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Feb 082020
 

Those who keep ‘em flying are just as vital as those who fly ‘em. Here fighter pilot Lt. Leonard Fuller makes a point to pose in front of his P-51 with his crew chief, S/Sgt. John McGarity, in 1944. S/Sgt. McGarity worked tirelessly, often all night long, to prepare Lt. Fuller’s ship for the next day’s mission. Both their names are painted near the plane’s cockpit. John went on to become a dentist near Macon, Georgia, where he died in 2014.1

Keep 'em Flying

Did you or a family member serve in the Army Air Forces during World War II? Please contribute your own biography, or that of a loved one, to the Keep ‘em Flying memorial at the AAF Collection. Contact the curator for details.

Citations

  1. Thanks to Donna Bonning for the pictures and information.
Feb 082017
 

Lt Leonard B. Fuller

First Lieutenant Leonard B. Fuller represents America’s Finest.  A farm boy from rural New York, in March 1944 he was a fighter pilot based at Steeple Morden, England in the 357th Fighter Squadron.  Four months later in July 1944 he had flown 40 missions over enemy territory, with 180 hours of combat flight in a P-51 Mustang.

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