Robert Marvin (Bob) Edward Jr
ROBERT MARVIN (BOB)EDWARD, JR, born June 2, 1924 in Burkburnett, Texas. He graduated from
Gladewater, Texas High School in 1941, and
was attending Kilgore Junior College when
called into the AAF in 1943 at the age of 18.
During WW II, he attended the University of
Tennessee; and after WW II, he attended
Shrivenham (England) University for a
semester. He graduated from Baylor University, Waco, Texas with a BBA degree in
1949. He has two children, a son, Robert
Anthony, and a daughter, Teresa Ann. He
resides in The Woodlands, Texas, a planned
community north of Houston, Texas with his
son.
Although his degree was in economics, all
his working experience has been in technical fields. He was in the oil well drilling
business for several years, and has designed
instruments used in metallurgical testing. He
holds a number of patents, and is now producing Rockwell hardness testers used extensively
in the oil industry, and increasingly in
mineral industry. He is an active business ;
pilot and has about 8,000 hours flying time.
During WW II, he graduated from single
engine flying school with Class 44-D at Jackson AAF, Mississippi. He flew P-40's at Eglin
AAF, then to the 1st AF for P-47 transition.
During this time, he flew approximately 25
hours in the Douglas A-24. He served in the
ETO with the 53rd FS, 36th FG of the Ninth
AF, flying in support of Patton's Third
Army. Some of his memorable experiences of
this time include hitting a tree 18' below the
top during a strafing run, collecting four 20
mm cannon hits another time, dragging his rudder through a fence, cutting his prop tips
somewhat on takeoff on a rolling, advancing
steel strip, and having an 88mm shell flak up
an engine. Each time, the rugged Thunderbolt shrugged it off, and brought him home
without a scratch - except once, when he,
after landing, stood a Thunderbolt just as
straight up on the runway as possible to avoid
a crashed P-47 on the runway. He completed
52 missions, and was awarded the Air Medal
with 5 OLC.
He served in the Air Reserve for over 20
years, flying the C-119 and completing C-124 transition when he retired. He formed,
and served as the first CO of the 14th Aerial
Port Detachment, Dallas NAS, retiring with
the rank of Captain.
Pilot Name
|
Biography Summary
|
John Abbotts
|
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.
|
Asa A. Adair
|
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.
|
Edward B. Addison
|
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.
|
Levon B. Agha-Zarian
|
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.
|
George N. Ahles
|
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.
|
Roy J. Aldritt
|
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.
|
Eugene J. Amaral
|
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.
|
Talmadge L. Ambrose
|
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.
|
John C. Anderson
|
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.
|
William Anderson
|
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.
|
|
|