E.C. "Charlie" Fremaux
E.C. "CHARLIE" FREMAUX,
born April 20, 1921 in Crowley, Louisiana,
graduated from St. Joseph High School, in
Rayne, Louisiana, attended University of
Southwest Louisiana from August, 1938 to
November, 1940. Called to active duty with
the Louisiana National Guard in November,
1940. Was accepted for Cadet pilot training,
Army Air Corps in summer of 1942.
Received wings at Foster Field, Victoria,
Texas, class of 43-G. Trained in Thunderbolt
at Dale Mabry Field, Tallahassee, Florida.
Shipped overseas in November, 1943.
Assigned to 356th Fighter Group, 361
Fighter Squadron, 8th Air Force, Martlesham Heath, Ipswich, England. Destroyed
two enemy aircraft and damaged one in air to
air combat. Was Flight Commander with
rank of Captain.
Most memorable combat experience happened in the summer of 1944 while on a
bombing and strafing mission over France,
when my wingman was hit with a direct burst
of 88-MM fire and I got the fragments from
it which caused considerable damage to my
"Jug," the "SWAMP ANGEL." I got back to
my base OK, but when I approached for a
landing I was advised that only one wheel of
my landing gear was down. I tried in vain to
get the other wheel down, or the wheel that
was down, up. This being impossible, I was
advised by my C.O. to either bailout or if I
wanted to try to bring it in on one wheel, to
go to the emergency bomber base a few miles
away, which I did. The Thunderbolt being
built like a tank, gave me very little trouble in
the landing and I walked away without a
scratch. Captain Don Strait, (the leading ace
in our Group), followed me in on the landing
and when he saw that I was alright, he flew
back to the home base and returned in a Jeep
to pick me up.
I received the usual Air Medal with three
clusters and the D.F.C. with two Clusters.
Total combat time was 296 Hours.
Since the war I have been in the farm
equipment and hardware and appliance business and also farming. I served two four year
terms in the Louisiana Legislature, from
1952 to 1960. I did not run for a third term.
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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