Medal Of Honor

[Jim Oxley]

Sixteen (16) MoH were awarded to fighter pilots in WWII.

Only one went to the European Theatre of Operations, namely Major James Howard for his actions on 11 January, 1944 over Germany.

The other fifteen (15) were all awarded for actions over the Pacific. Nine (9) to USMC aviators, four (4) to the USAAF and two (2) to USN aviators.

Now looking at those stats, one could be forgiven for thinking that fighter pilots serving in the Pacific Theatre were more brave than those who served in the Med or over Europe. Which is obviously not the case.

Which raises the question why were 'the powers that be' in Europe so begrudging as compared to the Pacific?

The RAF was even more stingy regarding the UK's highest award. Only one 'Commonwealth' fighter pilot in WWII received the Victoria Cross. And that was James Nicolson, and he was badly burned bailing out of his Hurricane on 16 August, 1940.

[BruceMk11]

Jim,

Make that two British Commonwealth fighter pilots:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Hampton_Gray

[Buckeye30]

Of the 32 VCs awarded to British and Commonwealth airmen in WW2, 4 went to Canadians, 3 to N. Zealanders, 3 to Australians, 2 to S. Africans and 2 to Irish; of the 18 British 6 were from Scotland and 2 born in India.


Nick

[Adriano Baumgartner]

Jim,

Firstly, I believe that behind the deeds (and there were many deeds), one must have had a Superior's support to push up the ladder the according papers and petitions.

I remember several cases on the Royal Air Force where awards were not granted because the Commanding Officer (C.O.) was either jealous of his juniors, or did not approved the awards' petitions. For example, one of the earliest WW2 Commanding Officers of 77 Squadron received the DSO and later "barred down" such awards for juniors crews (at least this what I read or remember reading). There are quite a lot of such cases on biographies, etc.

Returning to the 5th Air Force, in special (am actually finishing the book "The Flying Bucaneers" from Steve Birdsall); General Kenney DID support his men, specially the fighter and bomb arm. They even flew alongside some though missions with them, on B-17s, earlier...He "knew" them personally....and when he asked them something, they responded accordingly.

Am not sure, but from what I read, I believe that in the case of the RAF, there was a huuuuge "Caste system" between the regulars and from High Classes and the volunteers (in war time). Maybe this is the reason for such difference in the system of awarding Medals or "gongs".

Take the Battle of Britain, for instance...the highest score was a Czech pilot...who got what? A DFM....whilst other British born citizens with highest ranks got their DSO and DFC along, for much lower scores....So, if you were a foreigner in the RAF, you have to prove your valour twice or thrice....to be recognized on equal terms to a British airman.

Returning to the Pacific Theater of War and the MOH. Am not a specialist and am sure that American Members of this Board will answer with property...but I believe that the Award was granted to the deed itself....not to the total score. I mean, when one single pilot managed to shot down 6 or more enemy airplanes....William A Shomo or McCampbell (USN), for instance.

This seems to have been the case with James A. Howard's MOH, which seems to have been stepped up by the leader or the Captain of the B-17s he protected, fighting apparently "alone" against a vast superior enemy force...

It is a fascinating topic indeed to further researches and reading....And, we also do have cases in the LW, where awards were downgraded....or not given due to clashes between the pilot or airman and his superiors....so, it was not only the Allied that suffered from "Bad Leadership" or "jealousy" from above....

Most humbly yours,
Adriano

[Chris Goss]

I have documents for a NJG 2 pilot who was recommended for the RK but because he was taken POW in March 1941, had to wait until 1943 for the DKiG. Maybe RK rejected as he had been commissioned from the ranks or that he was a POW?

[Adriano Baumgartner]

Nice adding, Chris, for this NJG 2 airman.

There was a Bf 109 pilot, whose name I can not remember by heart, who had achieved the markings (50 or 75 victories) to have the RK...and was not awarded. So he painted a RK and an interrogation point (?) on his rudder. There are several photographs of this plane...Of course, his victories rised up and he was later awarded the coveted medal...but you see that it "had something" related to the C.O. pushing up the paper ahead...or to slack off....

http://aces.safarikovi.org/victories...ied-night.html

Take Kuttelwascher for instance...his record put him on the 7th place amongst the RAF night-fighter aces in WW2...and he got only a DFC and BAR, whilst British born airmen with lower records got the DSO and DFC and BAR....

Another Czech, BOBEK (5 victories) got only a DFC....whilst other British airmen with the same or slightly higher scores got the DSO.

A.

[Jim Oxley]

Originally Posted by BruceMk11

Jim,

Make that two British Commonwealth fighter pilots:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Hampton_Gray

Thanks for the heads-up Bruce. I was not aware of Robert Gray.

[Jim Oxley]

Adriano, thanks for your comments.