John Frederick "Mac" McElroy

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R.C.A.F. Aces Have Big Scores

Ottawa, Nov. 14, 1942 - (CP) - R.C.A.F. headquarters said last night that F/L Henry W. McLeod of Regina, a flying mate of P/O George Beurling, has shot down 12 enemy planes over Malta to October 26 and was unofficially credited with 15 "probables." McLeod, headquarters said, is believed to have destroyed another enemy plane since October 26, while F/O J. F. McElroy, of Kamloops, B.C., is unofficially credited with shooting down five planes to October 19. McElroy was born at Port Arthur, Ont. He and McLeod are members of the R.C.A.F., and Beurling is serving with the R.A.F.

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McELROY, P/O John Frederick (J7230) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.249 Sq.
Award effective 19 October 1942 as per London Gazette dated 3 November 1942 and
AFRO 1830/42 dated 13 November 1942

During recent fighting over Malta this officer displayed great courage and outstanding determination to destroy the enemy. On October 12th, 1942, during an interception, he destroyed a Messerschmitt 109 and then pursued a Junkers 88. Six enemy fighters were in close proximity and Flying Officer McElroy turned towards them and destroyed one before they broke off the fight. Three days later his section attacked a formation of Junkers 88s and Flying Officer McElroy probably destroyed one of them. On another occasion when one of his comrades was shot down in the sea, Flying Officer McElroy guided a rescue launch to the spot, in spite of the presence of enemy fighters. This officer who has completed many reconnaissances and destroyed five enemy aircraft has displayed inspiring leadership.

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Periods of Leave Begin For Repatriated Fliers

Ottawa, Oct. 25, 1943 - (CP) - Complete with one small dog and 12 decora­tions, one of the largest groups of airmen returned from overseas now is going through the process of checking out at the R.C.A.F. Repatriation Pool at nearby Rockcliffe Air Station, for leave and duty.
The group includes fliers with long records in operations against the enemy and many ground crew re-mustered for air crew duties and back in Canada for flying training.
At their recent arrival by train at Ottawa, an R.C.A.F. band played as the train pulled in. Members of the Canadian Legion, Mayor Stanley Lewis of Ottawa, George McIlraith, Liberal Member of Parliament for Ottawa West, and a large group of airmen turned out to greet the veterans. Women of the Red Cross, co­operating with the legion, distributed hot tea and coffee, cigarettes, sandwiches and cake.
Group Capt. Geoffrey O'Brian, Officer Commanding the Repatriation Pool through which all returned airmen pass, assured them of a min­imum of delay in their passage to leave at home.
The dog was Tommy, property of F/L A.G. Lawrence, D.F.C., of Brandon, a night fighter pilot. His feat in getting the grey, curly-hair­ed dog out of England was consid­ered "something" by his comrades on the home voyage.

Twelve Decorations
In all there were in the party six holders of the Distinguished Flying Cross, two of the Air Force Cross, three of the Distinguished Flying Medal and one of membership in the Order of the British Empire.
Two fighter pilots, who worked for six months or more at Malta during the heat of Mediterranean operations, were F/L J. F. McElroy, D.F.C., of Kamloops, B.C., and F/O J. H. Ballantyne D.F.M., of Toronto.
Other holders of decorations included P/O G. H. A. Marcotte, D.F.C., of Montreal, with two tours of operations and 1,110 hours flying on night bombing operations to his credit; F/L R. I. A. Smith. D.F.C., of Regina, who has shot down six enemy planes; P/O W. R. Shellington, D.F.M., of Brantford; P/O S. J. Kernaghan, D.F.M., of Carttwright, Man., a Coastal Command pilot with four enemy planes to his credit.
F/L G. J. Gow, M.B.E., of Lethbridge, who was honored for special technical work in North Africa.

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L to R - W/C MacBrien introduces A/M L.S. Breadner to S/Ls Ed Wood (partly hidden), John McElroy, Bill Prest & Wally McLeod & F/Ls Andy MacKenzie & Doug Lindsay. PL-31094

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Hamilton Flier Gets 3 As RCAF Bags 9 Huns

An R.C.A.F. Base In England, June 15, 1944 — (CP) — A Canadian Spitfire squadron racing over the Caen area of the Normandy Beachhead in support of Allied troops locked in battle on the ground tore into a formation of 20 ME-109's today and blasted nine of them out of the sky. Another was damaged.
The squadron was led by F/L J. F. McElroy of Port Arthur, Ont, and Kamloops, B.C.
A general melee developed when the Canadians sighted the Germans flying directly toward them at 15,000 feet. Before the brief, vicious action ended, F/O J. N. Bamford of Hamilton, Ont., destroyed three enemy planes; F/L J. N. Paterson, Toronto, and F/O W. Warfield, Tudo City, N.Y., each got two; and F/L W. N. Stranath and F/O W. F. Cook, Trenton, Ont., each got one.
McElroy was credited with a probable and F/L E. D. Grant, Coniston. Ont., with a damaged enemy plane.
McElroy and F/L B. T. Gilmour, St. Thomas, Ont., crash-landed in France during the action, but word was received at this base tonight that both are safe.
Bamford's kills were a model of unwasted, lethal action. He went first for a Messerschmitt that had another Spitfire on its tail and sent the Nazi spinning to the ground with strikes on the engine from 150 yards. He sighted a second to starboard as he broke from the first fight and set this plane afire in a swift attack.
As he was diving after this victory, a third ME-109 cut across his path and Bamford poured bullets into him as he followed him down. He watched the German hit the ground. Bamford pulled out of his dive almost at ground level with his Spitfire going more than 400 miles an hour.
Most of the other pilots scored their victories almost as quickly, but Grant's cannon jammed when he had a Nazi cold and he had to follow him almost to the ground and chase him 20 miles before breaking off combat because he was out of ammunition.

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RCAF Shoots Down 26 Enemy Planes
in Normandy Between Dawn and Dusk

By P/O H. R. McDONALD, A Canadian Airfield in France, June 29, 1944 - (CP) - Canadian fighter planes, in one of the most brilliant achievements in the history of the R.C.A.F., shot down 26 out of a total of 34 enemy aircraft destroyed over the Normandy front between dawn and dusk yesterday.
In addition, R.C.A.F. pilots chalked up a number of enemy planes probab1y shot down and a number of others which were damaged.
Four pilots scored double kills. They were Wing Cmdr. J.E. (Johnny) Johnson, English–born commander of a Canadian fighter wing operating from an R.C.A.F. base in Normandy, and Flt. Lts. H.C. Trainor, Charlottetown; W. T. Klersy, 14 Harcroft Rd., Toronto, and R. K. Hayward. St. John's, Nfld.

Destroys Two, Damages Third.
Hayward destroyed two FW-190's and damaged a third, which gave him the highest R.C.A.F. individual score of the day. Earlier reports indicated the Canadian airmen had downed 18 enemy planes in yesterday's daylight operations.
The complete figures were reached by intelligence officers today after a period of aerial operations which exceeded in intensity anything since the Allied Normandy beachhead was opened June 6.
Besides the toll of enemy planes; which included all fighter types, R.C.A.F. pilots also strafed transport on the roads. Final claims on two aircraft are being sifted.
Among the R.C.A.F. Spitfire pilots contributing to the total with one Hun each were: F/Ls Irving Kennedy, Cumberland, Ont.; G. R. Patterson, Kelowna, B.C.; John McElroy, Kamloops, B.C.; Henry Zary, New York; R. M. Stayner, Saskatoon; A. F. Halcrow, Penticton, B.C.; G. W. Johnson, 102 Beechwood Ave., Hamilton, Ont.; D. E. Noonan, 146 Willingdon Ave., Kingston, Ont.; J. B. Rainville, Montreal; and F/Os W. J. Banks, Leaside, Ont. and G. H. Farquharson, Corbyville, Ont.
W/C Johnson's score of two brought his total of enemy planes downed to 32, equaling the mark set by G/C A. G. (Sailor) Malan, a South African, now on ground duty.
Among the R.C.A.F. fliers scoring probables were F/O A. C. Brandon, Timmins, Ont.; F/O J. B. O'Sullivan, Vancouver; and P/O J. M. Flood, Hearst, Ont.

Nine Others Damaged.
At least nine others were damaged by fliers of the R.C.A.F.
Of the wings comprising G/C W. (Bill) MacBrien's R.C.A.F. sector, the one led by 22-year-old W/C George Keefer, D.F.C. and Bar, Charlottetown, was high scorer of the day with 13 confirmed victories. Johnson's wing was second with seven, in a close race with a unit led by W/C R. A. Buckham, Vancouver.
The margin for Keefer's wing was established in two dusk operations in which seven enemy planes were destroyed and two damaged. In the first action Hayward sighted more than 25 Nazi fighters and led his formation in pursuit. He damaged one.
Later the same Spitfires became embroiled with a dozen FW-190's, and Hayward got two of them. The first fell out of control, and the second burst into flames and crashed after Hayward had followed it down to tree-top height.
"The Huns were like bees,” said WO. Murray Havers, 1 Lloyd St., Hamilton. Ont. "They seemed confused and acted as though they did not know what they were doing."
The Canadian airmen said the Germans did not put up much of a fight despite their numerical advantage.
Other Canadians credited with kills during the day were F/O G. R. Stephen, Montreal; F/O Larry Robillard, Ottawa; F/O W. A. Gilbert, Dartmouth, N.S.; F/O Don Goodwin, Maynooth, Ont. and F/O Tommy Wheler, 10 Beauford Rd., Toronto.

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AIR MINISTER THANKS FLYERS FROM DOMINION
Port Nelson Man Among Fighters Commended

An Airfield in Normandy, July 8, 1944 — (CP Cable) — Sir Archibald Sinclair, British Air Minister, flew into this dusty landing ground in Normandy today and personally thanked Canadian fighter pilot's for "the glorious services" they are rendering.
Sir Archibald, accompanied by Sir Charles Portal, marshal of the Royal Air Force, and Group Capt. Sir Louis Greig, visited the R.C.A.F. sector commanded by Group Capt. W. R. MacBrien, of Ottawa.
Speaking within the sound of an artillery bombardment, the minister told the Canadians "the success of operations so far and our hopes for the future are based on air power."
He met each pilot personally. Among the airmen he chatted with were W/C Frank Brown, of Winnipeg, the airfield commander; S/L John McElroy, D.F.C., of Kamloops, B.C., and F/L Walter Hill, of Port Nelson, Ont.; F/L G. E. Stephenson, of Brantford, Ont., and F/L L. R. Thorne, of London, Ont.
During his trip, Sir Archibald landed at an R.A.F. field in another sector of the beachhead in time to congratulate P/O Norman Chevers, of Niagara Falls, Ont., who had just landed after shooting down a FW-190 (GR).

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McELROY, F/L John Frederick, DFC (J7230) - Bar to DFC - No.421 Squadron
Award effective 4 August 1944 as per London Gazette of that date and
AFRO 2052/44 dated 22 September 1944.

This officer continues to display the finest qualities of courage and determination in air operations. In June 1944 he flew the leading aircraft of a formation which engaged a force of more than thirty enemy fighters, nine of which were shot down. Although his aircraft sustained severe damage, Flight Lieutenant McElroy made a safe landing at an airfield. In this engagement he displayed leadership of a high order.

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Award Decorations To Seven in RCAF

Ottawa, Aug. 3, 1944 - (CP) - Air Force Headquarters announced tonight the award of seven decorations to members of the RCAF serving overseas, comprising one Bar to the Distinguished Flying Crass, five DFCs and one Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (Flying). One of those receiving the DFC has since been reported missing. The awards:

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After WW2 John McElroy, as well as many other Americanadians, signed up with the newly formed Israeli Air Force. On December 30th 1948 he claimed an MC205 and on January 7th 1949 he shot down two RAF Spitfires while flying with Slick Goodlin who shot down a Spit of his own. (Read an excellent account of it here). One of the Spits shot down by McElroy was piloted by Tim McElhaw whom he visited later in hospital. George Beurling had also agreed to fly for Israel but was killed in Rome while making his way there and never had a chance to fight.

'kickin it' in Israel

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Laurie Nyveen (101squadron.com) was kind enough to send me this info taken from
his copies (acquired while on vacation in Israel) of actual 101 squadron mission debriefs.

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McElroy as a Sabre Jockey with 421 Squadron in May 1956.
Apparently flying for another country in war time did not disqualify one for RCAF service.
Good news for Jack Doyle and McElroy, who both served with 421 Sq. in the 50's.

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Canadian Aces

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