july 2016 AH 31ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF JOHN STANAWAY UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED; RIGHT: NATIONAL ARCHIVES
He became a U.S. Army Air Corps pilot in Sep-
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cer of the 14th Pursuit Squadron in the Panama
Canal Zone. By October 1942, he was a major in
command of the 348th Fighter Group. Within the
next 18 months he would take charge of the Fifth
Air Force’s V Fighter Command, be recognized as
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earn the Medal of Honor.
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cockpit, Kearby developed a reputation as a formi-
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other young pilots sought him out to help sharpen
their skills. One pilot pestered Kearby with such
insistence that a series of mock combats was
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Seversky P-35s—the sire of the Republic P-47 that
would carry Kearby to glory. The practice encoun-
ter started on equal terms, but Kearby quickly
gained the advantage behind his opponent. With
every skill at his command the young pilot tried to
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Kearby close enough to be seen calmly lighting a
cigarette behind his windscreen!
The Seversky Company became Republic Air-
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new type was the 348th Fighter Group, which was
activated at the end of September. Major Kearby
took charge of the unit in October 1942, and was
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The 348th was assigned to the Fifth Air Force in
early 1943. Lieutenant General George Ken ney,the dynamic leader of the Fifth in New Guin ea,
was determined to take the initiative in the South-
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decided to give priority to the European theater,
Kenney prevailed on American decision-makers
to send him enough equipment and manpower to
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the concessions sent to his command.
There was a general consensus against the P-47
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too heavy for combat with highly maneuverable
Japanese fighters, and its limited range made
it undesirable for the long-distance operations
typical in the area. Kenney, however, was inter-
ested in building up his forces and knew that any
equipment could be used to maximum capability.
When he heard the 348th and its P-47s would
arrive at Port Moresby sometime in June, he was
reportedly so pleased that he said he would meet
Kearby with a brass band. According to Kenney,
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Japanese. The general promised imminent action
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leader looked like money in the bank.K
earby studied the tactical situation while
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skills of his personnel to prepare them for
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eager Fifth Air Force command, the group’s P-47s
were ready for action by the beginning of August.
Kearby’s enthusiasm for the P-47 irritated someNEEL KEARBY
ACHIEVED SOME
REMARKABLE
THINGS BEFORE
HIS LAMENTABLY
SHORT LIFE ENDED
OVER NEW GUINEA
IN MARCH 1944.