Mc CARTHY, JOHN G.

Description

John Gerard McCarthy was born on February 6, 1921, in Connecticut to Mary C Mccarthy, age 30, and Patrick Joseph McCarthy, age 37. In Rye, the family of six lived at 41 Grapal Street and were members of the Church of the Resurrection. His father Patrick was born in the Irish Free State and worked as a carpenter.

His mother Mary was a dietitian and his three siblings, Daniel, Joseph and Grace were also born in Connecticut. John was a Rye High School Graduate, Class of 1938 and served as an officer in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II.

First Lieutenant John G. McCarthy, 5th Fighter Squadron, 52nd Fighter Group, 15th Air Force

John was a pilot in the 52nd Fighter Group, 5th Fighter Squadron and flew P-51 Mustang and was stationed at Piagiolino, Italy. The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber.

Johns 52nd Fighter Group was part of Fifteenth Air Force, serving in combat in the Mediterranean until the end of the war. John flew escort, patrol, strafing, and reconnaissance missions to help defeat Axis forces in Tunisia.

In Sicily, his 5th Fighter Squadron attacked railroads, highways, bridges, coastal shipping and other targets to support the Allied operations. Having converted to P-51s in Apr- May 1944, the group escorted bombers that attacked objectives in Italy, France, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, Rumania, and Yugoslovia. Johns Squadron received a Distinguished Unit Citation for a mission on 9 Jun 1944 when the group protected bombers that struck aircraft factories, communications centers, and supply lines in Germany.

The 52nd Fighter Group was part of the bombing raids on the oil refineries at Ploiesti, Romania. They flew one of the first shuttle missions to Russia, 4-6 Aug 1944, and received a second Distinguished Unit Citation for strafing attacks on a landing fields in Rumania, destroying a large number of enemy fighter and transport planes.

First Lieutenant John G. McCarthy was killed on 8/4/1944 during the attacks in Romania and was awarded the Air Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters and the Purple Heart. Rye High School Graduate, class of 1938.

COMMENDATIONS

Γÿà World War II Victory MedalΓÿà Air MedalΓÿà Purple HeartΓÿà United States Aviator Badge ArmyΓÿà American Campaign MedalΓÿàPresidential Unit CitationΓÿà Army Good Conduct Medal

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