Urban L. Drew

Drew died on April 3, 2013, at Vista, California and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

His appeal for the Distinguished Service Cross was denied, because of the lack of evidence for his kills; the gun camera of his P-51 had jammed and his wingman, 2nd Lt. Robert McCandliss was shot down and became a prisoner of war. However, he was awarded the Air Force Cross many years later in 1983.

The Secretary of the Air Force, Verne Orr presented the Air Force Cross on May 12, 1983. He is one of the only three airmen to receive Air Force Cross for actions in World War II.

After the war, Drew helped organize the 127th Fighter Group of Michigan Air National Guard. He became deputy group commander and later was appointed the first Air Adjutant General of the State of Michigan. He served this position till he left active duty on 1950.

After his service in Europe, Drew was transferred to various training bases in the U.S. In 1945 he was assigned to the 413th Fighter Squadron of 414th Fighter Group, flying P-47 Thunderbolts at Iwo Jima in the Bonin Islands, where he flew B-29 Superfortress escorts over Japan and strafing missions on hangars, barracks, ammunition dumps, trains, marshalling yards and shipping.

He went overseas in May 1944 and was assigned to the 375th Fighter Squadron of the 361st Fighter Group, which was stationed at RAF Bottisham and later at RAF Little Walden. During his tour with the 361st Fighter Group, which was commonly known as "Yellowjackets", Drew completed 75 missions, rising to command of "A" Flight and the 375th Fighter Squadron. He would be officially credited with six aerial victories during his combat tour. "Detroit Miss", coded E2-D was his personal P-51, during his tour with 361st Fighter Group.

He was credited with 6 aerial victories, 1 ground victory, 1 damaged and 1 water kill, in which he and his wingman sank and burned the largest aircraft in world, the Blohm & Voss BV238-V1 on 18 September 1944. Hitler was going to use it to bomb Washington and New York City. The Water kill regarding the Blohm & Voss BV 238 has since been proven to be discredited.

His biggest day was on October 7, 1944, when he shot down 2 jet-powered Me 262s on a single mission while leading an attack on Achmer Aerodrome.

He enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces on May 14, 1942, and entered the Aviation Cadet Program in October 1942. Drew was commissioned a 2d Lt and awarded his pilot wings in Marianna Army Field on October 1, 1943, and began training as an instructor pilot for the North American P-51 Mustang at Bartow Field and then served as a P-51 Mustang instructor pilot with the 56th Fighter Squadron of the 54th Fighter Group.

Urban Leonard Drew (March 21, 1924 – April 3, 2013), known as Ben Drew, was a fighter pilot in the United States Army Air Forces and a flying ace of World War II. He was the first and the only Allied pilot to shoot down two Luftwaffe jet-powered Me 262 aircraft in a single mission while flying a propeller-driven North American P-51 Mustang. He received the Air Force Cross for the mission in 1983.

Drew was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1924, he was raised along with a younger brother by their schoolteacher mother. His father died when Drew was at the age of 3. He received his education at Wayne University and the University of Michigan, graduating with a degree in Political Science.