Carl H. Johnson
CARL H. JOHNSON "JUNIOR",
graduated in class 44-C, Marianna, Fla. Went
through P-40 RTU at Thomasville, Ga.
Checked out in the jug at Selfridge Field,
Mich.; a one hour and 10 minute flight on
the 28th of November, 1944. Age was 20
and I looked it, hence the "junior."
I was in the 414th Fighter Group which
formed at Selfridge at that time. I was in the
437th: the other squadrons were the 456th
and the 413th. We went to IWO JIMA,
where my first flight was on the 27th of July,
1945. The next day I flew local, testing a
belly tank for use in our long range flights to
Japan. My first (and only) flight to Japan was
to Takamatsu on August eighth, 1945. We
carried rockets against ground targets, no
enemy aircraft sighted. These very long
range VLR missions were from ten to eleven
hours long. Fortunately, the Jug N cockpit
was roomy and we sat on inflated wheel-chair
cushion tubes on top of that dinghy.
I was lucky indeed to stay operational in
fighters throughout 90% of my career. I
flew F-86's at K-55 in Korea (just alter the
truce) in 1954; I sat nuclear alert in Turkey
in the F-100 in 1965; and I got the "whole
nine yards" of a combat tour in Vietnam, at
Tuy Hoa, in 1967 when I was squadron CO
of an outstanding F-100 unit, the 308th
Emerald Knights.
After my Pentagon tours with the Air Staff
and with the Joint Chiefs, I opted for retirement after 31 plus years with a terminal assignment as Deputy for Operations of the
602nd Tactical Control Group, Bergstrom
AFB, Austin, TX.
I am now happily retired at Sun Lakes,
Arizona.
Pilot Name
|
Biography Summary
|
John Abbotts
|
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.
|
Asa A. Adair
|
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.
|
Edward B. Addison
|
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.
|
Levon B. Agha-Zarian
|
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.
|
George N. Ahles
|
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.
|
Roy J. Aldritt
|
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.
|
Eugene J. Amaral
|
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.
|
Talmadge L. Ambrose
|
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.
|
John C. Anderson
|
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.
|
William Anderson
|
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.
|
|
|