Michael James Herrick, DFC & Bar (5 May 1921 – 16 June 1944) was a New Zealand flying ace of the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War.

[4] The outbreak of the Second World War forced Herrick's cadetship, originally scheduled to run for two years, to be consolidated by the RAF.

[4] At the time he joined the squadron, it was involved in patrols over the North Sea, providing protection for convoys transiting the British coast.

25 Squadron's aircraft had been intended for light bombing, in June it was moved to Martlesham Heath to operate in a night fighting role.

[8] On the night of 4/5 September 1940, despite his aircraft's radar set malfunctioning, Herrick spotted a Heinkel He 111 bomber caught in some of Anti-Aircraft Command's searchlights and shot it down.

The published citation read: During an interception patrol on the night of 4th September, 1940, Pilot Officer Herrick spotted two enemy aircraft and destroyed them both.

In his attack against the second aircraft he succeeded in closing to within 30 yards and it fell in pieces under his fire.On the night of 13/14 September, while flying a patrol north of London, he was directed by his radar to a He 111.

25 Squadron soon began converting to Bristol Beaufighters, and in one of these aircraft, operating from Wittering, Herrick possibly destroyed a bomber in December.

[9] In March 1941 Herrick was promoted to flying officer[11] and two months later was credited with damaging a Junkers Ju 88 bomber near Hull.

[9][12] In October 1941, Herrick was seconded to the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) and by the end of the year was back in the country of his birth.

By this time Herrick had been promoted squadron leader and was in charge of the unit; the original commanding officer had been killed in a flying accident.

[1][16] The squadron's initial encounter with the Japanese took place while escorting a Lockheed Hudson on 6 May, when Herrick and his wingman shared in the destruction of a Nakajima A6M2-N "Rufe" floatplane.

[1] A few days later he took part in an escort mission, leading a flight of eight P-40s accompanying a force of Douglas SBD Dauntless light bombers.

On 1 October, Herrick shared in the destruction of an Aichi D3A "Val" dive bomber that was attacking a convoy transporting troops of the 3rd New Zealand Division to Vella Lavella.

[21] On 27 October, during the landings at the Treasury Islands by New Zealand infantry and supporting troops, the squadron flew covering missions throughout the day.

In doing so, they intercepted a force of around 80 Japanese aircraft attempting to attack barges landing supplies and shot down four fighters, with Herrick accounting for one of them, a Zero.

[25] In January 1944, Herrick, returning to service with the RAF, embarked for England, via Canada, travelling on a troopship while in charge of 300 RNZAF personnel who were proceeding to Edmonton for flight training.

On 16 June 1944, Herrick and his Polish navigator flew a mission during the day to German-occupied Denmark, targeting a Luftwaffe airfield at Aalborg.