The First Hellcat Ace

A simple, personal and very engaging story that describes in detail the combat career of one of naval aviation’s deadliest fighter pilots. Although he objected to being called such, Hamilton McWhorter III’s service to family and country made him a standout among America’s Greatest Generation. From mid-1943, Hamilton McWhorter was constantly engaged in the unforgiving and deadly aerial warfare that characterized the battles against Imperial Japan. His fifth aerial victory, achieved in November 1943 while flying from the USS Essex, made him an ace. Seven subsequent victories, and his role as a combat leader, ensured his place in the annals of air-to-air combat. This presentation will put you in cockpit right along side him as McWhorter skirts death to become “the first hellcat ace”.

Presenter: Lt Col Jay Stout