Zary, Henry Paul Michael

Squdaron Leader Henry Paul Michael "Hank" Zary


RCAF registration number No.R95580 (NCO); J9261 (Officer)


Zary was born on 23 November 1918 in Manhattan, New York City to a family of Polish immigrants (original surname Zarytkiewicz). Zary then lived in the Bronx and, after graduating from Stuyvesant High School, attended the University of his hometown from 1935-1941, where he earned a bachelor's degree. However, he paid for his own education and had to earn his own way, eventually working as an assistant in the biology department.


Although Zary was "set" for a decent career at university, he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) on 26 February 1941, a time when the United States was neutral and like many of his compatriots. In Canada he underwent basic pilot training, in which he probably did very well, as he was promoted to officer during his training. He received his wings on 21 November 1941, but was not sent to Britain and remained in Canada as an instructor. He may have been selected for this important activity because of his experience at university. Thus he was not sent to Britain until almost a year later in October 1942. At his new post he first underwent operational training with 53. OTU and in April 1943 he was finally sent to a combat unit, the 421st Squadron.


The squadron was at Redhill airfield at the time and had Spitfires Mk.VB in its armament. However, these were replaced the following month by the powerful Spitfires Mk.IX, with which it participated in bomber escorts over occupied Europe. In the remainder of 1943, Zary then scored her first two victories, both damaging the Bf 109 fighter. The first time was on 10 July during an escort B-17 over Villacoubay, and the second time was on 19 September during Ramrod 233, in which B-25 bombers attacked Lieven.


In November 1943, Zary was promoted to Flight Lieutenant, but the bigger change came in August, when 421 Squadron, along with its sister "four-troop" squadrons, later joined by squadrons numbered 416 and 443, became part of 127 Wing 2. TAF. The squadron thus took part in the preparation of the Normandy invasion by numerous attacks against ground targets, and after its outbreak undertook patrols over the invading troops. On 16 June 1944, it moved to France to the B.2 Bazenville field airfield. It was during operations over the fighting troops that he gained his greatest successes.


He scored his first certain victory twelve days after moving to France, on 28 June. On that day, at about 5 p.m., the squadron was on patrol over the front when the Canadians encountered enemy fighters in the Elbeuf area and reported a 4-0-2 victory with no losses of their own. Zary scored one downed centurion to his credit.


His greatest success, however, came a month later, on 25 July to be exact. In the morning, the squadron was sent on an armed reconnaissance to the Rouen area, and in the vicinity of Les Andelys at about 1100 they encountered about 40 enemy fighters, which were probably from III./JG 1 and I./JG 5. A battle ensued, in which although the squadron lost a Spitfire MJ987 and its pilot, F/O Cashion, the other fighters claimed a 5-1-2 victory. The biggest contributor to this result was Zary, who claimed three victories after landing. In his report he wrote:


"I was flying at the head of B Squadron to the east in the Les Andelys area at 10,000 feet when 40+ Bf 109s were spotted at 10-15,000 feet and on the opposite course. I made a sharp right turn as soon as the enemy aircraft opened fire. After circling to the right I followed two that were trying to climb, one of which turned left and flew dive. I fired at the other and saw hits on the right wing end, then the enemy leveled off and began to descend slightly. The pilot then dropped the cockpit and bailed out. The parachute did not open."


Zary then shot down the other Messerschmitt as well and headed back to his section. However, he spotted other German fighters:


"I fired at the last enemy plane, which was dive-bombing the ground, and I followed. I had no more ammunition, but I stayed above and behind him. I reported to the squadron commander his position and that I was out of ammunition. Then I dive-bombed the enemy anyway. The aircraft turned sharply to the right, apparently crashed into a tree, and subsequently ended up on the ground."


It was his last victory in the ranks of the 421st Squadron. He received a DFC in September 1944 and was sent on leave to Canada in November. By December, however, he was back and sent to the 83rd GSU (Group Support Unit), a unit whose mission was to replace aircraft lost by units at the front. However, he was only with it for a short time, as he was first sent to the 416th and on 17 February 1945, after being promoted to the rank of Acting Squadron Leader, he took command of the 403rd Squadron. Both of these units were part of his "old" 127th Wing and with their Spitfires Mk.XVI took part in the air support of the advancing Anglo-Canadian forces. And during the final campaign through Germany, Zary won his last aerial victory.


On 21 April 1945, he led his 403rd Squadron on an armed reconnaissance mission, and over Schnackenburg they encountered two hundred-footers attacking ground targets. The Canadians pounced on them and Zary and F/O Leslie shot them both down. Zary described the engagement as follows:


"I was a Kapok (code name, kapok is a tropical tree) commander on an armed reconnaissance in the Parchimi area, and as we were returning we saw two Bf 109s, apparently attacking ground targets. They started their climb as soon as we started chasing them. They climbed to about 7,000 feet and I approached the aircraft on the right, telling F/O Leslie to concentrate on the left. I approached from the rear at 600 yards, opened fire with a four second burst to 400 yards, the hits blew off a third of the right wing and the rudder. The hits were also observed on the cockpit and the aircraft crashed, apparently out of control."


For Zary, it was the fifth certain victory, making him an ace, but also the last American to succeed in the cockpit of a Spitfire. It was not, however, the last time he fired on a German aircraft. Four days later, in fact, the 403rd Squadron carried out attacks on several German airfields, and Zary damaged one Me 262 and one Ju 88 at Schwerin.


Shortly after the end of the fighting in Europe, on 17 May 1945 to be precise, Zary handed over command of the squadron to S/Ldr Fleming and returned to Canada. He was subsequently discharged from the RCAF on 11 October 1945. Sadly, he died as early as 11 February 1946 at St. Aghate Hospital in Quebec from pleurisy. He was only 27 years old.


Victory table



Total: 5-0-2 victories in the air, 0-0-2 against aircraft on the ground



Sources:
Shores C., Williams C.: Aces High, Grub Street, London 1994
Shores C.: Aces High, volume 2, Grub Street, London 1999
Thomas A.: American Spitfire Aces of WW2, Osprey Pub., Oxford 2007
Foreman J.: Fighter Command war diaries, part 5, Air Research Publication, Walton-on-Thames, 2004
http://acesofww2.com/Canada/aces/zary.htm
www.spitfire.memorial.museum

Henry Paul Michael "Hank" Zary