History
George Air Force Base was named in honor of Brigadier General Harold Huston George (1892–1942) on June 2, 1950. A World War I fighter ace, General George directed air operations on Bataan at the beginning of World War II. He died on April 29, 1942 in an aircraft accident near Darwin NT, Australia.
A Curtiss P-40 of the 49th Fighter Group, piloted by Lt. Bob Hazard, taking off as second of two P-40s from Twenty-Seven Mile Field, SE of Darwin, Australia, lost directional control in the propwash of the lead fighter, striking a recently-arrived Lockheed C-40 parked next to airstrip, killing General Harold H. George, Time-Life war correspondent Melvin Jacoby, and base personnel 2nd Lt. Robert D. Jasper, who were standing next to the Lockheed. A number of others received injuries, but the P-40 pilot survived. George Air Force Base was named for the late general in June 1950.
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