major
Battles/wars World War II
Awards Medal of Honor
Distinguished Service Cross
Silver Star (3)
Distinguished Flying Cross (6)
Purple Hearts (3)

Major Thomas Buchanan McGuire Jr. (August 1, 1920 - January 7, 1945) was the second highest scoring American ace during World War II, whose memory was preserved by the naming of McGuire Air Force Base in Burlington County, New Jersey.

Contents

[edit] Life

Maj. McGuire was born in Ridgewood, New Jersey, on August 1, 1920. He and his mother moved to Sebring, Florida in the late 1920s and McGuire graduated from Sebring High School in 1938. He left Georgia Tech after his third year to join the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1941, reporting to a contract flying school in Corsicana, Texas, as an aviation cadet. Later, he got his wings after finishing his flight traning at Randolph Field.

[edit] First combat

During World War II, his first combat assignment was flying patrols over the Aleutian Islands and Alaska flying the P-39 Airacobra. While scoring no aerial victories in the Aleutians, McGuire was able to hone his natural and instinctive gifts as a pilot. Returning to the United States in December 1942, he married Marilynn Giesler, a student at Incarnate Word College in San Antonio, Texas. In January, he transitioned to the P-38 Lightning. In March 1943, he was sent to the South Pacific as a P-38 Lightning pilot with the 49th Fighter Group, Fifth Air Force.

Five months later, the 5th Air Force decided to create an entire group, the 475th Fighter Group, of P-38 fighters, at the behest of its commander, the legendary Lt Gen George Kenney. Because he was a natural leader and experienced pilot, McGuire was among those chosen to form the new group. He was assigned to the 431st Fighter Squadron. On August 18, 1943, McGuire was part of a group flying top cover for bombers striking at Wewak, New Guinea. Nearing their target, the fighters were attacked by Japanese aircraft. During the battle, McGuire shot down two Ki-43 "Oscars" and one Ki-61 "Tony." On the following day, near the same location, he downed two more Oscars. This established him as an air ace in two days, after undergoing a frustrating year of apprenticeship with no opportunities to engage the enemy.

[edit] Career

McGuire's skill at maneuvering the large twin-engined P-38 was legendary, and he eventually became one of the top scoring airmen in Air Force history. Had it not been for periodic illnesses and heavy administrative duties as Commander, 431st Fighter Squadron, McGuire would surely have become the United States’ leading ace. Charles Lindbergh bunked with him and flew as his wingman on a few highly unusual if unauthorized missions. McGuire even wrote a highly prized book on combat tactics for the entire 5th Air Force. On December 25-26 December 1944, McGuire reached the zenith of his career, downing at least seven Japanese fighter aircraft over two days over Luzon, Philippines. He was two victories away from Maj. Richard I. Bong, the USAAF’s all-time aerial victory leader. However, after cheating death many times on his way to 38 aerial victories, McGuire’s tremendous achievements soon came to a close.

[edit] His last battle

On January 7, 1945, McGuire was leading a group of four P-38s (he leading the flight, others being Major Jack Rittmayer (four victories), captain Edwin Weaver (two victories) and Lieutenant Douglas Thropp) over a Japanese-held airstrip over Fabrica aerodrome, Negros Island. Their aim was to gain victories; McGuire wanted desperately to pass Major Richard Bong's score of 40 kills. After descending through cloud cover, McGuire’s flight attacked a lone Ki-43 “Oscar” they discovered and which they believed to be an easy kill. Unfortunately, the pilot of this aircraft, Sgt. Akira Sugimoto, was an instructor pilot with thousands of hours in that type of aircraft, and kept McGuire and his wingman at bay. McGuire insisted everyone keep their auxiliary tanks as they would be needed to reach Negros. In the turning battle that ensued, McGuire’s P-38 presumably entered into a low-speed stall and crashed on ground. He was killed on impact. Another aircraft, a Ki-84 “Frank” piloted by Mizunori Fukuda, appeared on the scene from a nearby airstrip, and locked onto Rittmayer. His P-38 disintegrated from cannon shots and he himself was killed. Only Weaver returned unscathed; Thropp's plane was badly damaged in the action and trailed smoke from one engine.

The crash site was discovered in 1949, and his remains buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

[edit] Honors

McGuire's decorations included:

all earned before he was 25.

Maj. McGuire's decorations are on display at the Wing Headquarters of McGuire AFB.

Maj. MaGuire's Medal of Honor is on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH.

McGuire was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his actions, especially in the December 25-December 26 missions. McGuire AFB was dedicated in his honor in January 1948.

McGuire is enshrined in the Aviation Hall of Fame of New Jersey on the grounds of Teterboro Airport, The Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame, and The National Aviation Hall of Fame, Dayton, Ohio. He is also honored in the Florida Medal of Honor Grove, the National Medal of Honor Grove, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, and in the Georgia Tech Alumni Medal of Honor Garden.

[edit] References

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