World War II Honoree

George P. Gaffney, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Madison, Wisconsin

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: 2ND LIEUTENANT. HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE UNITED STATES ARMY AIR CORPS MARCH 26, 1942 AT MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN. AFTER COMPLETING BASIC COMBAT TRAINING, HE WAS ACCEPTED INTO THE ARMY AIR CORPS FLIGHT TRAINING PROGRAM. COMMISSIONED A SECOND LIEUTENANT UPON HIS GRADUATION FROM ADVANCE FLIGHT TRAINING WITH THE CLASS OF 43G, JULY 29, 1943 AT EAGLE PASS ARMY AIRFIELD, TEXAS. SERVED AS A P-47 ‘THUNDERBOLT’ FIGHTER PILOT ASSIGNED TO THE 41ST FIGHTER ‘PURSUIT’ SQUADRON, 35TH FIGHTER ‘PURSUIT’ GROUP, ATTACHED TO THE UNITED STATES 5TH AIR FORCE STATIONED AT GUSAP AIRFIELD, PAPUA, NEW GUINEA. ON MARCH 11, 1944, WHILE FLYING A COMBAT MISSION IN THE VICINITY OF BORAM AIRFIELD AT WEWAK, NEW GUINEA, HE SHOT DOWN AN ENEMY AIRCRAFT DURING A DOGFIGHT. WHILE RETURNING TO BASE, HE WAS FORCED TO LAND AT SAIDOR AIRFIELD FOR FUEL AND AN INSPECTION OF HIS FIGHTER FOR ANY DAMAGE, AND AFTER TAKING-OFF FOR GUSAP, A TWENTY MINUTE FLIGHT, HE DISAPPEARED IN THE RUGGED FINISTERRE MOUNTAINS. REPORTED AS MISSING IN ACTION FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 1946 AND HE WAS MEMORIALIZED AT THE MANILA AMERICAN CEMETERY LOCATED AT FORT BONIFACIO, MANILA, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. ON JUNE 26, 1998 HIS REMAINS WERE FOUND ALONG WITH THE WRECKAGE OF HIS P-47 BY AN AMERICAN BUSINESSMAN. AFTER POSITIVE IDENTIFICATION, HE WAS EVENTUALLY RETURNED TO HIS COUNTRY AND FAMILY. HE WAS LAID TO REST, WITH INTERMENT JUNE 9, 1999 IN ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY, ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA WITH FULL MILITARY HONORS. DECORATIONS AND CITATIONS: AIR MEDAL AND THE PURPLE HEART. THE AIR MEDAL WAS AWARDED TO THE LIEUTENANT FOR MERITORIOUS ACHIEVEMENT WHILE PARTICIPATING IN AERIAL FLIGHT AND THE PURPLE HEART FOR HIS ULTIMATE SACRIFICE IN DEFENSE OF HIS COUNTRY.