Don Blakeslee

I missed the news on this one. Actually, I would have remembered hearing his name if it had been mentioned in the news. How pathetic it is that the death of what was perhaps the greatest air combat leader of WW2 was not considered newsworthy. Don Blakeslee passed away on September 3, 2008. Read below:

Colonel Donald J.M. Blakeslee
	One of America's best fighter leaders.... One of the greatest, if not the greatest, aerial combat leaders of World War II was Colonel Don Blakeslee of the Fourth Fighter Group (4FG). Under his dynamic leadership, the 4th became the highest scoring group in the Eighth Air Force. Blakeslee began his military career in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and was assigned to the 401 Squadron in England in May of 1941. By the fall of that year, he had already scored his first victory while flying Spitfires. In June of 1942, he transferred to the 133 “Eagle” Squadron where he increased his victories to three confirmed. He became commanding officer of the group before the squadron was transferred to the United States Army Air Force (USAAF) in September 1942. Shortly after his transfer to the USAAF Blakeslee was promoted to Major and made Commanding Officer of the 335 Squadron, 4th Fighter Group. He became an ace while flying the P-47, but missed the sleek Spitfires he flew in the Eagle Squadron. On December 1, 1943 he was asked to lead the Mustang-equipped 354th Fighter Group on its first combat mission. It didn't take long for him to notice that the P-51 was the aircraft that would ensure the 4th Fighter Group its proper place in history, and he made up his mind to get them. On January 1, 1944 he was promoted to commander of the 4FG and made the acquisition of the P-51s his first priority. The Mustangs were received on February 27, 1944, and the Fourth quickly made the most of their new aircraft. During April, Blakeslee's pilots claimed a record-breaking 323 planes destroyed. Of that total, Don Blakeslee personally destroyed 6.5 enemy aircraft in the air and two on the ground. Blakeslee compiled more combat hours than any other American pilot in World War II and achieved 14.5 victories. His victory total is somewhat misleading, as he had many opportunities to increase his score, but instead allowed others to take the initiative and learn from the experience. Colonel Blakeslee received the Distinguished Service Cross with one cluster, the Silver Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross with seven clusters, the British Distinguished Flying Cross, and the Air Medal with thirty clusters.