Mac McPharlin

Maj. Michael G. H. Wee Mac McPharlin, from Hastings, Michigan, was short in stature, but his heart burned with the desire to fly combat fighters. He... more

by Wade Meyers

Original - Sold

Price

Not Specified

Dimensions

8.000 x 9.500 inches

Title

Mac McPharlin

Artist

Wade Meyers

Medium

Drawing - Pencil On Toned Paper

Description

Maj. Michael G. H. "Wee Mac" McPharlin, from Hastings, Michigan, was short in stature, but his heart burned with the desire to fly combat fighters. He stepped across the border and joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in January 1940 after being turned down by the US military for being "too short" to fly their aircraft. The allied forces were in the fight of their lives and gladly accepted his application. He duly completed training as a fighter pilot after transferring to the Royal Air Force in July 1940.

His first operational posting in Europe was with the American-manned 71 (Eagle) Squadron, composed of US volunteers. After a stint with 403 Squadron, he returned to 71 Sqdn. While flying for the British in Spitfire Vbs, Mac was credited with 1.5 Fw 190s destroyed, 1/2 Ju 88 probably destroyed, and 1 Fw 190 damaged.

He transferred with many fellow Americans to the USAAF in-theater. After a stateside instructing tour in the US, he joined the 8th Air Force's newly-formed 339th Fighter Group and sailed with them to Fowlmere, England. Once back on ops, Mac frequently hopped over to visit his old friends in the nearby 4th Fighter Group at Debden and fly sorties with them in his 339th FG P-51B Mustang he nicknamed "Wee Ginny."

It was on one such mission, a fighter sweep over France on D-Day, June 6th, 1944, that Mac and several other 4th FG machines were shot down while strafing ground targets. Maj. McPharlin initially reported via radio that he had struck wires while strafing and was turning for home with a rough engine, but he was never heard from again. German records later indicated that "Wee Ginny," coded 6N-Z, was shot down and crashed near Le Buisson-Isabelle, four miles northeast of Evreux, at 2052 hrs. His body was recovered, and after a couple of temporary wartime graves he today rests with many of his comrades in the beautiful US cemetery at Normandy.

Uploaded

October 14th, 2015