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MEMORIAL ARTICLE
Published Assembly Jul '89
George Walter Hirsch, Jr. No. 15579
Class of 1946 Died 23 February 1950 Near Yokota, Japan,
aged 24 years. Interment: West Point Cemetery, West Point, New
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A strong military tradition brought George Walter Hirsch,
Jr. to West Point. His father, a member of the Class of August
1917, fought in France in World War I and in the Philippines
at the start of World War II, was captured on Corregidor and
was a POW until the surrender of Japan. George's great-grandfather
was a Union soldier in the Civil War and fought with a Wisconsin
Infantry regiment in Sherman's march to the sea. His brother
Tom is a former cadet, Class of '51. George was born at Benicia
Arsenal, California 30 June 1925. As an Army brat, he moved often
and attended various schools until he graduated from Tome School
in Port Deposit, Maryland. After high school, George attended
Severn School in Maryland, and Sullivan School in Washington,
DC to prepare for West Point. He scored number 11 in the entire
country on the presidential entrance exam, and thus became a
member of the Class of '46.
Instilled by his family with a high sense of dedication to
the Army and an innate sense of patriotism, George had no trouble
getting through his cadet years even though he was under extra
stress not knowing the fate of his father after the fall of Corregidor.
It wasn't until well into plebe year that he learned that his
father was a POW and had not been killed. He had a goal, to get
into flying, and reached his goal when he was selected to receive
flight training. Thus first class year, during which he took
basic and advanced flight training, was a pleasure for George
as he was doing everything that he enjoyed.
After graduation leave, George reported to Ajo Field, Arizona
for gunnery training, then went to Williams Field, Arizona for
fighter transition. His first assignment was with the 161st Recon
Photo Squadron at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. The summer
of 1948 saw George travel to Japan where he was a test pilot
and element leader in the 9th Fighter Squadron flying F-80's.
He was in his element now, doing what he loved. And he was good
at his profession. He was a member of the 1st Place Team, Jet
Class, in the 1949 Far East Air Force Fighter-Gunnery Meet. He
was selected as a member of the Far East Air Force Gunnery Team
to participate in the biannual competition at Nellis Air Force
Base, Nevada in March 1950. But fate interfered and George never
got to participate in this meet. On 23 February 1950, George
was returning from a practice with the Far East Team. The F-80
he was flying had previously been involved in an accident in
which the canopy accidentally ejected in a hanger. The canopy
had hit the tail of the aircraft and inspection had reported
only superficial damage, when in fact the L-section members that
held the tail to the fuselage had been broken. The aircraft had
been flown several times before that February day when George
was returning from the team practice. It was routine for the
team to perform simple aerobatics on their way back to home base.
On that day George was doing a loop when a portion of the tail
came off his aircraft. The F-80 apparently tumbled, pinning George
in the cockpit. The crash resulted in George's death near Yokota
Air Base in Japan. This tragic loss of such a fine officer just
starting to make his mark in the service of his country was sorely
felt by family and classmates. Bryce Poe led a flight of RF-80's
flown by his classmates into Misawa in terrible weather to attend
George's funeral services prior to his body being flown back
to West Point for interment.
The messages of condolences received by George's parents were
indicative of the respect George had gained in the Air Force.
The commanding general, Far East Air Forces wrote: "Your
son was an officer and a gentleman of the highest order. He was
one of a four officer team of jet fighters to represent FEAF
at Las Vegas this summer in the United States World Wide Gunnery
Meet. We in the Far East Forces earnestly hope the knowledge
that your son was an outstanding leader and died while on an
assigned mission will afford some consolation in your bereavement.
I am terribly sorry."
The Chief of Staff of the Air Force wrote: "We of the
Air Force share your sorrow in the untimely death of your son,
First Lieutenant George W. Hirsch, Jr. We are cognizant of your
great loss and are saddened by his passing He was a courageous
officer and upheld the best traditions of the Air Force, and
won the respect of all his associates. My deepest sympathy is
extended to you in the great loss you have sustained''
Our memories of George are best described by his mother, brother,
and sister in their "Thoughts and Remembrances of George"
which follow:
"To us who remain behind, our George was more than a
beloved son and brother. He was a prince, a champion. His years
with us were so few that they are precious, and memories of him
bring magic and gentle thoughts. He enriches our lives still
Having known him, having been a part of him as he was a
part of us, is a blessing that remains undiminished by time.
"He had dreamed of flying during all his formative years
and it finally came true for him. The joy of flight was in his
soul. He was gifted with the precision and the grace that was
called for. He was a natural. The delicate and lovely contrails
that our George wove across the sky are now gone, but our clear
and proud thoughts and recollections of him remain, A jet engine's
lonely sound drifting down to our ear stirs the memory and touches
the heart.
"It must be true that he was close to God when he flew.
He spent many hours of his last few years in the approaches to
the heavenly kingdom. He lived in the windswept heights.
"And when God called him, George didn't have very far
to go. He was already closer than the rest of us."
As the then secretary of the Association of Graduate, wrote
to George's parents upon learning of his death, "It
is not as if he had left us entirely; he has just taken his place
in that Long Gray Line which stretches 'through the years of
a century told.' His spirit will be with us always."
'46 Memorial Article Project and his family
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