Joe McCarthy

Who was Joe McCarthy?

Joseph Charles "Big Joe" McCarthy DSO DFC RCAF was an American-Canadian Royal Canadian Air Force RAF Bomber Command aviator in World War II. He was born on Long Island and grew up in Brooklyn. As a teenager, he worked as a lifeguard at Coney Island and learned to fly. In May 1941, months before the United States would enter the war, McCarthy joined the Royal Canadian Air Force.

McCarthy was most known for flying with No. 617 Squadron RAF, including Operation Chastise of 1943. By the time of the raid he had already taken part in thirty bombing sorties over Germany, including three over Berlin. McCarthy and his crew flew with the second wave of Lancasters, but he had to take a spare aircraft after his failed. T-Tommy was the only aircraft from the 2nd wave to attack a target - the Sorpe Dam, which had to be attacked with an Upkeep bomb directly without it bouncing. Despite hitting the target, the dam was not breached.

He was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross in 1943 for service with No. 97 Squadron RAF, a Distinguished Service Order in the same year for the dams raid, and a bar to the DFC in 1944.