Name William Jr. | ||
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William Bruce "Bill" Overstreet Jr. (April 10, 1921 – December 29, 2013) was an American fighter pilot and a veteran of the 357th Fighter Group, 363rd Fighter Squadron of the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. He is best known for his solo pursuit of a German Messerschmitt Bf 109G underneath the arches of the Eiffel Tower in 1944.
In the spring of 1944, Bill Overstreet and his P-51B Mustang, the 'Berlin Express,' were near Paris when the action started, immortalized in the artwork by Len Krenzler below.
Overstreet had followed a Bf109 from the enemy fighter sortie on the US bomber group he was escorting. After most of the German fighters had broken off the attack, Overstreet and the German had begun a running dogfight, but as they neared Paris, the Messerschmitt now had Overstreet and his Mustang on his tail.
The Bf109 pilot flew over Paris hoping that the heavy German triple A batteries surrounding the city would solve his problem and eliminate Overstreet and his 'Berlin Express.' Overstreet managed to get some hits in at about 1500 feet. The German's engine was hit and damaged, but Overstreet stayed on his tail braving the intense enemy ground fire.
The German pilot's desperation undoubtedly growing, he aimed his plane at the Eiffel Tower and in a surprising maneuver, flew beneath it. Undeterred, Overstreet followed right behind him, scoring several more hits in the process. The German plane crashed and Overstreet escaped the heavy flak around Paris by flying low and full throttle down the Seine until he had cleared the heavily defended city's anti-aircraft batteries.
This amazing scene of Overstreet chasing and downing the enemy plane gave immense inspiration to the French citizens and the Resistance. He was awarded the France's highest military award, Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur by the French Ambassador to the United States Pierre Vimont at a ceremony held at the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Virginia.on June 6, 2009
He died on December 29, 2013, at the age of 92.