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PERSONNEL |
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ACES OF THE 318TH FIGHTER SQUADRON |
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Photo from http://www.ace1945.com |
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325th Fighter Group
Commander Lt. Col Felix Vidal presents a customary "Ace" to Lt Gordon "Mac"
McDaniel. McDaniel downed 5 aircraft on one mission.
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A flying ace is a
military
aviator
who has shot down five or more enemy aircraft.
Use of the
term “ace” to describe these pilots began in World War I, when
French newspapers described Adolphe Pégoud, as l'as (French for
"Ace") after he became the first pilot to down five German
aircraft.
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During World War II, 71
318th Fighter Squadron pilots scored
175 aerial victories, of those pilots, 8 achieved "Ace” status
while with the Squadron, downing 56 aircraft.
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***Lt Col. Norman
L. McDonald, 318th FS
Commander (24 November 1944 - 05
June 1945)
became an Ace while assigned to the 52nd Fighter Group in England
with 7 victories and added 4 additional victories making him a double
Ace.
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