Charles H. MacDonald
Colonel Charles Henry "Mac" MacDonald (November 23, 1914 – March 3, 2002) was a United States Air Force officer and a fighter ace of World War II.After flying patrol for an hour and a half, MacDonald and his small group of planes headed back to Hawaii, but encountered a fierce hail of flak from nervous and shaken gunners.While leading a formation of P-38's flying escort for some B-24 Liberators on a Rabaul strike, heavy weather closed in, and all P-38's except MacDonald's flight turned back.General Paul Wurtsmith put MacDonald on a one-month "punitive leave" for allowing the national hero to get into a dangerous situation.Colonel MacDonald's retirement ceremony at McChord AFB near Tacoma, Washington included a performance by the USAF Thunderbirds and a declaration of 'Col.He then moved to Anacortes, Washington where he opened a real estate business selling island properties in Puget Sound (an excuse to pursue his love of sailing) and his four children finished High School.In 1971 he closed the real estate business, sailed to Mexico, and in 1973 returned to San Diego, California where he and his wife sold the boat that he had first purchased while in Sweden.His initiative, aggressiveness and outstanding leadership in these actions enabled him to destroy three enemy aircraft and contribute to the destruction of two more, bringing his total victories to twenty-four.[3] The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Distinguished Service Cross to Colonel (Air Corps) Charles Henry MacDonald (ASN: 0–22518), United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Pilot of a P-38 Fighter Airplane in the 475th Fighter Group, Fifth Air Force, in aerial combat against enemy forces on 25 December 1944, in the Southwest Pacific Area of Operations.
DuBois, PennsylvaniaUnited States Army Air CorpsUnited States Army Air ForcesUnited States Air ForceColonel55th Pursuit Group18th Pursuit Group326th Fighter Group348th Fighter Group475th Fighter Group33rd Fighter Group23rd Fighter WingWorld War IIDistinguished Service CrossSilver StarLegion of MeritDistinguished Flying CrossAir MedalP-38 LightningU.S. Army Air CorpsLouisiana State UniversityKelly FieldWheeler FieldHawaiiPearl HarborP-47 ThunderboltP-38J LightningMassachusettsDoboduraNew Guinealieutenant colonelRabaulB-24 LiberatorsA6M ZerosGeorge PrenticeGeorge KenneyCharles A. LindberghPaul WurtsmithPhilippinesAir Forceoak leaf clusterAir Force Commendation MedalArmy Commendation MedalAir Presidential Unit CitationAmerican Defense Service Medalservice starAmerican Campaign MedalAsiatic-Pacific Campaign Medalcampaign starsWorld War II Victory MedalNational Defense Service MedalAir Force Longevity Service AwardPhilippine Liberation MedalPhilippine Independence MedalPhilippine Republic Presidential Unit CitationThomas B. McGuireList of World War II air acesflying acesRichard BongThomas McGuireDavid McCampbellGabby GabreskiGregory BoyingtonRobert S. JohnsonGeorge PreddyJoe FossRobert M. HansonJohn C. MeyerCecil E. HarrisEugene A. ValenciaLance C. WadeDavid C. SchillingGerald R. JohnsonNeel E. KearbyJay T. RobbinsDominic Salvatore GentileFred J. ChristensenRay Shuey WetmoreJohn J. VollKenneth A. WalshWalker MahurinDonald N. AldrichThomas J. Lynch Robert B. WestbrookGlenn E. DuncanPatrick D. FlemingCornelius N. NooyJohn Lucian SmithAlexander VraciuArthur J. BenkoMarion E. CarlLeonard K. CarsonGlenn T. EaglestonWilbur J. ThomasWalter C. BeckhamHerschel GreenJohn C. "Pappy" HerbstCharles OlderHubert ZemkeJohn B. EnglandDonald BlakesleeDuane BeesonJohn F. Thornell Jr.Gerald W. JohnsonJames S. Varnell Jr.John T. GodfreyBud AndersonWilliam T. Whisner Jr. Douglas BakerBill HarrisIra C. KepfordCharles R. StimpsonGeorge S. WelchWilliam D. DunhamDon M. BeerbowerRichard A. PetersonJames E. SwettDavid Lee "Tex" HillJack T. BradleySamuel J. BrownEdward "Porky" CraggKenneth H. DahlbergJames A. GoodsonRobert W. FoyRalph K. HoferCyril F. Homer