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William A. Curnutte
WILLIAM A. CURNUTTE, born
March 16, 1924 in Portsmouth, Ohio. Family moved to Portsmouth, VA in 1939. Graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School,
Portsmouth, VA in June 1941. Enlisted in
Aviation Cadet Program in June 1942 and
entered active duty in January 1943. Graduated from Pilot Training with the Class of 43-K at Moore Field, Texas on December 5,
1943. Completed P-47 training at Dale
Mabry Field, Tallahassee, Florida in April
1944.
Overseas assignment was to Fourteenth
Air Force, 81st Fighter Group, 93rd Fighter
Squadron. Spent approximately 20 months
in the CBl Theater. Approximately half of
the tour was spent in China in the Chengtu
area including a couple of months at Ankang
with the 91 st Fighter Squadron and the other
half at Gushkara, India with the 93rd Fighter
Squadron which operated an Operational
Training Unit. A highlight of the China days
would have to include a strafing run over
Hankow Airdrome during which a severe hit
was taken in the engine area but he managed
to make it back to Ankang safely. A definite
tribute to the ruggedness of the "Jug."
Departed Gushkara, India in October 1945
enroute to the U.S. arriving in New York on
December 21,1945.
Assigned to Perrin Field, Texas in February 1946. Released from active duty on
September 12, 1946. While a civilian was
employed as a flight instructor and charter
pilot at a local airport.
Recalled to active duty in 1951 during the
Korean fracas. Assignments were primarily
to fighter units including an exchange tour
with the U.S. Navy during the Korean Conflict. Accumulated over 3000 hours of jet fighter time in the following type aircraft;
F-86, F-89, F-10l, F-102, F-106 and F-4.
Also several hundred hours in the T-33 and
T-39. Was a member of the winning F-106
team from the 456th fighter Interceptor
Squadron at the world-wide weapons meet,
"William Tell," in 1961. Staff assignments
included operations, night safety and aircraft
accident investigation fields. Assigned to the
366th Fighter Wing at Da Nang, Vietnam in
1968 as operations staff officer. Flew 103
combat missions in the F-4 Phantom, 36 of
them Over North Vietnam.
Decorations include Distinguished Flying
Cross, Air Medal with 5 0LC, Air Force
Commendation Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with 3 BSS, Vietnam Service
Medal with 1 BSS and Republic of Vietnam
Campaign Medal. Retired April 1, 1970 with
the rank of Lt. Colonel and returned to
Portsmouth, VA. Employed as manager with
the Virginia Employment Commission in
Portsmouth, VA.
He married Virginia Lee Miller in February 1946. They have two sons, Bill, Jr., and Troy. As of May, 1980 they have three
grandchildren and are expecting the fourth
in August.
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Pilot Name
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Biography Summary
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John Abbotts
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P-47 transition followed at Pocatello, Idaho and Greenville, Texas after which he was assigned to the 56th Fighter Group in England. When the news of his arrival reached Berlin, Hitler retired to his bunker with his cyanide capsule and revolver. Eva found the news equally depressing.
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Asa A. Adair
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He returned to the States in August of 1944 after participating in the invasion "D" Day. He flew P-63's, P-51's, F-80's, T-33's, F-84's, T-38's, P-47's in numerous assignments during the following twenty years in in, Japan, U.S.A. and Europe before retiring after twenty-six years of Active Duty.
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Edward B. Addison
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The 507th Fighter Group, equipped with P-47N's, won the Presidential Unit Citation for destroying 32 Japanese aircraft in the air on one mission to Seoul, Korea. The average flying time for raids to Korea and Japan would be 7 to 9 hours flying time. In a total of 31 months, the 507th not only provided top cover for B-29's, but also
dive-bombed, napalm-bombed and flew low-level on strafing missions.
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Levon B. Agha-Zarian
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It is rumored that he, took his primary training on a flying rug. He flew Spits, briefly, in England, but as the, war moved to the East, he was sent to India as a Sgt. Pilot and first saw action from Ceylon, flying the Curtiss P.36, the Brewster Buffalo, and the Hurricane. At this point he might have opted for the rug! This was at the time of the fall of Singapore and the sinking of the Prince of Wales and the Repulse.
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George N. Ahles
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Posted to A-20 light bomber squadron Barksdale Field, Louisiana. . Group moved to Hunter Air Base Savannah, Georgia. Qualified for Pilot training November 1940. Entered Aviation Cadets January 1942. Presented wings November 1942 class of 42-J. Married Mary Louise while in Advanced Pilot Training at Craig AFB, Selma, Alabama, September 1942.
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Roy J. Aldritt
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Shortly after the group moved to France he ran into some unseen flak and was forced to make a nylon descent behind the lines; some evasion and a lot of luck had him back with his unit
in 24 hours.
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Eugene J. Amaral
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After graduation from Stonington High School he enlisted as an Aviation Cadet in December 1942 and was called to active duty in March, 1943. He received his wings and commission at Spence Field, Georgia as a member of the Class of 43-C.
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Talmadge L. Ambrose
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Flew 84 missions thru VE Day, was downed by 22mm ground fire over Siefried Line. He destroyed 11 enemy aircraft, 9 known confirmed in air and on
ground, including 4 FW 190-D's in one afternoon over Hanover, Germany, April 8, 1945. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross,
Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal, 17 man, Oak Leaf Clusters, Good Conduct Medal, Pacific Theatre and European Theatre Meda1s with 5 Battle
Stars and Unit Citation Medal.
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John C. Anderson
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After P-47 transition he was assigned to the 406th Fighter Group, 512th Fighter Squadron. (E.T
.0.) He flew 56 missions through January, 1945 destroying supply routes, bridges, and railroads; he also flew close support missions with the ground forces, with attacks on tanks, artillery and enemy positions.
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William Anderson
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It was not always flak,two ME-109's beat the hell out of me one day. The central controller called me and said "Basher-Red Leader do you have contact Bandits," I replied, "I sure do, I'll bring them over the field in 3 minutes, they're chasing me home." Got all the usual medals including two Belgium and two French but one I'm most proud of is the Silver Star -it is the greatest.
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