Owen Tracey
New Zealand flying ace of WWII / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Owen Vincent Tracey DFC (15 March 1915 – 8 December 1941) was a New Zealand fighter pilot and flying ace who flew in the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War. He was officially credited with the destruction of at least six enemy aircraft.
Quick Facts Born, Died ...
Owen Tracey | |
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Born | (1915-03-15)15 March 1915 Dunedin, New Zealand |
Died | 8 December 1941(1941-12-08) (aged 26) near El Adem, Libya |
Allegiance | New Zealand |
Service/ | Royal Air Force |
Years of service | 1939–1941 † |
Rank | Flight Lieutenant |
Unit | No. 274 Squadron No. 79 Squadron |
Battles/wars | Second World War |
Awards | Distinguished Flying Cross |
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Born in Dunedin, Tracey joined the RAF in early 1939. After completing flight training, he was posted to No. 79 Squadron in July 1940. He flew extensively during the Battle of Britain, shooting down a number of German aircraft. In April 1941, he was sent to the Middle East where he flew with No. 274 Squadron. During his time with the squadron, he was involved in the Battle of Crete and in Operation Crusader, in Libya. He was killed when he was shot down during a dogfight with Italian fighters.