World War II Flying Ace

When I was a kid, my elder stepbrother, Karl, was big into planes and jets. He liked to draw them and also build models. I followed in his footsteps, at least in terms of enjoying looking at books with planes in them and trying to draw them, though I could never get the hang of it. More than any other planes, though, Karl liked the World War II-era fighters. He even carved a Corsair and a Messerschmitt 262 (one of the first jet planes) out of a piece of wood, which was well beyond any talent I had. During this time, I got to be very familiar with all kinds of planes, and could even recite styles and designations. I eventually got interested in other things, but I still have fond memories from that time in my life.

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Recently, when friends came in for the weekend, we spent a rainy afternoon at the North Carolina Aviation Museum, which is always an eye-opening experience. While there, admiring the displays and the many planes, I stumbled across a local hero who still holds the record for the number of enemy planes shot down in a single campaign during the Second World War. A whole section of the museum is devoted to this pilot and his brother. If you have time and you’re interested in local history, planes, World War II, or amazing feats of heroism, I highly recommend taking the afternoon to visit the museum and learn about Major George Earl Preddy, Jr. It will be an engaging and memorable experience.

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George Preddy was born to George Earl Preddy Sr. and Clara Estelle Noah Preddy on February 5th, 1919, in Greensboro, NC. Preddy had an unassuming life as the eldest of his parents’ four children, went to Aycock School and Greensboro High School. Things might have gone on this way for Preddy until he decided to take a ride in a plane with a family friend, Hal Foster. Foster took Preddy on a flight to Danville in a 1933 Aeronca plane, and the experience changed Preddy’s life. After the trip, Preddy wrote that he “had to become an aviator”. He attended Greensboro College for two years, but dropped out to become a barnstormer, with the help and tutelage of Bill Teague, where Preddy learned how to accomplish barrel rolls, loops, and other hair-raising aerobatics.

Rumors of war spread across the globe, and Preddy, already an accomplished pilot yearned to join the US Army Air Corps. In the meantime, he enlisted in the National Guard and wound up with the 252nd Coast Artillery Regiment. He tried three times to become a Naval Pilot, but never made the grade. Dejected, Preddy was told about the Aviation Cadet Program with the US Army and signed up. Preddy had a natural talent for flying and impressed all of his trainers. By December of 1941, just five days after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Preddy was commissioned as a first lieutenant and earned his wings. “Ratsy,” as he became known during his short but prolific career, immediately showed prowess behind the stick. Flying to Australia, where he defended Oz from Japanese fighter pilots with the 9th Pursuit Squadron of the 49th Pursuit Group, Preddy was assigned a P-40 Warhawk. The Curtiss P-40 was a fighter-bomber, ideal for defending the Australians from Japanese bombers. Fast, light, and maneuverable, the Warhawk was deadly as piloted by Preddy and his Squadron. According to Joseph Noah, author of George Preddy, Top Mustang Ace, Preddy shot and damaged two Japanese planes before a midair collision with another P-40 would pause his career and send him back to the US. The other pilot was killed in the crash.

Undaunted, Preddy, once healed, actively sought another assignment. By 1942, Preddy was flying a P-47 Thunderbolt, and eventually wound up in the European theater, where his real heroism would occur. 

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I’ve only ever been behind the stick of a plane once. Well, plane is a strong word. In a moment of uncharacteristic generosity, my stepfather and mother paid for my brother and me to get a ride in a glider. This plane with no motor is dragged skyward by a single prop plane, usually a Cessna, and, at a certain altitude, the glider is released and circles to earth. My brother went first, and I went second. The glider has two seats. The front seat is lower, where I sat, and the second seat is immediately behind and a little higher. That’s where the pilot sits, and he manages the entire trip until, as we were released, he talked me through how to work a secondary set of controls. The pilot who flew with us was a former World War II pilot and was a cool customer. Being dragged up behind a noisy plane, dealing with the jumping and jiggling that the tow plane's wings caused, and putting up with a very talkative teen, he never once grew impatient with me.

At one point during the descent, he let me take over, and I steered the plane for about five minutes. I’ll never forget the sensation of moving the stick to the left and the plane turning that direction. It was addictive and awoke within me the fascination for flying and planes again. The pilot, having landed us safely, told my mom and stepdad that I did a good job. My brother told me that the man said the same thing to him. Maybe he had, but I took that as proof that we Bare brothers both have some latent skill as pilots. That pilot could have just as easily been George Preddy Jr., but as we shall see, Preddy, a valiant and gifted pilot, wouldn’t live to see the end of the war. 

Sadly, despite a record that remains untarnished, Preddy would be shot down by friendly fire on Christmas Day, 1944. A year previously, after a harrowing flight in which he had to turn back to base for lack of fuel, Preddy shot down his first confirmed “kill”, a Messerschmitt Bf-109. A few weeks later, Preddy would intervene against more German warplanes as they attacked a lumbering B-24 Liberator. His skill saved the lives of the pilots and crew on the Liberator as he drew the other fighters away. For his bravery, he was awarded the Silver Star.

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A year later, Preddy’s 352nd Fighter Group escorted nearly 800 bombers as they returned from a run on Frankfurt. Preddy shot down another fighter, but was hit by flak and jumped out of his plane as they crossed over the English Channel. After a daunting rescue, Preddy returned to England, where in the next few months, he would be issued the plane(s) for which he would become famous: the P-51 Mustang, which he called Cripes A Mighty and Cripes A Mighty 3rd. Between June and August, Preddy had nine aerial victories and had already scored the title of “Ace”.

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On August 6th, 1944, George “Ratsy” Preddy Jr. would lead an attack against formidable German Bf-109s, as his squadron escorted bombers home. Harrying the bombers, the Bf-109s, zoomed around, firing at the unprotected larger planes. Preddy led his men from behind, strafing the German planes. He shot down two in rapid succession and then, swinging around again for a second pass, shot down two more. The German pilots finally caught on that they were being attacked from the rear and broke off their pursuit of the bomber formation and Preddy diverted his group after them, where he shot down two more planes. As the display that the NC Aviation Museum puts it, “six planes in five minutes”. Preddy was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his daring and skill.

Over the next several months, Preddy, who was made commander of his squadron, took on several more missions, where he and his men shot down almost thirty enemy aircraft. He even flew in the Battle of the Bulge, where they engaged in ground attacks and patrols. From his first flights over Australia until his death on Christmas Day, 1944, Preddy shot down 26.83 enemy planes (the decimal accounting for damage). His heroism, his bravery and his skill as a pilot deserve to be remembered, despite his tragic end.

Pursuing enemy fighters low over Belgium, Preddy was hit by American anti-aircraft fire intended for the planes he was tailing. The heavy machine gun fire incapacitated his plane, but also likely killed Major Preddy. As low as he was, he might have survived the crash, otherwise. 

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In April of 1945, William Preddy, George’s younger brother and an accomplished pilot in his own right, was shot down over what is now the Czech Republic and was wheeled to Allied help, where he succumbed to his wounds. Both Preddy brothers are buried next to one another in the Lorraine American Cemetery in France. Although it is a tragic tale, it is nevertheless an incredible story of prowess and bravery that originated in Greensboro, when a young man took a flight with a family friend to Danville.

World War II generated many heroes from all walks of life, in all theaters and in all branches of service. Men and women gave their lives, saved lives, fought against a seemingly endless horde of hateful and vicious enemies charged by the worst ideologies imaginable. They faced incredible odds, fought through unimaginable extremity and, eventually, with great loss of life, managed to bring an end to fascism in Europe and Asia. Major George Earl Preddy Jr. was just one of many heroes, all of whom deserve to be remembered and honored for their sacrifice. Few come from so close to home as the Preddys.

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If you haven’t ever been to the NC Aviation Museum, please make time to go and spend some time learning about these planes and the pilots who flew them. You won’t regret it.