Captain Andy G. Hunter, U. S. Air Force



Captain Andy G. (Gerald) Hunter, U.S. Army Air Corps: Andy Hunter (born 22 June 1916) began his student pilot training at More’s Flying School at Texas A&I College in April, 1941 in Kingsville, Texas. After Pearl Harbor, he joined the US Army Air Corps and took his initial pilot training at Randolph Air Force Base and received his pilot’s wings at Foster Field in Victoria, Texas in September, 1942. He then trained on the B-26B at MacDill AFB in Tampa, Florida (“One a day in Tampa Bay” was the slogan because of the difficulty of flying this specific bomber). He also trained out of Drane Field in Lakeland, Florida as part of the 322nd Bomb Group in late 1942/early 1943-noting in his pilot’s log book on 4/14/43 “Going to War!” As part of the 451 Bomb Squadron flying via Puerto Rico, Brazil, Ascension Island, Morocco, South Whales, and finally in Rattlesden, England 5/15/43, he noted “flew half way around the world and lost only one man and ship.”

Capt. Hunter flew his first combat mission on 8/4/43 and completed his final 60th combat mission 5/15/44. During that time, he received the European, African, Middle Eastern Campaign Ribbon with four Battle Stars, the Air Medal with nine Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Distinguished Flying Cross…flying missions over German-occupied France, Belgium, Holland noting in his flight log book, “Practice Invasion of Continent”, “Bomb Coastal Excavations, marshaling yards, coastal guns, railway,”, “Landed on single engine at Coolham”, “6-24-54 ship formation nights”, “2nd Combat Mission-10 ships started for target in Holland. All, but one, lost over enemy territory. FW 190 and flack.” His plane was named the “Pickled Dilly” with tail number 41-18276.

Because of his service as a pilot of the B-26, Andy Hunter received the European, African, Middle Eastern Campaign Ribbon with four Battle Stars, the Air Medal with nine Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Distinguished Flying Cross.

After his service, Andy returned to San Antonio and Floresville, Texas where he was a successful businessman and married Dorothy Byfield whom he had known at Texas A&I College, before the war. He died on 20 July, 1993. Their children are Robert Hunter of Plant City, Florida, Brenda Pullin of Floresville and Darrell Hunter of Seguin, Texas.





Hunter was Pilot of B-26 Marauder (serial number 41-18276) nicknamed "Pickled Dilly". He flew 60 missions, completing his final one around 28 May 1944.