Orders, Decorations and Medals

An important D.F.C., Silver Star, U.S. D.F.C. and Bronze Star group of fourteen awarded to Colonel George ‘Iron Man’ Lee, U.S.A.F., Commander of the 86th Fighter Group known as “Lee’s Lieutenants”, a Thunderbolt pilot with three combat victories, and holder of the European Theatre record of 258 combat missions during the war

Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., the reverse officially dated ‘1944’; U.S.A., Silver Star; Distinguished Flying Cross, with Oak Leaf Cluster, the lower arm of the cross numbered ‘5394’; Bronze Star; Air Medal, with 2 Silver and 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters, numbered suspension brooch; WW2 Victory Medal; American Campaign Medal; European African Middle-Eastern Campaign Medal, with two Silver Service Stars; Army of Occupation Medal, with Germany clasp and Berlin Airlift device; Medal for Humane Action; Armed Forces Reserve Medal; National Defense Service Medal; Military Merit Medal; France, Croix de Guerre 1939, extremely fine (14)

D.F.C. not announced in the London Gazette but the following recommendation is taken from Air Ministry records at the PRO which confirm the award being approved by the King in April 1944, one of 264 Honorary awards made to Americans during the Second World War: ‘On November 30, 1943, Major Lee, leading a six aircraft flight to a close support target on the Sangro Front, saw six or eight FW 190’s strafing. His flight jettisoned bombs over the enemy and dived to attack. In the ensuing dogfight, two of the FW 190’s were destroyed and another damaged. Major Lee accounting for one destroyed and one damaged. Since their target could not be bombed, and not satisfied with breaking up the German strafing attack, Major Lee led his flight to strafe some troublesome 88mm gun positions in the face of intense ground fire. Such relentless devotion to duty, courage and leadership, Major Lee ahs continuously displayed on the Tunisian, Pantellerian, Sicilian and Italian campaigns, to win the respect and admiration of his command as well as to reflect great credit upon the Allied Air Forces. With the 79 Fighter Group, as part of the Western Desert Air Force, Major Lee commenced operations March 14, 1943. He holds the American D.F.C., and Air Medal with six clusters. He has destroyed 3 enemy aircraft and damaged 2.’

Silver Star awarded 11 May 1945. ‘For gallantry in action on 20 March 1945, Lieutenant Colonel Lee flew with eight other P-47 aircraft in a bombing attack coordinated with our ground forces on pillboxes and defended positions near Niederachlettenbach, Germany. When the target was found to be obscured by low visibility and cloud cover, Lieutenant Colonel Lee instructed the flight to remain in the area while he courageously dove through the overcast and established exact target pinpoints. Returning to the flight, he led the initial bombing attack after which, exposed to enemy fire, he hovered over the target directing each aircraft’s bombing. Only when friendly troops were observed moving in to occupy, did he call off the attack. The gallantry and skill of Lieutenant Colonel Lee reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States.’

George Theodore Lee was born at Norwood, Massachusetts, on 5 August, 1919, and enlisted at Boston, Massachusetts, on 18 December, 1941, in the grade of Aviation Cadet for service in the Air Corps. On completion of his final phase of pilot training at the Advanced Flying School on 5 August, 1942, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant, Air Corps Reserve, with a rating of pilot. He was immediately assigned to the 87th Fighter Squadron, 79th Fighter Group, stationed at Rentschler Field, Connecticut, as Squadron Operations Officer. In October 1942, he departed the United States for duty in the European Theatre. From November 1943 to September 1945, he performed duties of Squadron Commander of the 87th Fighter Squadron, Group Commander and Air Base Commander of the 86th Fighter Group. During his tour of duty in the European Theatre, he completed 258 combat missions, for a total of 420 combat hours, and was officially credited with the destruction of three enemy aircraft (Ref. official statement of Military Service).

The following details are taken from the many news cuttings and documents accompanying the group: ‘Lee’s Lieutenants is an attack force of outstanding P-47 Thunderbolt pilots supported by a well-knit ground echelon. This aggressive fighter-bomber group flew its last mission on the morning of V-E Day, ending more than two years’ service in the Mediterranean and European Theatre. During their two years of dodging in and out of flak alleys Lee’s Lieutenants have become specialists at dive-bombing and strafing enemy targets, their attacks meshing like gear teeth with Allied ground forces below. They’ve flown 3,625 missions comprised of 28,550 sorties. Their record of destruction and damage includes 1,114 locomotives, 10,420 railcars, 515 enemy planes, and 9,960 motor transports plus an overflowing bag of enemy bridges, ammunition dumps, barges, rail centres and similar strong points.

Sixty-one of Lee’s Lieutenants lost their lives attacking enemy targets and 61 are missing in action. During combat, the enemy destroyed 200 planes and damaged 800; practically all these losses were from flak. On a single day during the Rome-Arno campaign, Lee’s Lieutenants destroyed or damaged 462 enemy vehicles, inflicted a great many casualties, silenced gun positions, and interdicted several highways used by the Germans.’

“Lee’s Lieutenants” is one of the most seasoned overseas fighter groups. In two years of combat flying they have been based in Africa, Sicily, Italy, Corsica, France, and Germany. The 86th was awarded the War Department Unit Citation for its work in the drive which smashed the Cassino stalemate, and the original members of the group are authorized seven battle participation stars. Colonel Lee has become widely known as an “iron man” among ETO and MTO fliers. Before V-E Day he often flew two missions a day and, on a single day last year (1944), took to the air for eight hours of combat flying. Some of the innovations he introduced among “Lee’s Lieutenants” are low level strafing, new techniques of fire-bombing, and a variable angle of dive suited to the target and terrain instead of the fixed angle formerly used by the airmen of his group.’

Accompanying news cuttings follow the progress of Lee’s remarkable combat record: “Promoted to Major in Italy. Flown 121 Missions”, “164th Sortie to set New Record in Mediterranean Area”, “Major Lee Raises Mark to 183 Sorties”, and finally “Colonel George Lee Chalks Up Top Combat Record”. Colonel Lee remained in the forces after the war becoming Inspector General of the Central Air Defence Force at Grandview Air Force Base in Missouri. He was killed in an aircraft accident on 5 October, 1954, when his plane crashed during a violent thunderstorm.

The group is accompanied by a large archive of original documentation including, Air Corps Identification Card, certificates for the Silver Star and for ‘Honourable Service’ and others, numerous photographs of Colonel Lee, official correspondence and a large quantity of news paper cuttings, both from the war and from the time of his death.