Wallace A. Hoftiezer
WALLACE A. HOFTIEZER, born
April 15, 1922 to parents running a small
dairy farm at Oostburg, Wisconsin, interrupted his education at University of Wisconsin for military service. He enlisted as an
Aviation Cadet in 1942, became active in
March 1943, trained with the class of 44A
and was commissioned at Eagle Pass, Texas.
Following fixed gunnery training at Eglin
Field, ten hours in P40's at Marianna Air
Base, tactical and gunnery training in the
"Jug" at Richmond/Norfolk, Virginia, he
transferred to the Mediterranean Theater in
May 1944 after 30 days crossing the Atlantic
in Convoy. He was assigned to .Twelfth Air
Force, 86th Fighter Group, 526th Squadron
equipped with North American A-36 fighters
at the time. Following check-out and orientation flights, however, the familiar "Jugs" arrived and his combat missions were flown in it.
The 86th, "Home of Rover Joe, the GI's
Friend," was committed to "Operation
Strangle" cutting supply lines to enemy
forces in Italy, supplied ground support and
air cover for the invasion of South France in
mid-August 1944, and in February 1945
was transferred to the 1st Tactical Air Force
supporting the race of U.S. 7th Army across
the Rhine. Hoftiezer flew 123 missions,
mostly dive bombing and strafing supply
routes, ammo dumps, troop concentrations,
airfields, bridges, trucks, trains, tunnels, and
close support attacks on tanks and gun
emplacements. Aerial skirmishes occurred on
only three or four missions and Hoftiezer
missed on the only shot he had at an FW190.
He was awarded the DFC with one Oak Leaf
Cluster, the Air Medal with 5 clusters and the
86th was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation.
Captain Hoftiezer was released from service December 5, obtained his BSME from the University of Wisconsin in '47, spent 10
years each at J.I. Case and Boeing Co. designing tractor engines and small gas turbines. He is currently a Senior Staff Engineer at Caterpillar Tractor Co. developing earthmoving equipment.
Since leaving the service, he re-met and
married former high school classmate, Myrtle Brethouwer. They have three sons (two Medical Doctors, one Veterinarian) one
daughter (a Captain in Army Nurse Corps
and married to an Army Major) and five
grandchildren to date.
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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