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Ralph Daniel Hixson
RALPH DANIEL HIXSON. His flying career began in the spring of 1941 at a
small airport at Wooster, Ohio, operated by
Walter Shuey. He received his Private Pilot
License in September, 1941 and was drafted
in the regular Army, January 19, 1941
spending the next two years training in Texas
and with a Military Police Unit at San Juan,
Puerto Rico and Kingston, Jamaica. He
transferred to the Army Air Corps and
received his wings and commission at Craig
Field, Selma, Alabama, on August 4, 1944.
From there, he was sent to Richmond, Va.
RAAB and trained as a Fighter Pilot and flew
the P-47 Thunderbolt. He flew with the
466th FIGHTER SQUADRON, 508th
FIGHTER GROUP in the Pacific and was
discharged December 10, 1945 at San Antonio, Texas.
After eight years as Chief Pilot and Flight
Instructor with Tuscarawas County Aviation, Inc., New Philadelphia, Ohio, he
became an executive pilot spending the next
three years flying for several different companies. He flew for Glenn Dye at Steubenville Aero Service, Steubenville-Pier Airport,
Steubenville, Ohio - Five Point Coal Co.
out of Akron, Ohio - V.N. Holderman and
Sons, Columbus, Ohio. He also did some
Flight Instructing for Showalter Flying Service, Orlando, Florida.
He started with the Federal Aviation
Administration in January, 1959 as a Flight
Inspector and was still flying until his death
in January, 1979 of a heart attack. The 20
years with the FAA was spent mostly in the
Central Region, South Bend, Indiana with
three years at the GADO at Dupage County
Airport, Chicago area.
He held Flight Instructor ratings, single
and multiengine, instrument also Airline
Transport Pilot rating and a sea plane rating,
and was well known in the South Bend-Ft.
Wayne-Chicago area and of course, the Ohio
area where he taught so many to fly.
He was a charter member of the P-47
Thunderbolt Pilots Asso. and a member of the
Quietbirdman, Ft. Wayne, Indiana Hanger.
An excellent marksman, he enjoyed fishing and his real love, golf. Married November 8, 1941 to Louise Major Hixson at Wooster,
Ohio and had two children, Barbara Jo Crosson, Chicago, Ill. and Murray Steven Hixson, Winter Park, Florida. He was buried at Woos-
ter Ohio Cemetery.
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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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