The highest-scoring Mustang ace of the war was George Preddy, of the 352nd Fighter Group, with 27 air-to-air kills to his credit at the time of his accidental death from friendly AAA fire. During an escort mission in August, Preddy, with two wingmen, bounced a large formation of thirty or more Bf 109s intent on reaching the bombers. For some reason, the 109s chose to ignore the Mustangs and made straight for the bombers. The P-51 pilots happily fell in trail and began shooting down the 109s one after another. When the formation was decimated, it finally broke up and scattered as more Mustangs arrived. George Preddy was the high scorer, shooting down six of the Messerschmitts.
