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James J. Finnegan
JAMES J. FINNEGAN, born July
13,1922, in San Francisco, California. He
was raised in that city where he graduated
from Washington High School and briefly
attended Saint Mary's College, Moraga, California. He then went to work for Pacific
Telephone and Telegraph Company from
which he enlisted in the Army Aviation Cadet
Program in July 1942. However, his orders
to active duty did not come until January 17,
1943, when he left for Texas. All Jim's pilot
training took place in that state where he
graduated in the class of 43K from McAllen.
His R.T.U. took place in Galveston from
which he left and joined the 50th Fighter
Group, 10th Fighter Sqdn., in June 1944, in
Europe. Finnegan traveled with the 50th
eastward across France, supporting General
Patton's 3rd Army in close ground support
missions. He received the DFC for leading his
flight in strafing and destroying heavily
armed ground transports on March 20,
1945. He completed his tour in Europe in
late April 1945, after 127 combat missions.
Jim met his future wife at a dance in
Nancy, France, while conducting a dance
band composed of both pilots and enlisted
men of the 10th Sqdn. His wife, Frances, was
an Army Nurse from the 238th General
Hospital at Dijon. As a result of this union,
five children were born and as of the publication of this book, they have produced six
grandchildren. Fran and Jim live in San
Rafael, California.
In December, 1979, Finnegan was notified that an ME-262 he had claimed as
"damaged and probable" while flying a JUG
in a B-26 escort mission on April 25, 1945,
turned out to be an actual downing of a
German jet fighter piloted by Lt Gen Adolph
Galland. Galland was a leading Luftwaffe
fighter ace with 104 kills, all on the western
front. The notification to Finnegan came
from a researcher who confirmed this after
thorough examination of Air Force Records
and Galland's own account in his auto-biography "The First and the Last." Since that
time, Finnegan and Galland have met in
California and have become good friends
corresponding frequently.
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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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