Wallace P Mace

Military
media-26926.jpeg UPL 26926 Lt Col Wally Mace HQ 354th FG

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Object Number - UPL 26926 - Lt Col Wally Mace HQ 354th FG

Wally, as his family and friends called him, started his military career in the army artillery before World War II. Early on he knew the army air corps was his calling and was one of the first graduates in 1940. Shortly after he was stationed in a tropical island group called Hawaii, he was introduced to the Japanese on December 7th, 1941. Stationed at Wheeler Field, he was lucky enough to survive but not able to get airborne. Many of his friends lost their lives that day. From there, he was sent to an island called Midway, where another battle was fought, again a survivor. Soon he was finally able to return to the states where he married the love of life and then went off to England to wait for D-Day. Though not involved on this historic day his unit, the 354th fighter wing, all experienced P-51 fighter pilots, destroyed more German planes than any other unit by the time the war ended. A man to all, his exploits were well documented. His post war travels included numerous stops around the country and the world. His final stop, was Truax Field, Madison, where he retired as the division commander of this region in 1968.



He passed away in 2005. Wallace is survived by his wife of 62 years.

Connections

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Units served with

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 354th Fighter Group 355th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-392737
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot/Group Commander
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 70th Fighter Wing 354th Fighter Group 356th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-407083
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot/Operations Officer/FAC
Executives of the 354th Fighter Group, Major George R Bickell, Lieutenant Colonel Wallace P Mace and Major Owen M Seaman, with a P-51 Mustang. Image stamped on reverse: 'Associated Press.' [stamp], 'Passed for publication 13 Jan 1944.' [stamp] and '296917.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'THE P-51B- WORLD'S FASTEST FIGHTER PLANE. Associated Press photo shows: Three executives of the new P-51B Fighter Group who were at Pearl Harbour the day the Japs attacked. Left to Right, Major George R Bickell
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 354th Fighter Group 353rd Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-388638
  • Highest Rank: Major
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

A P-51B Mustang (GQ-A, serial number 43-12173) nicknamed "Peg O' My Heart" of the 355th Fighter Squadron, 354th Fighter Group at Boxted, 15 December 1943. Passed for publication 16 Dec 1943 and 13 Jan 1944. Handwritten caption on reverse: '354FG. Boxted. 12/43.' Printed caption on reverse: 'The P-51B - World's Fastest Fighter Plane. A new single-engined figher 'plane, the P-51B, is now escorting Flying Fortresses in raids over Germany. A new, improved version of the Mustang which has been used with such s
  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Nicknames: Peg O My Heart
  • Unit: 354th Fighter Group 356th Fighter Group 496th Fighter Training Group 355th Fighter Squadron 359th Fighter Squadron 555th Fighter Training Squadron

Places

Signal Squares on the airfield at Tibenham, B-24 Liberators of the 398th Bomb Group are visible in the background. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Tibenham Signal Squares.'
  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Tivetshall

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

19 March 1915

Other

Deputy Commanding Officer - 354th FG

26 November 1942 - 6 April 1944

Died

21 February 2005

Buried

26 February 2005 Mountain View Memorial Estates Cemetery Cottonwood Heights Salt Lake County Utah, USA

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added " / " in the "Role/job" field as a separator to aid readability.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
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Deleted some blank lines at the bottom.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
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Added punctuation to the "Summary biography" to aid clarity.

Date
Contributordecwriter
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Sources

NARA file verified officer number and one Air Medal awarded under General Orders #85, Hqrs. Ninth Air Force, March 31, 1944. Any additional Air Medals would have been awarded in later service, but are not listed in the file.

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Contributorfugari
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Sources

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Wallace P Mace: Gallery (3 items)