James H. Howard

James Howell Howard (April 8, 1913 – March 18, 1995) was a general in the United States Air Force and one of just two fighter pilots in the European Theater of Operations in World War II to receive the Medal of Honor—the United States military's highest decoration. Howard was an ace in two operational theaters during World War II, with six kills over Asia with the Flying Tigers of the American Volunteer Group (AVG) in the Pacific, and six kills over Europe with the United States Army Air Forces. CBS commentator Andy Rooney, then a wartime reporter for Stars and Stripes, called Howard's exploits "the greatest fighter pilot story of World War II". In later life, Howard was a successful businessman, author, and airport director.

Early life Born on April 8, 1913, in Canton, China, where his American parents lived at the time while his ophthalmologist father was teaching eye surgery there, Howard returned with his family to St. Louis, Missouri, in 1927. After graduating from John Burroughs School in St. Louis, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Pomona College in Claremont, California, in 1937, intending to follow his father into medicine. Howard was assigned to the group's 2nd Squadron ("Panda Bears"). On January 3, 1942, Howard was part of a flight led by squadron leader Jack Newkirk, who led an attack on a Japanese-held Tak airfield near Raheng, Thailand. Upon arriving over the airfield, the flight saw three Nakajima Ki-27s on the ground and three in a landing pattern. Howard led a strafing run on the airfield, destroying the three Ki-27s, while his wingman Tex Hill shot down a Ki-27 that was attacking Howard. As Howard prepared to conduct a second strafing run, his P-40 was hit by enemy anti-aircraft fire. Howard managed to fly his aircraft with the rest of the flight to Rangoon, Burma. This mission was described in a 2006 episode of the History Channel series Dogfights.

On January 19, Howard and two other pilots were credited with shared destruction of a Mitsubishi Ki-21 bomber performing reconnaissance over Burma. On January 24, he shot down a Ki-27 over Rangoon. On July 4, Howard shot down a Ki-27 over Hengyang, China, while other AVG pilots shot down three more Ki-27s with no losses. The aerial battle over Hengyang was the last combat action of Flying Tigers before it was disbanded. In total, Howard flew 56 missions and shot down six Japanese warplanes. In January 1945, Howard was promoted to colonel and assigned as base commander of Pinellas Army Airfield (now St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport) in Florida. A permanent exhibit honoring General Howard was also unveiled in the terminal building of the county's St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport. Another exhibit paying tribute to Howard was subsequently dedicated at his high school alma mater, John Burroughs School in St. Louis.

On January 27, 1995, Howard made his last public appearance when he was guest of honor at the annual banquet of the West Central Florida Council of the Boy Scouts of America, in Clearwater, Florida. He died six weeks later at the nearby Bay Pines Veterans Hospital, survived by two sisters. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

Honors Howard Avenue in the Market Common District of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, is named in tribute to Howard, who was a commander of the relocated 354th Fighter-Day Group at nearby Myrtle Beach Air Force Base. There is a memorial marker with photos and an inscription in Market Common Valor Memorial Garden at the intersection of Hackler Street and Howard Avenue: .

Summary of aircraft destroyed

Military awards Howard received the following awards:

Medal of Honor citation The citation accompanying the Medal of Honor awarded to Lieutenant Colonel James H. Howard on 5 June 1944, by Lieutenant General Carl Spaatz reads: