Pierce Winningham McKennon (1919 - 1947)

Born 30 Nov 1919 in Clarksville, Johnson, Arkansas, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Beulah Irene (Sawyer) Rebsamen — married 13 May 1946 (to 18 Jun 1947) in Sebastian, Arkansas, United States

Died 18 Jun 1947 at age 27 in Randolph Field, Guadalupe, Texas, United States

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Biography

Pierce McKennon is Notable.

Major Pierce McKennon Died in a Training Accident .

Pierce McKennon was awarded the Purple Heart.

Pierce McKennon was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States).

Pierce McKennon served in the United States Army Air Corps in World War II
Service started: Nov 1942
Unit(s): 4th Fighter Group
Service ended: Apr 1946

Major Pierce Winningham McKennon was a WWII flying ace who flew numerous combat missions and the recipient of many military honors and decorations including the Distinguished Flying Cross (four clusters), Purple Heart and Croix de Guerre. ^{[1] [2] [3]} He was inducted into the Arkansas Aviation Hall of Fame in 1985. ^[1]

He was born in 1919 in Clarksville, Arkansas. ^{[1] [2] [3]} He was the he son of Parma McKennon ^[4] and Inez Winningham. ^[3] He grew up and was educated at Fort Smith. ^{[2] [3]} Pierce earned a music scholarship to the University of Arkansas. ^{[2] [3]} He married Beulah Sawyer in 1946. ^{[5] [6] [1] [3]} In 1947, he was tragically killed in a plane crash while instructing a student pilot near Randolph Field, west of Marion, Texas. ^{[4] [1] [2] [3]}

World War II

Pierce enrolled in the US Army Air Corps in 1941, hoping to become a pilot, but washed out due to extreme motion sickness, ^[2] which was characterized as a lack of aptitude. ^[3] He then entered the Royal Canadian Air Force and successfully completed pilot training, ^{[1] [2]} He was able to earn his pilot wings after four months of training, rather than the usual ten to twelve months normally expected. ^[2] He was then sent to England for further training, where he was arrested, locked up and stripped of his wings for unauthorized aerobatics. ^[2] Within months the authorities gave him a second chance and he was restored on 14 October 1942. ^[2] He was a member of the famous Eagle Squadron, training with the Royal Air Force throughout 1942. ^{[1] [3]} In November of 1942, he was transferred, as a second lieutenant, to the United States Army Air Force. ^{[1] [3]} He was assigned to the 335th Fighter Squadron of the 4th Fighter Group and was based at Debden, near London. ^{[1] [2]} It was here that Pierce was able to demonstrate his skills as a fighter pilot by shooting down four enemy aircraft while flying the P-47 Thunderbolt. ^[1] His group then transitioned to the P-51 Mustang, in which he earned the distinction of being an "ace" when he downed a fifth enemy plane in 1944. ^{[1] [3]} He then served as flight commander and destroyed several more enemy aircraft. ^[1]

Once he was promoted to captain, he took command of the 335th Fighter Squadron. ^{[1] [3]} He was shot down near Niederbronn, France, on 28 August 1944, but safely bailed out. ^[1] He was able to return to his unit about a month later by evading capture with the assistance of the French resistance. ^{[1] [2]} He was again shot down near Berlin on 8 March 1945. ^[1] He was rescued by his wingman, Lieutenant George Green, who landed in a nearby field to retrieve him. ^[1] He was wounded 16 April 1945 by enemy fire, suffering a head and neck wound. ^{[2] [1]} By the end of the war, Pierce was credited with 12 aerial victories and 9.83 ground victories. ^[1] He remained in Europe with the army of occupation until April 1946. ^[3] Once he returned to the United States, he served as an instructor for fighter aircraft at both Luke and Williams Fields in Arizona, and then Randolph Field in Texas. ^[3]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18} Wikipedia contributors, "Pierce McKennon," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pierce_McKennon&oldid=1088406142 : accessed July 1, 2022).
2. ↑ ^{2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12} Imperial war Museums. "Pierce Winningham McKennon," American Air Museum in Britain (https://www.americanairmuseum.com/person/173272 : accessed 1 July 2022).
3. ↑ ^{3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13} Murray, Brenda J. "Pierce Winningham 'Mac' McKennon (1919-1947)," Encyclopedia of Arkansas (https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/pierce-winningham-mac-mckennon-2811/ : accessed 1 July 2022).
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K78K-LFR : 20 February 2021), Pierce W Mckennon, 18 Jun 1947; citing certificate number 25375, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,218,600.
5. ↑ "Arkansas, County Marriages, 1837-1957" FamilySearch: 9 March 2021), Pierce W McKennon, 13 May 1946; citing Marriage, Sebastian, Arkansas, United States, county offices, Arkansas; FHL microfilm 2,134,176. [1]
6. ↑ "Arkansas, County Marriages, 1837-1957," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N949-TQB : 9 March 2021), Pierce W McKennon, 13 May 1946; citing Marriage, Sebastian, Arkansas, United States, county offices, Arkansas; FHL microfilm 2,134,176.

See also:

• "1930 United States Census" FamilySearch: Pierce W Mckennon in household of Parmer Mckennon, Fort Smith, Sebastian, Arkansas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 34, sheet 12A, line 1, family 301, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 95; FHL microfilm 2,339,830. [2]
• "Texas, U.S., Death Index, 1903-2000" Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006. Original data: Texas Department of Health. Texas Death Indexes, 1903-2000. Austin, TX, USA: Texas Department of Health, State Vital Statistics Unit.
  • Ancestry Record 4876 #6881664
  • Ancestry Sharing Link
• Ampezzen, Bobby, Too Glorious to Last, Bell Tower, Fall 2010, The Alumni Magazine of the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith, pp. 25-27, 4 Jan 2011.
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 01 July 2022), memorial page for Maj Pierce Winningham “Mac” McKennon (30 Nov 1919–18 Jun 1947), Find A Grave: Memorial #19440837, citing Forest Park Cemetery, Fort Smith, Sebastian County, Arkansas, USA ; Maintained by Rosa Cline (contributor 46510018) . [with Biography]
• “Fort Smith War Hero Dies in Crash.” Arkansas Gazette. June 19, 1947, p. 1.
• Hudson, James J. “Major Pierce McKennon: Arkansas’ ‘Boogie Woogie’ Playing Air Ace.” Arkansas Historical Quarterly 23 (Spring 1964): 3–35.
• “The Piggy-Back Rescue.” Aerospace Historian 17, nos. 2–3 (1970): 69–71.