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Retired Lt. Gen. Gordon M. Graham, a World War II triple ace
Retired Lt. Gen. Gordon M. Graham, a World War II triple ace, has died
World War II triple ace dies at 90
Staff report
Posted : Tuesday Apr 1, 2008 11:32:40 EDT
Retired Lt. Gen. Gordon M. Graham, a World War II triple ace, has died.
Graham, 90, died March 22 at a retirement community in Irvington, Va., following a stroke in February, according to a report in the Richmond Times-Dispatch. His last assignment with the Air Force was as commander of the Sixth Allied Tactical Air Force, headquartered at Izmir, Turkey, before retiring July 1, 1973.
Graham was borne in Ouray, Colo., and graduated from the University of California in 1940, according to his official Air Force biography. He entered the military as an aviation cadet in December of 1940.
In August 1944, Graham joined the 355th Fighter Group in the Eighth Air Force in Europe. From that point to February 1946, Graham held command of the 354th Fighter Squadron, 374th Fighter Squadron and 361st Fighter Group. By the end of World War II, Graham had flown 73 combat missions in the P-51 Mustang and had 16½ enemy kills to his credit, in addition to one probable and 10 damaged.
In the late ’50s, Graham led experiments that helped to prove the plausibility and advantage of long-range, air-refueled fighter missions. In 1958 he led the first nonstop deployment of F-100 aircraft from the United States to Europe, and he was captain of the 31st Tactical Fighter Wing team which won the Tactical Air Command Fighter Weapons Meet, placing second in worldwide tactical fighter weapons competition.
