United States Air Force Fighter Ace. He was the only United States pilot to shoot down enemy aircraft in both the European and Pacific Theater operations in World War II and in the Korean War. In September 1941 he enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps as an aviation cadet, and was later assigned to the 8th Air Forces' 56th Fighter Group based in England as a pilot of a P-47 Thunderbolt. With this group he became the first American pilot double ace in the European Theater, having shot down 10 enemy planes, and was awarded the Silver Star. In late 1944 he became commander of the 3rd Fighter Squadron, 3rd Air Commando Group, in the Philippine Islands. Flying a P-51 Mustang, he scored aerial victories in the Pacific and ended the war with a total of 20.75 victories. At the start of the Korean War in 1950, he was serving in the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force when assigned to the 51st Fighter Interceptor Wing. Flying an F-86 Sabre Jet, he went on to score 3.5 more aerial victories. Shot down by enemy ground fire in May 1952, he spent the last 16 months of war as a prisoner before being released. He retired from the Air Force a Colonel in 1956, worked as aeronautical engineer in the aviation industry and published the book "Honest John: The Autobiography of Walker M. Mahurin" in 1962.
United States Air Force Fighter Ace. He was the only United States pilot to shoot down enemy aircraft in both the European and Pacific Theater operations in World War II and in the Korean War. In September 1941 he enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps as an aviation cadet, and was later assigned to the 8th Air Forces' 56th Fighter Group based in England as a pilot of a P-47 Thunderbolt. With this group he became the first American pilot double ace in the European Theater, having shot down 10 enemy planes, and was awarded the Silver Star. In late 1944 he became commander of the 3rd Fighter Squadron, 3rd Air Commando Group, in the Philippine Islands. Flying a P-51 Mustang, he scored aerial victories in the Pacific and ended the war with a total of 20.75 victories. At the start of the Korean War in 1950, he was serving in the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force when assigned to the 51st Fighter Interceptor Wing. Flying an F-86 Sabre Jet, he went on to score 3.5 more aerial victories. Shot down by enemy ground fire in May 1952, he spent the last 16 months of war as a prisoner before being released. He retired from the Air Force a Colonel in 1956, worked as aeronautical engineer in the aviation industry and published the book "Honest John: The Autobiography of Walker M. Mahurin" in 1962.
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
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