Wing Commander Lance Cleo "Wildcat" Wade DSO, DFC and two Bars (1915 - 12 January 1944), was an American pilot who joined the British Royal Air Force during World War II and became a flying ace. He was described as a "distinguished American fighter ace who epitomized perhaps more than any other American airman the wartime accords between Britain and the United States."[1]
Lance Wade was born in Broaddus, Texas in 1915. He joined the RAF in Canada in December 1940. He arrived in Egypt as a Hawker Hurricane Mk I pilot in September 1941, and was posted to 33 Squadron. His first kills were two Fiat CR-42s on 18 November. He attained the rank of "ace" on 24 November 1941. He began flying Hurricane Mk IIs in April 1942, and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. He had 13 victories as of September 1942.
He spent the next several months back in the US on various RAF projects including evaluating some American fighters at Wright Field.
He returned to combat as a Flight Commander in 145 Squadron with a bar to his DFC, flying Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vs. Promoted to Squadron Leader, he had a busy 60 days, as by the end of April his score was 21, by then flying Spitfire Mk IXs. His Squadron moved to Italy, and as a Spitfire VIII pilot he claimed two Focke-Wulf Fw 190s of Schlachtgeschwader 4 on 2 October 1943. His last claims were three FW 190s (again of SG 4) damaged on 3 November.
Wade became a Wing Commander and joined the staff of the Desert Air Force but was there only briefly, as he was killed in a flying accident on 12 January 1944 at Foggia, Italy.
In 30 fights for which he made claims he was credited with 23 victories (including 2 shared), 1 probable, and 13 damaged. He is also credited with 1 destroyed and 5 damaged on the ground, all of which he achieved before his death at the age of 28.
Wing Commander Wade is usually listed with 25 victories but official RAF records show that he had 22 solo victories and half each of two more for a total of 23, not counting one probable. Regardless of whether his score is 25, or 23 victories, he is still the leading American fighter ace to serve exclusively in any foreign air force.
Since he never transferred to the USAAF, or any other American Air service, Wing Cmdr. Wade never got the publicity that other American aces received and thus is more obscure than his peers.