Page 16 - Aerotech News and Review – December 5, 2025

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War doesn’t take a break for Christmas
by Bob Alvis
Special to Aerotech News
For many years I have written about the month of December and the military, and many times these stories were inspi- rational, and not so much about losses.
I was looking into the status of some World War II Aces and one of the stories was a celebration while at the same time heartbreaking. It was a tale of the un- known, when fate catches up with you. December 1944 and the Battle of the Bulge crossed paths with a very beloved pilot and ended in tragedy.
Maj. George Earl Preddy Jr. was con- sidered one of the best military combat pilots of all time. His humble beginning as a barnstormer was the only way for get him to get into the cockpits of the planes he dreamed of flying. As World War II approached, he tried three times to join the Navy and a couple times the Army Air Corps.
After multiple rejections, he went back to barnstorming until rumblings of war changed the mindset of a nation short on pilots. Before long he was in the cockpit of high-performance warbirds chasing bandits in the Pacific and Europe.
He became a legend as he racked up incredible amounts of victories in his P-51 Mustang called “Cripes A’ Mighty.” Amaz- ingly, on Aug. 6, 1944, he shot down six German aircraft in one mission, becom- ing an “ace in one day.” Preddy was said to have downed 26.83 enemy in air-to-air kills, totals that made him one of the top pilots in the European theater.
Preddy was well respected and liked by not only his fellow pilots, but his ground crew as well. He always led by example and never shied away from a scrap. His victories would end up making him the highest-ranking P-51 Ace of all time and it was said his record could have challenged Richard Bong as top leader in downed aircraft of all time if not for one fateful day.
Then came that Christmas Day in 1944 when regardless of the holiday, orders came down for a mission flying cover for troops who needed support in Belgium, where the Battle of the Bulge had been raging since Dec. 16, 1944.
The story has been told many times, and the reasons for the ending of the major’s brilliant career have been debated many times, but really it was just a tragic incident that had friendly fire taking out one of America’s greatest Aces.
Preddy had already engaged the enemy, shooting down two aircraft that day, when he saw two enemy aircraft on the deck making a run for it when he took up the chase at tree top level.
American anti-aircraft units saw one enemy aircraft come over the trees and positioned to open fire on the next per- ceived enemy plane. Training their guns
Courtesy photograph
The final resting place of brothers USAAF Maj. George E. Preddy and USAAF 1st Lt. William R. Preddy in France’s Lorraine American Cemetery, Plot A, Row 21, Graves 42 and 43.
Courtesy photograph
There wasn’t a young boy in all America in World War II that did not look at George Preddy as the real-life hero they all wanted to grow up to be. George was the all- American boy like so many others that answered the call in World War II.
just above the tree line they opened fire just as the sound of a second plane came across the top of the trees. Sadly, it was Major Preddy’s Mustang, and the blast proved fatal. He rolled into farmland never having had a chance to escape, because it’s said that he was most certainly killed by the gun fire.
As the crews back at Preddy’s base wait- ed for the return of their aircraft, a wing- man of the major taxied by the lost pilot’s pad and seeing his ground crew waiting, gave them a thumbs down. With that, the
Courtesy photograph
Maj. George Preddy, Jr. and ground crew on Aug. 6, 1944, when he shot down six German planes in one mission.
spirits plummeted of all those men who took pride in maintaining the hero’s plane, for Preddy was not coming home.
For all of them, the rest of their lives, Christmas day carried a different memory that would be hard to shake off. For the family and friends, it also brought differ- ent feelings when Christmas came around every year. Grief for the tragic loss of the son and brother who seemed invincible would never fade.
One last group who felt devastated was the crew who accidentally shot Preddy down. Interviewers said that when they saw that Mustang erupt in flame, grasped what had happened, and later found out who they shot down, they were troubled with those memories for the rest of their lives.
George Preddy became a legend, and his hometown of Greensboro, North Carolina never lets the citizens forget that he called their town his. He never came home from the battlefields of Europe, as the family chose to have him remain with the men
he fought and died with in Europe. Sadly, it wasn’t long after that his pilot brother William was flying combat in Europe and became a victim of ground fire much like Preddy. Now, in France’s Lorraine American Cemetery, two broth- ers far from home lie side-by-side sharing eternity, and we give thanks as a grateful
nation for their sacrifice.
Yes, December is a month of family,
friends and celebrations, but for many it’s just more dates on the calendar, as work and service to country fill our days. Over the years the special days just become more memories of the blessings in life, but in many ways, they show the frailties of hu- man existence.
As this holiday season is remembered and celebrated, take some time to think of all those like Major George Preddy and his family. Give thanks to the men and women who wear the uniforms of our country, giv- ing their service and sometimes their lives to ensure the freedom we enjoy every day.
Peace my friends, and Bob out!
Courtesy photograph
World War II flying ace George Earl Preddy with his family.