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Walter T. Donovan
WALTER T. DONOVAN, West Virginia native, Walter T. Donovan, joined the
405th Group, 51st Squadron, on the Cherbourg Peninsula of France. With his aircraft named, "Blood and Guts," he then participated in the five major battles for the European continent. The following statistics are
analogical of the intense combat involved.
His aircraft received major damage from an
Anti-aircraft fire on 39 missions. During the
first twelve missions of the Battle of the
Bulge, his aircraft required replacement of at
least one wing. Seven of these missions
required replacement of both wings.
One of the Squadron's most aggressive
missions resulted in a fifteen minute battle
which completely annihilated ~ 3,600 member
S.S. Brigade. The enemy's assigned mission had been the capture of Third Army
Headquarters at Nancy, France. A grateful
General Patton personally directed the air
activity from a concealed forward position.
As American forces penetrated the Ruhr
Valley, a burst of anti-aircraft fire forced a
Squadron member to crash on a German
field, between the lines. The downed pilot
was quickly picked up by Donovan in his
Thunderbolt, returned to home-plate at
Ophoven, Belgium, and was back in action
the same day.
The 405th suffered the very last loss of the
war. On May 8th, 1945, the day the war
ended, during an extremely low altitude demonstration flight over a P.O.W. camp, one of its planes crashed in Lake Traun. One of the
last hostile acts by American forces in World
War II took place over the air base at Kitzingen, Germany. Just before dusk, on the same date, a German aircraft buzzed the tower
seeking emergency landing procedures. The
celebrants on the ground, not understanding
this action by an enemy aircraft, opened fire
with every weapon available from side arms
to anti-aircraft. It was only after a miraculous
landing that the hostiles learned that the pilot
was their own Walter T. Donovan bringing in
his trophy of World War II.
After serving again during the Korean
War, Donovan conducted a Real Estate business in Naples, Florida and recently retired.
During the summer months he can be found
relaxing on Donovan's Mountain, West Virginia. He was a member of the Thunderbolt
team, which once unfettered, became the
most awesome warriors the world has ever
known.
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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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