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Curtiss H. Gruye
CURTISS H. GRUYE, born November 7, 1919 in Minneapolis, Minnesota but
spent the next 19 years at Sioux Lookout,
Ontario, Canada. Two of those years working
at hardrock gold mining. He reclaimed his
American citizenship June 1939 and moved
to Seattle, Washington and worked around at
open pit gold mining, to drill operator and
powder monkey on road construction and
steel warehouseman. He joined the Army Air
Corps May 1942. High aerial gunnery scorer
at Matagorda Island for his class of 43-H'.
Commissioned at Aloe A.A.F., Victoria, Texas. Assigned to P-47's at Westover A.A.F. in
322nd Squadron, 326th Group which
moved to Goldsboro, North Carolina. He
became a charter member of the infamous
"D" Flight of Richmond, Virginia then to
Bluethenthal Field, Wilmington, North Carolina as Aerial Gunnery Instructor. Attended
the Air Corps Instrument Flying school at
Bryan, Texas (saved his ass/life many times
over). Completed in three 1st Fighter Command Gunnery Competitions. Assigned to
34th Fighter Squadron, 413th Fighter
Group with P47-N. - to the Pacific Theater
- began combat flying from Saipan against
Truk flew the 1500 miles over water to Ie
Shima. Flew 23 missions against Japan with
bombs, rockets strafe napalm, search and
destroy, escort and Barrier Patrol. He had
the foresight to buy a 16mm Magazine Load
Movie Camera and has excellent color film to
document the P47-N and 413th Fighter
Group in action. Vividly recalls one special
compressibility dive from 34000' to 7000'
and pull thru the bottom at 1200' over the
island of Tinian. That rugged P47-N had shed
many parts and severely wrinkled the Wing
and horizontal stabilizer fillets. Left active
duty in September 1946. Volunteered back
to an active duty career in 1950 for the
Korean conflict with assignments.
1950 - 1951 Reese A.F.B. Lubbock, Texas, S.E. Flight Instructor of Cadets; to 1953
Goose Bay Labrador - Air Transportation
Officer; to 1957Hamilton A.F.B. - Ops.
Squadron Commander;to 1958 Ramstein
Germany, Support Squadron Commander; to
1959 Phorzheim, Germany, Station Commander; to 1960 Ramstein, Germany, Ops
Squadron Commander; to 1964 Kingsley
Field, Oregon, Material Squadron Commander; to 1965 Nape Newenham, Alaska,
Radar site Commander; to 1966 Paine Field,
Washington, Executive Officer; to 1968
Spokane Int. Airport, Radar Squadron Commander; to 1971 Zaragoza A.B., Spain, Dep.Base Commander; to 1972 TansonNut A.B.,
Saigon, VietNam Director of Ops. and Training; to 1975 McChord A.F.B., Washington
Director of logistics;
Retired Lt. Colonel with 33 years of service. Living in Tacoma, Washington enjoying
the hunting, fishing and cruising.
Decorations.
Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal with 2
Oak Leaf Clusters, Air Force Commendation
Medal with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster, Asiatic Pacific Combat Medal with 4, American Campaign
Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Air
Force Reserve Medal, National Defense Service Medal with 1, Small Arms Expert Marksman, Armed Forces Longevity Service Award
with 1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster, VietNam
Service Medal, Air Force Outstanding Unit
Award
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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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