One of the Air Force's most decorated fighter pilots was laid to rest Aug. 12 with full military honors including a missing man formation flown by four F-15E Strike Eagles.
They were from the 391st Fighter Squadron at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Ida., the very squadron he commanded years ago when he flew four sorties over the beaches on D-Day in 1944.
Retired Col. John A. Carey, 91, a veteran with more than 30 years of service, including commanding the 391st FS in World War II and the 334th Fighter Interceptor Squadron in Korea, had four and a half aerial kills and received the Silver Star, two Distinguished Flying Crosses, two Purple Hearts and more than 30 combat air medals.
Carey flew the Spitfire, P-47 Thunderbolt, P-51 Mustang and F-86 Sabre in combat, commanded at the squadron, group, wing and sector level and finished his distinguished career as J-3 director of operations for the United Nations Command in Korea in 1968. He was selected to the Air Force's Air Command and Staff College 2007 Class of Gathering of Eagles for outstanding contributions to aviation in the 20th Century.
Under a brilliant blue sky, the horse-drawn caisson of the U.S. Army's 1st Battalion 3rd Infantry Regiment's "Old Guard" rolled slowly through Arlington National Cemetery. The caisson was escorted by members of the Air Force Honor Guard and the Ceremonial Brass Band and by his family, friends and fellow Airmen who came to pay their final respects.
In true fighter pilot spirit, both of his sons walked with the caisson as "wingmen" with their father on his last mission.
Col. Carey's three brothers became decorated fighter pilots in WW II, Korea and Vietnam. Today, the Carey family legacy continues with his sons, Col. Steve Carey and Col. Tim Carey, following in his footsteps and flying fighters in operations Desert Storm and Enduring Freedom.
During WW II Carey flew 181 combat missions. One distinctive mission highlight was recalled where he landed his P-47 behind enemy lines two days after the D-Day invasion to rescue a downed pilot.
He picked up the downed airman but in order to fly back in his single-seat fighter, he threw out his own parachute, sat on the down airman's lap, took off and flew back to England with an open canopy. Carey often recalled this day when he earned a phone call from the Supreme Allied Commander Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower.
The general started the conversation by admonishing him for risking himself and aircraft to land behind enemy lines against regulations then congratulating Carey for his heroism and said he would have done the same thing.
A rousing fighter pilot reception was held at the officer's club at Fort Myer, Va. after the service with Lt. Col. Brian McCarthy, the squadron commander, presenting an enthusiastic toast to Carey by recounting his exploits in grand fighter pilot tradition.
Could there be any higher honor?
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