Christopher Magee (fighter pilot)
Encyclopedia
Christopher Lyman Magee was a United States Marine Corps
aviator
who became a fighter ace
in World War II
and was one of the more colorful members of the famous "Black Sheep" squadron, VMF-214
. Known as a fearless and aggressive pilot he was credited with nine victories during the war and for his heroic actions in September and October 1943 during the Solomon Islands campaign
he was awarded the Navy Cross
. After the war he dabbled in bootlegging
, went to Israel
and flew with the Haganah
during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War and later served 8 1/2 years in federal prison for bank robberies
in the Chicago, Illinois area. Upon his return from prison he lived quietly on the North Side of Chicago working as a columnist and reporter for a community newspaper. He died of surgical complications while having stomach cancer
tumors removed on December 27, 1995.
, Nebraska
in 1917 to Fred Magee and Marie nee Considine. Magee was given the same name as his great uncle Christopher Magee
who was a powerful political boss
in Pittsburgh
, Pennsylvania
who helped run the Republican Party
machine that controlled the city for the last twenty years of the 19th century.In 1918 the family moved to the South Side
of Chicago
and his father took a job with the grain market exchange. He attended graded school at Saint Ambrose Parish and high school at Mount Carmel High School
graduating in 1935.
, author of the famous poem "High Flight", was a pilot with the Royal Canadian Air Force
(RCAF) at the time so he went to Canada in mid-1941 to join him in the RCAF. His training lasted well into 1942 by which time the United States had since entered the war after the Attack on Pearl Harbor
. Pretty soon American recruiters were scouring the RCAF camps looking for Americans volunteers to come back home. Chris signed on to become a Marine aviator and from July through November 1942, he continued training, flying the T-6 Texan
trainer. Upon receiving his gold wings in November, he joined the Marine Corps, flying F4F Wildcat
s out of Naval Air Station Jacksonville
, Florida. On June 5, 1943, Magee boarded the , a French liner converted to a troopship, for the journey to the South Pacific.
His first assignment in the summer of 1943 was with VMF-124 where he would learn to fly the F4U Corsair
. In early September he joined the newly formed VMF-214
which was commanded then by Major Gregory "Pappy" Boyington
.
In early 1944 when VMF-214 was sent back to the States, Magee and a few other squadron mates joined VMF-211
which was then stationed on Green Island. He remained with VMF-211 flying missions for six more weeks during which time he saw no action. Magee returned to the United States in February 1944 and was stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point
, North Carolina. While stationed there he met and married Molly Cleary. He was assigned to a new fighter squadron, VMF-911
that was flying the new Grumman F7F Tigercat
s. Soon thereafter the war ended.
Magee was 1 of 21 former squadron members from VMF-214 in San Francisco on September 12, 1945 when Major Boyington returned to the United States after his time as a prisoner of war with the Japanese. That night a party for him was held at the St. Francis Hotel
in downtown San Francisco that was covered by Life
magazine. The coverage of the party marked the first time that the magazine had ever showed people consuming alcohol.
When he was released from service in October 1945, he returned to Chicago with his young family.
FIRST LIEUTENANT CHRISTOPHER L. MAGEE
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS RESERVE
for service as set forth in the following CITATION:
For the President
/S/ James Forrestal
Secretary of the Navy
n politics. With the outbreak of the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, Magee volunteered for the Israeli Haganah
in Chicago in May 1948 and was immediatelt sent to Ceske Budejovice
for training on the Avia S-199
, a Czech
version of the Messerschmitt Bf 109
. By the end of the month, he was ready to take to the Israeli skies and would become part of the 101st Fighter Squadron based at Ekron Airbase
. He would see no combat action in Israel as the truce established in July was held together until after Magee returned to the States in October 1948. Upon his return he found that his wife had divorced him and left with their two children. He would never see his wife again. In 1949 Magee found work with construction crews north of the Arctic Circle
near Thule Air Base
, Greenland
, helping to build an early warning network
.
. Posing as a man who was in a partnership involving a patent for a burglary alarm system, Magee drew a gun on the manager and stole upwards of $2500.00. His second robbery would occur on August 13, 1956 when he pulled a gun on a bank teller at the same Cicero bank this time netting $400.00 to $500.00. His last bank robbery would occur on January 15, 1957 when he robbed the Lincolnway West Branch of the National Bank and Trust Company of South Bend. For this robbery he would be convicted and sentenced to fifteen years. He would serve out his time at the maximum security United States Penitentiary, Leavenworth
and the medium security United States Penitentiary, Atlanta
. He did not begin serving his sentence until 1959 because he appealed his first conviction to the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
. His appeal was based on the precedent that evidence that an accused has committed another crime is inadmissible because during his trial for the third robbery the prosecution brought forward witnesses from the first two incidents in Cicero for which he was not charged. The decision was overruled with the decision being written by Judge Elmer Jacob Schnackenberg
. The case was referred to a lower court where Magee was successfully re-tried and convicted. While in prison Magee was diagnosed and survived colon cancer, picked up 80 college credits via extension courses and became editor of the Leavenworth's prison magazine titled the "New Era."
at the Jesse Brown Veterans Administration Medical Center on the Westside of Chicago on December 27, 1995. His funeral took place at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Libertyville
, Illinois
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
aviator
Naval Aviator
A United States Naval Aviator is a qualified pilot in the United States Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard.-Naming Conventions:Most Naval Aviators are Unrestricted Line Officers; however, a small number of Limited Duty Officers and Chief Warrant Officers are also trained as Naval Aviators.Until 1981...
who became a fighter ace
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and was one of the more colorful members of the famous "Black Sheep" squadron, VMF-214
VMA-214
Marine Attack Squadron 214 is a United States Marine Corps fighter squadron consisting of AV-8B Harrier jets. The squadron is based at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona and is under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 13 and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing .The squadron is best known as the...
. Known as a fearless and aggressive pilot he was credited with nine victories during the war and for his heroic actions in September and October 1943 during the Solomon Islands campaign
Solomon Islands campaign
The Solomon Islands campaign was a major campaign of the Pacific War of World War II. The campaign began with Japanese landings and occupation of several areas in the British Solomon Islands and Bougainville, in the Territory of New Guinea, during the first six months of 1942...
he was awarded the Navy Cross
Navy Cross
The Navy Cross is the highest decoration that may be bestowed by the Department of the Navy and the second highest decoration given for valor. It is normally only awarded to members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and United States Coast Guard, but can be awarded to all...
. After the war he dabbled in bootlegging
Rum-running
Rum-running, also known as bootlegging, is the illegal business of transporting alcoholic beverages where such transportation is forbidden by law...
, went to Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and flew with the Haganah
Haganah
Haganah was a Jewish paramilitary organization in what was then the British Mandate of Palestine from 1920 to 1948, which later became the core of the Israel Defense Forces.- Origins :...
during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War and later served 8 1/2 years in federal prison for bank robberies
Bank robbery
Bank robbery is the crime of stealing from a bank during opening hours. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Reporting Program, robbery is "the taking or attempting to take anything of value from the care, custody, or control of a person or persons by force or threat of...
in the Chicago, Illinois area. Upon his return from prison he lived quietly on the North Side of Chicago working as a columnist and reporter for a community newspaper. He died of surgical complications while having stomach cancer
Stomach cancer
Gastric cancer, commonly referred to as stomach cancer, can develop in any part of the stomach and may spread throughout the stomach and to other organs; particularly the esophagus, lungs, lymph nodes, and the liver...
tumors removed on December 27, 1995.
Early life
Magee was born in OmahaOmaha
Omaha may refer to:*Omaha , a Native American tribe that currently resides in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Nebraska-Places:United States* Omaha, Nebraska* Omaha, Arkansas* Omaha, Georgia* Omaha, Illinois* Omaha, Texas...
, Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
in 1917 to Fred Magee and Marie nee Considine. Magee was given the same name as his great uncle Christopher Magee
Christopher Magee
Christopher Lyman Magee was a powerful political boss in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Along with William Flinn , his political partner, the two ran the Republican Party machine that controlled the city for the last twenty years of the 19th century.-Early life:He was born in Pittsburgh...
who was a powerful political boss
Political machine
A political machine is a political organization in which an authoritative boss or small group commands the support of a corps of supporters and businesses , who receive rewards for their efforts...
in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
who helped run the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
machine that controlled the city for the last twenty years of the 19th century.In 1918 the family moved to the South Side
South Side (Chicago)
The South Side is a major part of the City of Chicago, which is located in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Much of it has evolved from the city's incorporation of independent townships, such as Hyde Park Township which voted along with several other townships to be annexed in the June 29,...
of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and his father took a job with the grain market exchange. He attended graded school at Saint Ambrose Parish and high school at Mount Carmel High School
Mount Carmel High School (Chicago)
Mount Carmel High School is an all boys, Catholic high school in the city of Chicago, Illinois. Located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago, the school has been operated by the Carmelite order of priests and brothers since 1900...
graduating in 1935.
World War II
With the outbreak of war in 1939 Magee wanted to get involved as soon as he could. His cousin John Gillespie Magee, Jr.John Gillespie Magee, Jr.
John Gillespie Magee, Jr. was an American aviator and poet who died as a result of a mid-air collision over Lincolnshire during World War II. He was serving in the Royal Canadian Air Force, which he joined before the United States officially entered the war. He is most famous for his poem "High...
, author of the famous poem "High Flight", was a pilot with the Royal Canadian Air Force
Royal Canadian Air Force
The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...
(RCAF) at the time so he went to Canada in mid-1941 to join him in the RCAF. His training lasted well into 1942 by which time the United States had since entered the war after the Attack on Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
. Pretty soon American recruiters were scouring the RCAF camps looking for Americans volunteers to come back home. Chris signed on to become a Marine aviator and from July through November 1942, he continued training, flying the T-6 Texan
T-6 Texan
The North American Aviation T-6 Texan was a single-engine advanced trainer aircraft used to train pilots of the United States Army Air Forces, United States Navy, Royal Air Force and other air forces of the British Commonwealth during World War II and into the 1950s...
trainer. Upon receiving his gold wings in November, he joined the Marine Corps, flying F4F Wildcat
F4F Wildcat
The Grumman F4F Wildcat was an American carrier-based fighter aircraft that began service with both the United States Navy and the British Royal Navy in 1940...
s out of Naval Air Station Jacksonville
Naval Air Station Jacksonville
Naval Air Station Jacksonville or NAS Jacksonville is a military airport located four miles south of the central business district of Jacksonville...
, Florida. On June 5, 1943, Magee boarded the , a French liner converted to a troopship, for the journey to the South Pacific.
His first assignment in the summer of 1943 was with VMF-124 where he would learn to fly the F4U Corsair
F4U Corsair
The Vought F4U Corsair was a carrier-capable fighter aircraft that saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War. Demand for the aircraft soon overwhelmed Vought's manufacturing capability, resulting in production by Goodyear and Brewster: Goodyear-built Corsairs were designated FG and...
. In early September he joined the newly formed VMF-214
VMA-214
Marine Attack Squadron 214 is a United States Marine Corps fighter squadron consisting of AV-8B Harrier jets. The squadron is based at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona and is under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 13 and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing .The squadron is best known as the...
which was commanded then by Major Gregory "Pappy" Boyington
Pappy Boyington
Gregory "Pappy" Boyington was a United States Marine Corps officer who was an American fighter ace during World War II. For his heroic actions, he was awarded both the Medal of Honor and the Navy Cross. Boyington flew initially with the American Volunteer Group in the Republic of China Air Force...
.
In early 1944 when VMF-214 was sent back to the States, Magee and a few other squadron mates joined VMF-211
VMA-211
Marine Attack Squadron 211 is a United States Marine Corps attack squadron consisting of AV-8B Harrier jets. Known as the "Wake Island Avengers," the squadron is based at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona and falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 13 and the 3rd Marine Aircraft...
which was then stationed on Green Island. He remained with VMF-211 flying missions for six more weeks during which time he saw no action. Magee returned to the United States in February 1944 and was stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point
Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point
Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point or MCAS Cherry Point is a United States Marine Corps airfield located in Havelock, North Carolina, USA, in the eastern part of the state...
, North Carolina. While stationed there he met and married Molly Cleary. He was assigned to a new fighter squadron, VMF-911
VMF-911
Marine Fighter Squadron 911 was an aircraft squadron of the United States Marine Corps during World War II. Known as the “Devilcats”, it served as a training squadron during the war, and was deactivated in early 1946.-World War II:...
that was flying the new Grumman F7F Tigercat
F7F Tigercat
The Grumman F7F Tigercat was the first twin-engined fighter aircraft to enter service with the United States Navy. Designed for the new Midway-class aircraft carriers, the aircraft were too large to operate from earlier decks. Although delivered to United States Marine Corps combat units before...
s. Soon thereafter the war ended.
Magee was 1 of 21 former squadron members from VMF-214 in San Francisco on September 12, 1945 when Major Boyington returned to the United States after his time as a prisoner of war with the Japanese. That night a party for him was held at the St. Francis Hotel
St. Francis Hotel
The Westin St. Francis is a historic luxury hotel located on Powell and Geary Streets on Union Square in San Francisco, California. The two twelve-story south wings of the hotel were built just before the San Francisco Earthquake, in 1904, and the double-width north wing was completed in 1913,...
in downtown San Francisco that was covered by Life
Life (magazine)
Life generally refers to three American magazines:*A humor and general interest magazine published from 1883 to 1936. Time founder Henry Luce bought the magazine in 1936 solely so that he could acquire the rights to its name....
magazine. The coverage of the party marked the first time that the magazine had ever showed people consuming alcohol.
When he was released from service in October 1945, he returned to Chicago with his young family.
Navy Cross citation
The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the NAVY CROSS toFIRST LIEUTENANT CHRISTOPHER L. MAGEE
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS RESERVE
for service as set forth in the following CITATION:
For extraordinary heroism as a pilot of a fighter plane attached to Marine Fighting Squadron Two Fourteen operating against Japanese forces in the Solomon Islands area from September 12 to October 22, 1943. Displaying superb flying ability and fearless intrepidity, First Lieutenant magee participated in numerous strike escorts, task force covers, fighter sweeps, strafing missions, and patrols. As a member of a division of four planes acting as a task force cover on September 18, he daring maneuvered his craft against thirty enemy dive bombers with fighter escorts and, pressing home his attack with skill and determination, destroyed two dive bombers and probably a third. During two subsequent fighter sweeps over Kahill [sic] Airdome on October 17–18, he valiantly engaged superior number of Japanese fighters which attempted to intercept our forces and succeeded in shooting down five Zeroes. The following day, volunteering to strafe Kara Airfield, Bougainville Island, he dived with another plane through intense anti-aircraft fire to a 40-foot level in a strafing run, leaving eight enemy aircraft blazing. First Lieutenant Magee's brilliant airmanship and indomitable fighting spirit contributed to the success of many vital missions and were in keeping wih the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
James Forrestal
James Vincent Forrestal was the last Cabinet-level United States Secretary of the Navy and the first United States Secretary of Defense....
Post-war and fighting in Israel
Following the war Magee worked as black marketeer, bootlegger and as a courier for a covert group of U.S. "businessmen" involved in Latin AmericaLatin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
n politics. With the outbreak of the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, Magee volunteered for the Israeli Haganah
Haganah
Haganah was a Jewish paramilitary organization in what was then the British Mandate of Palestine from 1920 to 1948, which later became the core of the Israel Defense Forces.- Origins :...
in Chicago in May 1948 and was immediatelt sent to Ceske Budejovice
Ceské Budejovice
České Budějovice is a city in the Czech Republic. It is the largest city in the South Bohemian Region and is the political and commercial capital of the region and centre of the Roman Catholic Diocese of České Budějovice and of the University of South Bohemia and the Academy of Sciences...
for training on the Avia S-199
Avia S-199
|-See also:-External links: *** with more pictures and further information...
, a Czech
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
version of the Messerschmitt Bf 109
Messerschmitt Bf 109
The Messerschmitt Bf 109, often called Me 109, was a German World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser during the early to mid 1930s...
. By the end of the month, he was ready to take to the Israeli skies and would become part of the 101st Fighter Squadron based at Ekron Airbase
Tel Nof Airbase
Tel Nof Israeli Air Force , also known as Air Force Base 8, is one of three principal airbases of the Israeli Air Force. Tel Nof is located near Rehovot, Israel.-History:...
. He would see no combat action in Israel as the truce established in July was held together until after Magee returned to the States in October 1948. Upon his return he found that his wife had divorced him and left with their two children. He would never see his wife again. In 1949 Magee found work with construction crews north of the Arctic Circle
Arctic Circle
The Arctic Circle is one of the five major circles of latitude that mark maps of the Earth. For Epoch 2011, it is the parallel of latitude that runs north of the Equator....
near Thule Air Base
Thule Air Base
Thule Air Base or Thule Air Base/Pituffik Airport , is the United States Air Force's northernmost base, located north of the Arctic Circle and from the North Pole on the northwest side of the island of Greenland. It is approximately east of the North Magnetic Pole.-Overview:Thule Air Base is the...
, Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
, helping to build an early warning network
Ballistic Missile Early Warning System
The United States Air Force Ballistic Missile Early Warning System was the first operational ballistic missile detection radar. The original system was built in 1959 and could provide long-range warning of a ballistic missile attack over the polar region of the Northern Hemisphere. They also...
.
Bank robberies
In the early 1950s, Magee drifted between jobs again working as a courier for the organization that had employed him earlier. On June 13, 1955 Magee robbed his first bank, The Reserve Savings and Loan Association in Cicero, IllinoisCicero, Illinois
Cicero is an incorporated town in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 83,891 at the 2010 census. Cicero is named for the town of Cicero, New York, which in turn was named for Marcus Tullius Cicero, the Roman statesman and orator....
. Posing as a man who was in a partnership involving a patent for a burglary alarm system, Magee drew a gun on the manager and stole upwards of $2500.00. His second robbery would occur on August 13, 1956 when he pulled a gun on a bank teller at the same Cicero bank this time netting $400.00 to $500.00. His last bank robbery would occur on January 15, 1957 when he robbed the Lincolnway West Branch of the National Bank and Trust Company of South Bend. For this robbery he would be convicted and sentenced to fifteen years. He would serve out his time at the maximum security United States Penitentiary, Leavenworth
United States Penitentiary, Leavenworth
The United States Penitentiary , Leavenworth was the largest maximum security federal prison in the United States from 1903 until 2005. It became a medium security prison in 2005.It is located in Leavenworth, Kansas...
and the medium security United States Penitentiary, Atlanta
United States Penitentiary, Atlanta
United States Penitentiary, Atlanta is a medium-security federal prison for men in Atlanta, Georgia. It also has a detention center for pre-trial and holdover inmates and an adjacent camp for minimum security male inmates...
. He did not begin serving his sentence until 1959 because he appealed his first conviction to the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the courts in the following districts:* Central District of Illinois* Northern District of Illinois...
. His appeal was based on the precedent that evidence that an accused has committed another crime is inadmissible because during his trial for the third robbery the prosecution brought forward witnesses from the first two incidents in Cicero for which he was not charged. The decision was overruled with the decision being written by Judge Elmer Jacob Schnackenberg
Elmer Jacob Schnackenberg
Elmer Jacob Schnackenberg was a United States federal judge.Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, Schnackenberg attended local public schools before moving to Chicago, Illinois. There he worked as a stenographer and taught school for two years. He received an LL.B...
. The case was referred to a lower court where Magee was successfully re-tried and convicted. While in prison Magee was diagnosed and survived colon cancer, picked up 80 college credits via extension courses and became editor of the Leavenworth's prison magazine titled the "New Era."
Later life
He was released in 1967 and returned to the Chicago area where he would quietly remain for the rest of his life. For six years he worked as an editor/writer/reporter for a local Chicago community paper. Magee died during surgery from stomach cancerStomach cancer
Gastric cancer, commonly referred to as stomach cancer, can develop in any part of the stomach and may spread throughout the stomach and to other organs; particularly the esophagus, lungs, lymph nodes, and the liver...
at the Jesse Brown Veterans Administration Medical Center on the Westside of Chicago on December 27, 1995. His funeral took place at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Libertyville
Libertyville, Illinois
Libertyville is an affluent northern suburb of Chicago in Lake County, Illinois, United States. It is located west of Lake Michigan on the Des Plaines River. The 2000 census population was 20,742; the 2005 estimate was 21,760...
, Illinois
Awards and decorations
His decorations and medals include: |
|||
| Naval Aviator Badge United States Aviator Badge A United States Aviator Badge refers to three types of aviation badges issued by the United States military, those being for Army, Air Force, and Naval aviation.... |
|||||||||||
| Navy Cross Navy Cross The Navy Cross is the highest decoration that may be bestowed by the Department of the Navy and the second highest decoration given for valor. It is normally only awarded to members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and United States Coast Guard, but can be awarded to all... |
|||||||||||
| Navy Presidential Unit Citation w/ 2 service stars | Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal is a service decoration of the Second World War which was awarded to any member of the United States military who served in the Pacific Theater from 1941 to 1945 and was created on November 6, 1942 by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The medal was... w/ service star |
World War II Victory Medal | |||||||||
See also
- Christopher MageeChristopher MageeChristopher Lyman Magee was a powerful political boss in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Along with William Flinn , his political partner, the two ran the Republican Party machine that controlled the city for the last twenty years of the 19th century.-Early life:He was born in Pittsburgh...
- John Magee
- James McDevitt MageeJames McDevitt MageeJames McDevitt Magee was an aviator and a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.-Biography:James M. Magee was born in Evergreen, Pennsylvania...
- John Gillespie Magee, Jr.John Gillespie Magee, Jr.John Gillespie Magee, Jr. was an American aviator and poet who died as a result of a mid-air collision over Lincolnshire during World War II. He was serving in the Royal Canadian Air Force, which he joined before the United States officially entered the war. He is most famous for his poem "High...
- United States Marine Corps AviationUnited States Marine Corps AviationUnited States Marine Corps Aviation is the air component of the United States Marine Corps. Marine aviation has a very different mission and operation than its ground counterpart, and thus, has many of its own histories, traditions, terms, and procedures....