Profiles in Aviation: James Howard Was the Only American P-51 Fighter Pilot Awarded the Medal Of Honor over Europe

The Against-All-Odds Fight of a Lifetime

Without hesitation Howard turned toward the enemy and pressed his attacks. For the next thirty minutes and change (an eternity in aerial combat), Howard single-handedly defended the B-17s, repeatedly and aggressively attacking the attackers and shooting down five more of the Luftwaffe fighters. Even after his four .50 caliber machine guns had run out of ammunition James continued to simulate attacks on the mixed bag of German fighters.

There were no fewer than 16 accounts of Maj James Howard’s exploits that day when the bomber crews debriefed. The leader of the bomber formation under attack by the Luftwaffe, which itself earned a Distinguished Unit Citation for their attack on German aircraft production that day, reported that “for sheer determination and guts, it was the greatest exhibition I’ve ever seen.

It was a case of one lone American against what seemed to be the entire Luftwaffe. He was all over the wing, across and around it. They can’t give that boy a big enough award.”

Wait…He Didn’t Fly “Ding Hao!” on the Mission?

Major James Howard described his January 11^th mission at a press conference in London the next week. Some 100 reporters, among them CBS reporter Walter Cronkite, Stars and Stripes reporter Andy Rooney, and reporters from the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and the Associated Press were in attendance. The Saturday Evening Post, Popular Science, True magazine, and hundreds of newspapers picked up the story.

Howard became an overnight sensation. Photographs of Howard and his North American P-51D Mustang named “Ding Hao!” (Chinese for “Number One”) showed up in publications all over the free world. Ironically though, Howard did not fly Ding-Hao! on his Medal of Honor Mission. His own Mustang was down for maintenance so Howard flew a spare that day instead.

Command and a Career in the US Air Force

In February of 1944 the Army Air Force promoted Major James Howard to Lieutenant Colonel. General Carl “Tooey” Spaatz presented the Medal of Honor to Howard on June 5^th 1944. Howard took command of the 354^th Fighter Group in February of 1944.

In early 1945 he was promoted to bird Colonel and rotated home to become base commander at Pinellas Army Airfield (now St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport) in Florida. Colonel Howard was transferred to the United States Air Force when it became a separate service in 1947. Colonel James Howard was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General in the U.S. Air Force Reserve. General Howard’s last command was the 96th Bombardment Group, United States Air Force Reserve.

A Distinguished Career After the Service For James Howard

Howard became Director of Aeronautics for the City of St. Louis, Missouri. He juggled managing Lambert Field in St. Louis and maintaining his military status as a brigadier general in the United States Air Force Reserve until retirement from the Reserve in 1966.

Howard later founded Howard Research, a systems engineering business, which he eventually sold to Control Data Corporation. When he retired in 1977 he moved to Florida and penned an autobiography, Roar of the Tiger. James Howard was honored on the on January 11, 1994, the 50th anniversary of the Oschlersleben mission, by Pinellas County when that day was proclaimed “General Howard Day” and he was presented with a plaque.

Permanent exhibits honoring General Howard have been erected in the terminal building at the airport he once commanded in Florida and at his alma mater in St. Louis. Howard’s last public appearance was as guest of honor at a Boy Scouts of America banquet in Florida on January 27^th 1995. General Howard passed away six weeks later on March 18^th 1995 at the age of 81.

James H Howard’s Medal of Honor Citation

Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action with the enemy near Oschersleben, Germany on 11 January 1944. On that day Colonel Howard was the leader of a group of P-51 aircraft providing support for a heavy bomber formation on a long range mission deep in enemy territory. As Colonel Howard’s group met the bombers in the target area the bomber force was attacked by numerous enemy fighters. Colonel Howard, with his group, and at once engaged the enemy and himself destroyed a German ME-110. As a result of this attack Colonel Howard lost contact with his group and at once returned to the level of the bomber formation. He then saw that the bombers were being heavily attacked by enemy planes and that no other friendly fighters were at hand. While Colonel Howard could have waited to attempt to assemble his group before engaging the enemy, he chose instead to attack single-handed a formation of more than thirty German airplanes. With utter disregard for his own safety he immediately pressed home determined attacks for some thirty minutes, during which time he destroyed three enemy airplanes and probably destroyed and damaged others. Toward the end of this engagement three of his guns went out of action and his fuel supply was becoming dangerously low. Despite these handicaps and the almost insuperable odds against him, Colonel Howard continued his aggressive action in an attempt to protect the bombers from the numerous fighters. His skill, courage, and intrepidity on this occasion set an example of heroism which will be an inspiration to the Armed Forces of the United States.