Alfred L. Fetters
ALFRED L. FETTERS, born Sept.
12, 1919, Lancaster, Ohio. High School
Graduate. Ass't. Mgr. of theaters in Lancaster and Akron, Ohio. Worked for Curtiss
Wright Aircraft Corp. Fabrication, Experimental, and attended their training schools.
Volunteered active duty Oct. 1942. Graduated Air Force Mechanics School with Distinction. Appointed Air Cadet, Graduating
there from Jan. 1942 as 2nd Lt. AAF. Pilot,
Class 44-A. Time out 23 Oct. 1943 to marry
the girl back home. . . Mary Margaret Burton. Assigned 439th Fighter Sqdn., Tallahassee, Fla. for RTU training, P-40.N Curtiss
Warhawk.
Volunteered special-assignment overseas
- Destination Unknown. Arrived Sarragea
Air Base, Corsica, 85th Ftr. Sqdn., 79th Ftr.
Group, 31 July, 1944 ... Here he was
introduced to the P-47 Bubble Type D Fighter Bomber with first mission flown Aug. 10,1944. The following months, through V.E.
Day, he flew 100 missions over enemy lines.
Including destruction of airfields, railcars
and marshalling yards, trucking, tanks, gun
emplacements, maritime shipping, bomber
escort, and air support to ground forces. His
P-47, dubbed the "Darling Mary," with his
Squadron Artist's revealing concepts of what
a picture of his wife should portray, superimposed on its cowling. He was attached to the
12th Air Force, Desert Air Force, and 9th
Air Force. Served as Pilot, and Operations
Officer of the 85th Ftr. Sqdn., and Commanding Officer of the 86th Ftr. Sqdn., both
of the 79th Ftr. Group. Promoted to the
Rank of Major June 17, 1945.
Decorations and Citations included the
Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross with
One Oakleaf Cluster, Air Medal with 4 Oakleaf Clusters, British Distinguished Flying
Cross, European African Middle Eastern with
6 Battle Stars, Presidential Citation, Army of
Occupation Medal - Germany, and Victory
Medal. Released from Active Duty Nov.
1945.
Established Lancaster Pattern Works, a
manufacturers of industrial patterns and
models in 1948, which remains, along with
Real Estate Development, his field of activity. A lifetime member of the P-47 Thunderbolt Pilots Assn., lives at home with his wife to
Mary in Lancaster, Ohio. His children Alfred 1
Jr. of Cambridge, Ohio and Janis Lynn of
Buffalo, N.Y.
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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