88 African Pilot April 2015
Best of the Best
EARLY LIFE
George Louis Schwartz Jr. was born on 10 May 1918 in the state of Delaware
in the USA. At that time World War I was coming to an end, leaving a strong
anti-German sentiment in most Western countries. To avoid potential problems
associated with having a German surname, George’s father, a research chemist,
changed the family surname to ‘Welch’ which was his mother’s maiden name.
After completing high school, George Welch studied in Indiana and obtained
a degree in mechanical engineering. In 1939, he volunteered to serve with
the U.S. Army Air Corps. He
completed fl ight training in Texas
and California and received his
wings in February 1941. Welch
was then assigned to the 47th
Pursuit Squadron, based at
Wheeler Field, Hawaii.
WORLD WAR II COMBATAlthough World War II began
in September 1939, the USA
remained isolated from the
global war which was being
waged on the other side of
the planet. In 1941, the USA
supported Britain and its
allies by sending supplies and
equipment, but it did not actively
participate in the war. Of course,
this state of affairs changed
dramatically in December 1941.
In response to an American oil
embargo, Japan launched a surprise attack on American bases in Hawaii
and the Philippines, as well as several British bases in the Pacifi c region.
In the early morning hours of 7 December, George Welch and fellow pilot Ken
Taylor were returning to their barracks after a Saturday night dinner dance
and poker games. The two men realised that their base near Pearl Harbour
was under attack, so they quickly drove about 16 kms to an outlying airstrip,
where their P-40 Warhawks were being armed and fuelled for combat. On
the way there, their car was strafed by Japanese strike aircraft, but the men
reached their P-40s and were amongst only a handful of American pilots who
could offer some resistance to the Japanese attack. Welch’s Distinguished
Service Cross citation described his actions of that morning: “Lieutenant
George Welch immediately, on his own initiative, took off with the purpose
of attacking the invading Japanese aircraft and proceeded to his initial
point over Barbers Point. At the time of take-off, Welch’s P-40 was only
armed with calibre .30 machine guns. Upon arrival over Barbers Point, he
observed a formation of approximately twelve planes over Ewa, about one
thousand feet below and ten miles away. Accompanied by only one other
pursuit ‘ship,’ Welch immediately attacked this enemy formation and shot
down an enemy dive bomber with one burst from his three .30 calibre guns.
At this point, Welch discovered that one of his guns was jammed. Whilst
engaged in combat, his plane was hit by an incendiary bullet, which passed
through the baggage compartment just to the rear of his seat. Welch climbed
above the clouds, checked his plane and returned to the attack over Barbers
Point. He immediately attacked
a Japanese plane fl ying out to
sea, which he shot down. The
plane fell into the ocean. With
no more enemy planes in sight
Welch returned to Wheeler
Field to refuel and replenish his
ammunition. Just as refuelling
and reloading were completed,
but before his faulty gun could
be repaired, a second wave
of about fi fteen enemy planes
approached low over Wheeler
Field. Three fl ew towards Welch
so he immediately took off,
headed straight into the attack
and went to the assistance of a
brother offi cer, who was being
attacked from the rear. This
enemy plane burst into fl ames
and crashed about halfway
between Wahiawa and Haleiwa.
During this combat, Welch’s
plane was struck by three bullets from the rear-facing gun of the aircraft he
was attacking. One bullet struck his motor, one the propeller and one the
cowling. This wave of Japanese aircraft disappeared, so Welch returned to
the vicinity of Ewa and saw one enemy plane proceeding seaward. Welch
pursued it and shot it down about fi ve miles offshore. He then immediately
returned to his station at Haleiwa Landing Field. Lieutenant Welch’s initiative,
presence of mind, coolness under fi re against overwhelming odds in his fi rst
battle, expert manoeuvring of his plane and determined action contributed to
a large extent toward driving off this sudden unexpected enemy air attack.”Following the infamous attack on Pearl Harbour, the USA offi cially entered
World War II. Welch was tasked to tour the USA selling war bonds, before he
was transferred to New Guinea, where he would fl y P-39 Airacobras. Welch
was an outspoken critic of the mid-engined P-39 and ultimately convinced
his superiors to transfer him to a P-38 Lightning squadron. During the war,