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Gerald J. Grace
 GERALD J. GRACE (JERRY), born Sept. 14, 1921, Sioux Falls, So. Dakota. Joined aviation cadet program from St. John's Univ., Collegeville, Minn., where flying career began in Piper Cubs at St. Cloud Airport. Was assigned to class 43-K, Gulf Coast Training Command, with training at Cuero, Waco and graduating at Moore Field, Texas. Assigned then to Venice, Fla. for P-47 RTU. Part of a contingent of 62 Jug pilots who were transported to Liverpool, England on OMS Mauratania, April 1944. Via Shrewsbury, England for a little more Jug time, joined 396th, Ftr. Sqdn, 368th Ftr. Gp. at Chilbolten Fld., Southampton. Moved to A-3, Grandcamp, France not long after D-Day.
Flew 96 missions with 396th. One fifth ace with one confirmed FW-190. Shot down by ground flak near Soissons, France, Aug. 31,1944 in Germany held territory. Evaded to 1st Inf. Div, transported to Armentierres QY American Red Cross Ambulance back to Laon, France exactly 24 hours after being shot down, setting a new record for passing thru Paris.
After return to ZI, assigned to Air Transport Command at Dallas, Ft. Totten and Westover Fld. Joined Gen. Tunner's initial cadre to Berlin Airlift Task Force, Weisbaden, Germany, 1948. Flew C-47 andC-54 and performed Personnel and Adm. duties in Airlift Hdqts. After the Airlift, assigned to Kindley Field, Bermuda as personnel officer and C.54 aircraft commander with Air Transport Sqdn.
Again returning from tour in Bermuda was assigned to Palm Beach AFB with 1740 Air Transport Sqdn, MATS transport training unit. After this tour entered B-47 training program and spent five years at Abilene, Tex. During B-47 tour performed temporary assignments in Guam, Anchorage, Alaska, and Greenham Common Air Base, England. As B.47 was phased out, transitioned into B-52 at Castle AFB. Assigned to Grand Forks, AFB, No. Dak. with all new B-52H and completed 21 years active duty, and retired Feb. 1963. Have lived since then in Glendale, Arizona.
Married Marjorie Ackerman of White Plains, N.Y. in 1945. Have four boys and five girls. A warded Distinguished Flying Cross w /olc, Air Medal w /15olc, Army and AF Commendation Ribbons, Berlin Airlift Device and associated Airlift ribbons, Belgian Croix de Guerre w /palm. Currently flying.
Own full IFR equipped Cessna 172, Skyhawk.
Gerald J. "Gracie" Grace. Flew 92 missions with the 396th FS, 368th FG.
Photos courtesy Tim Grace, 368th FG Association Historian/Author, and son of Gerald Grace.
Gerald J. "Gracie" Grace beside his mount "MARGIE"
C2-Z, named after his girl back home.
"He went home and married her, my mother!" - Tim Grace
1st Lts. Gerald J. Grace and Robert Howie of the
396th FS, 368th FG, receive their first DFCs.
Gerald Gracie at Strip A-3, Cardonville, France
1st Lt. Gerald J. Grace and his crew chief S/Sgt. Charles E. Metzler
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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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