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Glenn A. Dow
GLENN A. DOW, born November 10,
1922 near Mineral Wells, Texas, grew up in
Ft. Worth, Texas and graduated from the
University of Texas with a degree in Business
Administration. Called to active service during his 3rd year in college as aviation cadet in
February 1943 and trained as bomber pilot
in class 44-E, graduating and commissioned
at Douglas, Arizona. First assignment,
November 1944 was co-pilot on B-24 near
Foggia, Italy, in 776th Sqd., 464 Bomb
Group, 15th Air Force. Transferred to
346th Fighter Squadron, 350th Fighter
Group, 12thAir Force, Pisa, Italy in January
1945 where his twin brother, Major Hugh D.
Dow was C.O., 347th Fighter Squadron. The
350th was committed to cutting off supplies
from Germany to Italy through the Brenner
Pass. He flew 51 missions in the P-47D
through VE Day, destroying supply routes,
ammunition depots, bridges, railroads and
motorized transport, close support attacks
with the 5th Army on tanks and artillery
using 500# bombs, rockets, fire bombs and
8.50 cal. machine guns. He was hit by 20
MM ground fire on his 22nd mission at Lavis
R/R division in Brenner Pass. He was awarded the Purpple Heart and Air Medal with 5 Clusters. The pilots of the 350th were
already through the Panama Canal on their
way to the invasion of Japan when the 2nd
Atomic Bomb exploded.
Released from active duty in November
1945 as a 1st Lt., he returned to University
of Texas and finished college in 1947. He
initially worked in the oil field supply business and with an oil well drilling contractor in Texas, Oklahoma and New York before he
moved to Denver, Colorado in 1955 and
became an independent oil and gas producer,
specializing in exploration land work. He
participated as an officer, director and part
owner of Trend Exploration Limited, a successful independent oil and gas exploration company that developed significant oil and
gas reserves in domestic and foreign operations. He sold his stock in Trend in 1974 and
has since operated as an independent producer headquartered in Denver. He has been a
member of the P-47 Thunderbolt Pilots Association since 1961. He married Marybeth
Trewhitt in 1945 and has four children,
Deborah, Marsha, David and Richard.
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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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