Canadian aviation fans will be pleased to know that WWII fighter pilot Stocky Edwards is 98 and still clear-headed. Dawna Friesen of Global TV News interviewed him in his Comox, B.C. home on the eve of the 75th anniversary of D-Day. Stocky flew escort missions over the beaches on June 6, 1944, but he became an ace in the desert war in North Africa. Stocky finished the war with 373 operational missions, and 19 enemy aircraft to his credit. German records show he actually shot down 22 — the three additional aircraft had only been recorded as damaged by the Allies. Eighteen of his victories were fighter aircraft, including: Otto Schultz (51 victories) and Gunther Steinhausen (40 victories). He is also credited with damaging the aircraft of Hans-Joachim Marseille (158 victories). He stayed with the RCAF after the war, flying jets. A stellar career, and a true Canadian hero!
He started out with the P-40 Kittyhawk, and with that aircraft scored his first victory. In 1943, he started flying the Spitfire VIII, and scored victories during the Italian campaign. He shot down three aircraft in a single day over the Anzio beachhead. He flew the Hawker Tempest in 1944 over Europe and was flying the Spitfire XVI in 1945. Never shot down by the enemy. Interestingly, an aircraft bearing Edwards call sign was found in the desert in 2012. It is on its way to a repair depot when it crashed, and was likely one of the aircraft that Edwards had flown. Here's the story about that aircraft: warbirdsnews.com/warbirds-news/desert-war-kittyhawk-unveiled-in-egypt.html
Those who don't remember their history are bound to do something or other...