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operations against an armed enemy while serving as Pilot of a P-47 Fighter
Airplane in the 464th Fighter Squadron, 507th Fighter Group, TWENTIETH Air Force, in aerial combat against enemy forces in the Southwest Pacific Area, on 13 August 1945. When a group of five enemy planes was sighted over Keijo, Korea, by the flight in which Lieutenant Perdomo was an element leader, he pursued the last three enemy aircraft and as he came within range, directed a burst which converged on the nose and cockpit of the last Japanese plane and set it aflame and plunging downward until it exploded. Lining his sights on a second aircraft, he fired until flames broke out in the hostile plane and it rolled over and dived into the ground. Closing on the flight leader, he remained inside a tight turn, firing all the way, until the Japanese craft stalled 100 feet from the ground and crashed. Turning toward Keijo to search for his comrades, Lieutenant Perdomo observed two Willow-type aircraft flying in close formation at 800 feet and went after them. The enemy sighted him and separated, and he chose the closer ship and fired, setting it aflame. Slowing his plane, Lieutenant Perdomo then fired several more bursts at the burning craft which spiraled to the right and dived into the ground. Failing to find the other hostile aircraft, he started to climb above the clouds but suddenly came upon three or four Oscars. He skillfully evaded their concerted attack and came in on them from the rear. One of the enemy turned to the right, but Lieutenant Perdomo fired with deadly accuracy until the plane burst into flames and exploded. Returning to rendezvous with his group, he encountered an Oscar engaged with two P-47's, and as the enemy exposed himself, Lieutenant Perdomo dived, firing steadily, and followed him in a turn, but just as he reached the Oscar his guns stopped. Calling in another P-47, he evaded the hostile plane while his comrade destroyed it. He then rejoined his men in order to complete the round trip of 1,500 miles back to his base. Through his outstanding skill and courage, coupled with his unfaltering determination to destroy the enemy at all costs, Lieutenant Perdomo shot down five Japanese aircraft and upheld the finest traditions of the Army Air Corps.
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227:. The AAF schools were civilian flying schools, under government contract, which provided a considerable part of the flying training effort undertaken during World War II by the Army Air Forces. Perdomo received his "wings" on January 7, 1944. He was then sent to the Army Air Forces Basic Flight School at
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when 38 Thunderbolts of the 507th
Fighter Wing, USAAF, encountered approximately 50 enemy aircraft. It was Perdomo's last combat mission, and the five confirmed victories made him an "Ace in a Day" and thus the distinction of being the last "Ace" of the United States in World War II. He was awarded
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A "flying ace" or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The term "ace in a day" is used to designate a fighter pilot who has shot down five or more airplanes in a single day. Since World War I, a number of pilots have been
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The
President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to First Lieutenant (Air Corps) Oscar Francis Perdomo, United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military
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359:. He had trouble coping with the situation and developed an addiction to alcohol, which took Major Oscar F. Perdomo's life on March 2, 1976. He was proclaimed dead upon his arrival at USC Medical Center,
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The 507th began operations on July 1, 1945. Perdomo was assigned P-47N-2-RE number 146 aircraft (serial number 44-88211), maintained by crew chief S/Sgt. F. W. Pozieky. Perdomo nicknamed his airplane
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on his head, clutching a rifle. The name referred to his first son, Kenneth, then a year and a half old. Perdomo flew his first combat mission on July 2, while escorting a B-29 to Kyushu.
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Perdomo was emotionally affected when his son, SPC4 Kris
Mitchell Perdomo, was one of 3 men killed on May 5, 1970, aboard a U.S. Army helicopter
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at the rank of captain. He continued to serve in the Air Force until
January 30, 1958, when he left the military at the rank of major.
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honored as "Ace in a Day". The last "Ace in a Day" for the United States in World War II was 1st Lt. Oscar
Francis Perdomo.
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After the war, Perdomo continued to serve in the Army Air Forces. In 1947, he was reassigned to the newly formed
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and a veteran of ten combat missions when on August 9, 1945, the United States dropped the world's second
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The Search for the
Hispanic Ace of the Korean War; More Messages Posted section
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which crashed and exploded about 5 miles southwest of the city of Phy Vinh in
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Air & Space
Journal profile, including color profile of Perdomo's P-47
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Major Oscar F. Perdomo's military decorations include the following:
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pilot. Upon the completion of his training he was assigned to the
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464th
Fighter Squadron, 507th Fighter Group, Twentieth Air Force
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Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United States)
840:. San Diego Air and Space Museum Archives. 24 February 2011.
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depicting a diapered baby chomping a cigar in his mouth and
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United States Army Air Forces pilots of World War II
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689:"Oscar F. Perdomo Personal Papers (SDASM.SC.10115)"
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16:U.S. Air Force officer, "ace in a day" (1919–1976)
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664:List of World War II aces from United States
171:officer and fighter pilot who was the last "
259:'s which were to be stationed on Okinawa.
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669:Hispanics in the United States Air Force
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203:before emigrating to the United States.
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885:Military personnel from El Paso, Texas
633:First Lieutenant, U.S. Army Air Forces
167:(June 14, 1919 – March 2, 1976) was a
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610:Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
219:In February 1943, Perdomo entered an
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618:Distinguished Service Cross citation
552:Air Force Presidential Unit Citation
215:Lt. Perdomo poses with his aircraft.
187:Perdomo was born June 14, 1919, in
870:American people of Mexican descent
834:"Oscar Perdomo (Photo Collection)"
659:Hispanic Americans in World War II
596:with two bronze oak leaf clusters
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875:American World War II flying aces
593:Air Force Longevity Service Award
900:United States Air Force officers
806:"Valor awards for Oscar Perdomo"
794:United States Air Force Memorial
695:. San Diego Air and Space Museum
639:Date of Action: August 13, 1945
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35:Lieutenant Oscar F. Perdomo,
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319:with one leaf cluster.
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100:United States Air Force
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165:Oscar Francis Perdomo
106:Years of service
23:Oscar Francis Perdomo
308:Keijo / Seoul, Korea
880:Aviators from Texas
732:Definition of "Ace"
582:with 'Japan' clasp
241:507th Fighter Group
719:2007-09-28 at the
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353:Vĩnh Bình Province
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197:Mexican Revolution
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134:Battles/wars
71:(1976-03-02)
865:1976 deaths
860:1919 births
361:Los Angeles
343:Later years
300:atomic bomb
257:Boeing B-29
183:Early years
40: 1945
854:Categories
815:2022-08-29
699:2 November
675:References
337:Korean War
193:immigrants
142:Korean War
82:Allegiance
53:1919-06-14
644:Citation:
540:Air Medal
317:Air Medal
272:derby hat
266:with the
156:Air Medal
109:1942–1958
735:Archived
717:Archived
653:See also
323:Post-war
315:and the
304:Nagasaki
268:nose art
249:Ie Shima
90:Service/
253:Okinawa
838:Flickr
148:Awards
92:branch
750:P-47N
118:Major
701:2016
311:the
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114:Rank
66:Died
47:Born
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