Petie 3rd is a drawing of LtCol John C Meyer's P-51D Mustang. Open end edition prints printed on Epson Watercolor Paper Radiant White.  It meaures 13X19 and is done with colored pencil and is highly detailed. 

 

Good leadership is very important in military life.  Good leaders see beyond the norm.  They envision plans for the future then put their ideas into action.  LtCol John C. Meyer was one of those leaders.  LtCol Meyer was an ace and squadron commander of 487TH Fighter Squadron during World War II.  He surprised his commander and the 8th Fighter Command Generals with an unusual request.  LtCol Meyer requested his squadron be excused from the New Year's Eve party and stand alert.  The powers that be said everyone rated a rest and deserved the party to let off a little stream. LtCol Meyer told his commanders he believed the Germans were planning to attack the base because everyone would be hung-over and unable to fight.  He was given permission to stand alert but he was warned that such a move could hurt the morale of his troops.

 

LtCol Meyer returned to his squadron and ordered his troops to stand alert and NO PARTIES!  All of the men obeyed the order while the New Year's Eve parties on 31 Dec 1944 went on for the rest of the base as planned.  On New Year's Day 1945, the base awoke to an air raid siren.  The German Air Force had begun their attack.  LtCol Meyer and his pilots were ready for action.  LtCol Meyer shot down one aircraft before his tires were fully retracted into the wheel bay.  His squadron was the only unit in the area to engage the enemy that morning.  The 12 pilots fought off over 50 enemy aircraft and shot down 23 of them with no loss of their own.

 

For his actions on 1 Jan 1945, LtCol John C. Meyer received the Distinguished Service Cross and 487TH FS received the Distinguished Unit Citation (the only fighter squadron to do so during WWII).  He scored two kills for a total of 24 air-to-air and 13 ground kills.  He eventually rose to the rank of four-star General and commander of Strategic Air Command.  He retired in early 1974 and past away in December of the following year.


This artwork has been recently been featured in January 11, 2017 Soldier of Fortune online magazine.