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George R. Gray
GEORGE R. GRAY, born June 3,
1920 near Williamsburg, Va. After graduation from high school was employed by Colonial Williamsburg Inc. In 1942 he enlisted as
an Aviation Cadet and graduated with the
class of 43K at single engine flight school,
Craig Field, Selma, Ala. December 1943
where he flew P40Ns. His first assignment
was the 83rd Group, Dover AFB, Del. where
the P-47 Thunderbolt became an integral
part of everyday, first as a student, then as
instructor. He accumulated 450 Jug hours
before being assigned to ETO joining the
366FG Hun Hunters and the 389th FS
(Varga Boys) at Y -29 in Belgium, eight miles
from the front. Lt. Gray participated in the
destruction of tanks, trucks, trains, troops,
barges, airfields and marshalling yards from
Muchen-Gladback to Berlin. Munster Germany became home base for the 366th prior
to the end of the war, when missions to Berlin
were commonplace. After Gray flew only
forty combat missions, Adolph couldn't take
it any more and gave up. Gray remained in
Germany for a year after the war in the Army
of Occupation, eventually becoming CO of
the 389th FS.
During the post war years, he became an
Aeronautical Engineer (Northrop Institute)
and was employed by NASA's Langley Laboratory in the Hydrodynamics Division, developing Hydrofoils and Hyrlroskiis for aircraft.
Capt. Gray was recalled June 1952 to active
duty in support of the Korean War as an
Armament Systems and Air Electronics Officer, serving in SAC and 5th Air Force before
joining the AF Systems Command's Satellite
Test Center, Sunnyvale, Calif. in November
1959, where he participated in the development of satellite flight operations for the
USAF. Prior to retiring in 1969 with the
rank of Lt. Colonel he served as Assistant for
Field Operations; Directorate of Special
Projects, Office of the Secretary of the Air
Force where he received the Legion of Merit
for service in the Aerospace field.
He joined the Space Systems Division of
Lockheed Missiles and Space Co. for the next
ten years, then January 1979 retired to the
Almaden golf links in San Jose, Calif. with his
wife, Anne and son, Tom.
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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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