Brigadier General CHARLES MCGEE (depicted flying "Kitten"):
Charles McGee graduated as part of Tuskegee Army Air Field Class 43-F in 1943. Stationed in Italy with the 302nd Fighter Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group, he flew combat in the P-39, P-47, and P-51. McGee flew a total of 136 combat missions in WWII and shot down a FW-190.
McGee remained on active duty for 30 years, flying combat in both the Korean and Vietnam wars. He has flown more than 6,100 total hours and holds the record for the highest three-war total of fighter combat missions of any pilot in the U.S. Air Force history. In his remarkable military career, he earned the Legion of Merit with Cluster, three Distinguished Flying Crosses, the Bronze Star and the Air Medal with 25 Oak Leaf clusters!
Lt. Col. LEO GRAY:
Leo Gray graduated from the Tuskegee Army Airfield and was soon stationed in Italy as a fighter pilot in the 100th Fighter Squdron, 332nd Fighter Group. Gray flew 15 combat missions in P-51s. One of Gray's most memorable combat moments was encountering two Me 262 jets only to have them fly off upon seeing he and his wingman drop their wing tanks in anticipation of battle.
He remained in the USAF Reserves until 1984 retiring as a Lt. Colonel. During his 41 years of military service, Gray earned the Air Medal with Oak Leaf cluster, the Presidential Unit Citation, and the Mediterranean Theatre of Operation ribbon with three battle stars.
Lt. Col. JOHN WHITLEY:
John Whitley joined the National Guard in 1938 and was called to active duty with the 30th Infantry Division in 1940. He requested flying duty, and was transferred to flight training in 1942. Upon graduation, John accumulated flight time as an instructor pilot for 10 months before volunteering to fly B-24s. In August 1944, John received a brand new B-24J and made the flight to Foggia Airfield, Italy, where he joined up with the 758th BS, 459th BG, 15th AF. Because of his flight experience, John was selected to fly as group flight leader on most of his 35 combat missions. After the war, John remained in the military, flying C-54s during the Berlin Airlift and working Air Traffic Control assignments. John retired in 1962 at the rank of Lt. Col.
+ 1 other distinguished WWII veteran signer!
PHOTO DESCRIPTIONS:
Photo 1: Framing example of "Return of the Redtails"
Photo 2: Full image example of the "Return of the Redtails" Victory Edition
Photo 3: Brig. General Charles McGee signing the "Return of the Redtails" prints
Photo 4: Lt. Col. Leo Gray signing the "Return of the Redtails" prints
Photo 5: Lt. Col. John Whitley signing the "Return of the Redtails" prints
Photo 6: Close up of lead P-51 "Kitten" flown by Brig. Gen. Charles McGee (signer on this Victory Edition)
** Signatures on prints will vary in placement and size due to their hand signed nature
EXPERIENCE /// Since 1999 we've been creating the world's finest hand-autographed military art and collectibles. We are the only art publisher to conduct signings with Major Dick Winters and Captain Ron Speirs, and we’ve had the honor of working with former Presidents Bush ’41 and Bush ’43, General Hal Moore (We Were Soldiers), aviators Charlie Brown and Franz Stigler (A Higher Call), MOH recipient Tom Hudner (Devotion), and many more military heroes.
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