Don S. Flowers
DON S. FLOWERS, born February 11, 1924 in Palmetto, Florida. He received
his early education in Manatee County
Schools graduating from Palmetto High
School in 1941.
He enlisted as an Aviation Cadet in the
Army Air Corps November 5, 1942 and was
called to active duty February 1, 1943. He
received his training in the Southeastern
Flying Training Command graduating from
Spence Field, Moultrie, Georgia where he
received his wings and Commission as a
member of the class of 44-B.
After gunnery training at Eglin Field and fighter transition in P-40's, he was sent to the
First Fighter Command Replacement Pool at
Richmond, Virginia. His first flight in a
Thunderbolt was in a P-47C.5 at Blackstone
AAB, Virginia on April 9, 1944. After completing the first phase of RTU there, he was
sent to Dover, Delaware for the final phase.
Flowers went overseas in July of 1944 and
after a short stay in Shrewsbury, England
with the 495th Fighter Training Group he
was assigned to the 365th Fighter Squadron,
358th Fighter Group which at that time was
stationed at Strip A-28 in Pontorson, France
on the Cherbourg Peninsula.
He flew from five strips across France and
one in Germany, first with the Ninth Air
Force and later with the First Tactical Air
Force (Provisional) which consisted of
American and French pilots supporting the
First French and American Seventh Armies
from the Swiss border to the Saar Basin.
On his 97th mission while strafing near
Kaiserslautern, Germany, Flowers was shot
down by ground fire. He crashed landed
behind enemy lines, evaded capture and was
picked up that night by a spearhead of the
10th Armored Division.
He left his squadron in early May, 1945,
returned to the States and completed his
WW-II service flying P-63's in conjunction
with the AAF Gunnery Training Program at
Naples, Florida. He was released from active
duty on December 1, 1945.
His WW-II decorations include the DFC,
Air Medal w/17 OLC's, Purple Heart, Distinguished Unit Citation Badge w/2 OLC's
and EAME Theater Ribbon w /4 Battle Stars.
After WW-II he attended the University of
Florida and graduated with a BS in Pharmacy
degree. Currently he owns and manages Foster Drugs and Surgical Supplies in Bradenton, Florida.
He married Dorothy Reno in July, 1946.
They have one son, one daughter and two
grandchildren.
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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