Art Donahue

Flight Lieutenant Arthur Gerald "Art" Donahue DFC (29 January 1913 – 11 September 1942) was an American fighter pilot and ace who volunteered to fly for the British Royal Air Force in World War II. He was one of 11 American pilots who flew with RAF Fighter Command between 10 July and 31 October 1940, thereby qualifying for the Battle of Britain clasp to the 1939–45 campaign star. He was killed in action in September 1942.

Early life
Donahue was born to Frank and Ada Donahue on 29 January 1913 and was raised on a dairy farm near St. Charles, Minnesota. As a teenager, he learned to fly at Conrad Flying Service, operated by Max Conrad, an aviator known as the "Flying Grandfather" who set numerous world records for distance and endurance flying. After learning how to fly and becoming Minnesota's youngest commercially certificated pilot at the age of 19, Donahue worked for Conrad helping to run the flight school until he left to join the Royal Air Force. Donahue had heard that pilots were being recruited in Canada, so he traveled there, claimed to be Canadian, and was accepted.

Royal Air Force service
After training with No. 7 Operational Training Unit, he was assigned to No. 64 Squadron at RAF Kenley on 3 August 1940. Two days later, he saw combat against Messerschmitt Bf 109s off the French coast, and suffered serious damage to his aircraft, forcing him to land at RAF Hawkinge. Donahue thus became one of ten Americans to fly for the RAF in the Battle of Britain in 1940.

A week later, on 12 August, he was wounded in combat over England's south coast in his Supermarine Spitfire Mk. I. He was forced to bail out of his burning aircraft, and suffered burns and leg injuries.

On 29 September 1940, he was reassigned to No. 71 Squadron, one of three Eagle Squadrons, RAF units composed of American pilots, but did not see combat with that unit. Because of the lack of action, he requested to be reassigned to No. 64 Squadron, arriving back there on 23 October.

In February 1941, Donahue served with No. 91 Squadron, although in March he went on leave back to the USA. In October 1941 he was posted to No. 258 Squadron in the Far East, and participated in the Battle of Singapore, also seeing action over Sumatra in February 1942, where he was wounded by ground fire. After returning to England in mid-1942, he rejoined No 91 Squadron as a flight commander. He became the first American in RAF history to lead an all-English squadron. During his various combat engagements, he became an ace by shooting down five enemy aircraft. For his efforts, he was awarded four medals, including the UK's Distinguished Flying Cross on 27 March 1942.

Death
Flight Lieutenant Donahue was killed in action on 11 September 1942, while a member of No. 91 Squadron. Attempting to intercept a Ju 88 his plane was hit by return fire and ditched in the English Channel. Donahue once wrote in a letter to his parents, "My life may not be long, but it will be wide." He is commemorated on the Air Forces Memorial at Runnymede in Surrey, England.

Donahue wrote two books, ''Tally-Ho! Yankee in a Spitfire and Last Flight from Singapore'' about his service in the RAF.

Honors and awards

 * 27 March 1942, Distinguished Flying Cross awarded to Flying Officer Arthur Gerald Donahue (81624), Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, No. 258 Squadron.