Herschel Harper "Herky" Green (July 3, 1920 – August 16, 2006) was a World War II flying ace in the United States Army Air Forces.[1][2] Green was the leading ace of the Fifteenth Air Force, shooting down 18 enemy aircraft and destroying 10 more on the ground.
Herschel Green | |
|---|---|
 Col. Green with his P-51 Mustang, c. 1944 | |
| Nickname(s) | "Herky" |
| Born | July 3, 1920 Mayfield, Kentucky |
| Died | August 16, 2006 (aged 86) Torrance, California |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service | United States Army Air Forces United States Air Force |
| Years of service | 1941–1964 |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Commands | 4756th Air Defense Group 4th Fighter Group |
| Battles / wars | World War II |
| Awards | Distinguished Service Cross Silver Star Distinguished Flying Cross (2) Purple Heart Air Medal (26) Croix de guerre (France) |
Green was born in Mayfield, Kentucky.
325th Fighter Group
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Green flew in 1943 and 1944 in the North Africa and Italian campaigns with the 325th Fighter Group. By the end of 1944, he had flown 100 missions and received the Distinguished Service Cross, Purple Heart, Air Medal with 25 Oak Leaf Clusters, Silver Star, and two Distinguished Flying Crosses.[3]
Memoir
editHe published his memoir Herky!: the Memoirs of a Checkertail Ace in 1996.[4][5] The "Checkertail" refers to the group's recognition markings. The tail of each aircraft was painted yellow with black squares. He died in Torrance, California, aged 86.
Notes
edit- ^ "Green, Herschel Harper, Col". Togetherweserved.com. Retrieved 2018-03-17.
- ^ "Herschel Harper Green". Military Times. Retrieved 2018-03-17.
- ^ "World War II fighter ace Herschel Green dies at 86". The Mercury News. August 18, 2006. Retrieved 2006-08-23.
- ^ Herschel H. Green (1996). Herky!: The Memoirs of a Checkertail Ace. Schiffer Pub. ISBN 978-0-7643-0073-8.
- ^ Air Age Publishing June 2000 Review of Herky!: the Memoirs of a Checkertail Ace
References
edit- Green, Herschel H. Herky! The Memoirs of a Checkertail Ace. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Publishing, 1996 (republished in 2000). ISBN 0-7643-0073-3.
- McDowell, Ernest R. Checkertails: The 325th Fighter Group in the Second World War. Carrollton, Texas: Squadron/Signal Publications, Inc., 1994. ISBN 0-89747-316-7.
- McDowell, Ernest R. and William N. Hess. Checkertail Clan: The 325th Fighter Group in North Africa and Italy. Fallbrook, California: Aero Publishers, Inc., 1969.
