Donald Blakeslee Donald James Matthew Blakeslee ( September 11 , 1917 – September 3 , 2008 ) was an officer in the United States Air Force , whose career began as a pilot in the Royal Canadian Air Force and flew Spitfire fighter aircraft , during World War II . He then became a member of the Royal Air Force Eagle squadron s . He flew more combat missions against the Luftwaffe than any other American fighter pilot . Early life . Blakeslee was born in Fairport Harbor , Ohio on September 11 , 1917 and became interested in flying after watching the Cleveland Air Races as a young boy . With money saved from his job with the Diamond Alkali Company , he and a friend purchased a Piper J - 3 in the mid - 1930s , flying it from Willoughby Field , Ohio . However , his friend crashed the plane in 1940 , and Blakeslee decided the best way to remain flying was to join the RCAF . RCAF and Eagle Squadrons . After training in Canada , Blakeslee arrived in England on May 15 , 1941 , where he was assigned to No . 401 Squadron RCAF . The squadron was assigned to the Biggin Hill Wing . Flying sweeps over France , Pilot Officer Blakeslee seems to have first seen combat on November 18 , 1941 , when he damaged a Bf - 109 near Le Touquet ; and he claimed his first kill on November 22 , 1941 , a Bf - 109 destroyed , over Desvres , about 10 miles south of Marck ; on the same mission , he damaged a further Bf - 109 whilst returning to base . His next kills were not claimed until April 28 , 1942 , two FW - 190 probably destroyed . He proved to be not a particularly good shot , but was receptive to the principles involved in air fighting tactics , and was soon shown to be a gifted leader , in the air and on the ground . By the summer of 1942 he was an acting flight lieutenant , and was awarded the British Distinguished Flying Cross on August 14 , 1942 . The citation read : He then completed his first tour of duty , clocking 200 combat hours with three victories . Blakeslee had studiously avoided being part of the American volunteer Eagle Squadrons , claiming " they played sister in making their claims . " But when told he would be assigned to be an instructor pilot , he finally volunteered to be sent to No . 133 ( Eagle ) Squadron RAF as its Commanding Officer , which was the only way he could remain on combat status . During the raid against Dieppe , France on August 18 , 1942 , Blakeslee shot down a further FW - 190 , and another probably destroyed on the 19th , thus achieving ace status . 4th Fighter Group . On September 12 , 1942 , the 71 , 122 , and 133 Squadrons were " activated " as the USAAF ' s 4th Fighter Group , operating from a former RAF field at Debden . After a few months flying Spitfires , the group was re - equipped with the new Republic P - 47 Thunderbolt . On April 15 , 1943 Blakeslee claimed an FW - 190 for the group ' s first P - 47 " kill " , and claimed a further FW - 190 on May 14 , 1943 , both near Knocke . Leading the 335th Squadron of the 4th FG , Blakeslee flew the group into Germany for the first time on July 28 . Towards the end of the year Blakeslee led the group more often , and developed a tactic of circling above any air battle and directing his fighters as necessary . Blakeslee flew the P - 51 Mustang for the first time in December 1943 and thereafter worked hard to have the 4th FG re - equipped as soon as possible with the new fighter , pushing hard especially as he now became Commanding Officer of the 4th on January 1 , 1944 . The 8th Air Force Command eventually agreed to the request , provided the pilots were operational on the P - 51 within 24 hours of receiving them . Blakeslee agreed , instructing his pilots to " learn how to fly them on the way to the target " . On March 6 , 1944 Blakeslee flew in the first Mustang over Berlin while defending Boeing B - 17 s and Consolidated B - 24 s . Escorting the massed daylight raids of the 8th Air Force over Occupied Europe while under Blakeslee ' s command , the 4th FG became one of the highest scoring groups of VIII Fighter Command . The 4th ' s aggressive style was very effective , and the 4th Fighter Group passed the 500 kill mark at the end of April 1944 . At the end of the war , the squadron had destroyed 1 , 020 German planes ( 550 in flight , and 470 on the ground ) . The next landmark for Blakeslee was leading the first " shuttle " mission to Russia on June 21 , 1944 , flying 1 , 470 miles in a mission lasting over 7 hours . Don Blakeslee was finally grounded in September 1944 , after the loss of several high scoring USAAF aces . He had accounted for 15 . 5 kills in the air and 2 more on the ground . He had flown over 500 operational sorties and accumulated 1 , 000 combat hours . Barrett Tillman , who served as an executive secretary of the American Fighter Aces Association , stated that Blakeslee had more missions and hours " than any other American fighter pilot of World War II " . Blakeslee retired from the United States Air Force in 1965 with the rank of Colonel . An obituary in " The Guardian " further described him as : " the most decorated second world war US Army Air Force fighter pilot . " Awards and honors . On March 6 , 1944 , the same day Blakeslee flew over Berlin , Dwight D . Eisenhower awarded him the Distinguished Service Cross . Blakeslee later earned another Distinguished Service Cross , as well as 7 Distinguished Flying Cross es , 2 Silver Star s , 6 Air Medal s , and the British Distinguished Flying Cross . When he served in the Korean War , he also earned the Legion of Merit , an additional Distinguished Flying Cross , and four more Air Medals . Personal life and death . After retiring , Blakeslee lived in Miami , Florida . Blakeslee married Leola Fryer ( died in 2005 ) in 1944 and had one daughter . Blakeslee died on September 3 , 2008 at his home due to heart failure . On Friday September 18 , 2009 , Colonel Don Blakeslee and his wife ' s ashes were interred at Arlington National Cemetery . The ceremony took place at 1100 hours and was open to the public . The 4th Fighter Wing also did a flyover at the ceremony .