America’s number two all-time ace, behind his good friend and rival Richard Bong, Thomas McGuire was born in Ridgewood, NJ in 1920. Although he only flew two years of combat in World War II, he was awarded America’s highest awards, including the Congressional Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, six Distinguished Flying Crosses, three Silver Stars, three Purple Hearts, 14 Air Medals and many others. During the final days of the war, McGuire was killed while saving the life of a wingman.
