description
Physical description
medal, ribbon and brooch bar
History note
Medals awarded to Colonel George Theodore Lee (5.8.1919-5.10.1954).
George T Lee enlisted as an aviation cadet on 18 December 1941, joining the 87th Pursuit Squadron in North Africa on the completion of his training. While serving in North Africa he flew P-40 Warhawks and claimed the last German aircraft shot down before the invasion of Italy. Lee was promoted to Colonel, aged 25 and placed in command of the 86th Fighter Group where he supported the 8th Army's Advance into Italy. Upon leaving the USAAF in 1945 he had completed 278 missions and been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Lee re-joined the USAF in 1948, and was assigned to Fursty Air Base Germany, where he oversaw supply and maintenance for the Berlin Air Lift. He was then transferred to Giebelstadt Aifield where he began test flights on Jet aircraft. Lee was killed in a jet crash aged 34, while flying from Grandview Air Force Base on 5 October 1954.
