Major George L. Merritt, Jr. definitely flew too low while strafing German airdromes on 29 May 1944. Even so, two He111s destroyed increased his ground score to six, which brought his total score to eleven victories. However, only nine days later, he was killed while strafing over France.
Added by: George Briscoe
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He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with two Oak Leaf Clusters and the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters and the Purple Heart.
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Flying a P-51B he took off from Bottisham on an area support mission to the Angers area of France. The flight strafed a convoy of trucks including a gasoline trailer which was set on fire and was completely burned out, and another truck was badly damaged. He was shot down by fighters from 6th Staffel, 2nd Group Schlageter. Crashed at 1950hrs at Le Chat Pend, on the road from Loudun to Fontevraud-l"Abbaye near Roiffe, 12 miles south of Saumar, France. He was initially buried in the Community Cemetery of Roiffe, reinterred in the US Military Cemetery Champigneul at Chalons-sur-Marne on 15 July 1946 before final reinterment in Epinal.
Added by: George Briscoe
-----------
He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with two Oak Leaf Clusters and the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters and the Purple Heart.
-------------------
Flying a P-51B he took off from Bottisham on an area support mission to the Angers area of France. The flight strafed a convoy of trucks including a gasoline trailer which was set on fire and was completely burned out, and another truck was badly damaged. He was shot down by fighters from 6th Staffel, 2nd Group Schlageter. Crashed at 1950hrs at Le Chat Pend, on the road from Loudun to Fontevraud-l"Abbaye near Roiffe, 12 miles south of Saumar, France. He was initially buried in the Community Cemetery of Roiffe, reinterred in the US Military Cemetery Champigneul at Chalons-sur-Marne on 15 July 1946 before final reinterment in Epinal.
Major George L. Merritt, Jr. definitely flew too low while strafing German airdromes on 29 May 1944. Even so, two He111s destroyed increased his ground score to six, which brought his total score to eleven victories. However, only nine days later, he was killed while strafing over France.
Added by: George Briscoe
-----------
He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with two Oak Leaf Clusters and the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters and the Purple Heart.
-------------------
Flying a P-51B he took off from Bottisham on an area support mission to the Angers area of France. The flight strafed a convoy of trucks including a gasoline trailer which was set on fire and was completely burned out, and another truck was badly damaged. He was shot down by fighters from 6th Staffel, 2nd Group Schlageter. Crashed at 1950hrs at Le Chat Pend, on the road from Loudun to Fontevraud-l"Abbaye near Roiffe, 12 miles south of Saumar, France. He was initially buried in the Community Cemetery of Roiffe, reinterred in the US Military Cemetery Champigneul at Chalons-sur-Marne on 15 July 1946 before final reinterment in Epinal.
Added by: George Briscoe
-----------
He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with two Oak Leaf Clusters and the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters and the Purple Heart.
-------------------
Flying a P-51B he took off from Bottisham on an area support mission to the Angers area of France. The flight strafed a convoy of trucks including a gasoline trailer which was set on fire and was completely burned out, and another truck was badly damaged. He was shot down by fighters from 6th Staffel, 2nd Group Schlageter. Crashed at 1950hrs at Le Chat Pend, on the road from Loudun to Fontevraud-l"Abbaye near Roiffe, 12 miles south of Saumar, France. He was initially buried in the Community Cemetery of Roiffe, reinterred in the US Military Cemetery Champigneul at Chalons-sur-Marne on 15 July 1946 before final reinterment in Epinal.
Gravesite Details
Entered the Service from Georgia.
Family Members
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