Don Kane
DON KANE was assigned to Hawaii
right out of advanced and in adjoining fighter
squadrons there. We had a little feud going on
there with the 333rd. I don't know how the
feud started but it probably got started on the
basis of "Iron Claw". Now you guys may not
recognize the name "iron claw" but probably
had another name for it. It was medicinal
alcohol and any kind of juice handy. Whatever you called it - purple passion or what
have you. In order to have an iron claw party,
naturally for the whole squadron to have it,
you had to be grounded, so consequently -
since we had to have 16 planes on alert at all
times, another squadron would bring in 16
pilots and sit them in your ready room while
you had a party. So they knew about our
party. Well, the next morning they always
had dawn patrol, and at 6 o'clock in the
morning when you're laying in your bunk
and your head is so fat you can't get it out of
the door. Down they would come, in about a
16 ship strength, with full prop pitch -
right up to the hilt and tear the shingles right
off your house. So you'd say "those dirty
bastards, we're going to get them the next
time." So you do the same thing to them.
Well, this continued for quite awhile with the
333rd. Finally one day, we thought - we
got another idea.
So we found a bag of manure, put it in the
cockpit with a pilot - took it over their
runway and dropped it - bing - right in
the middle of the runway just to show them
what we thought of them. Thought this was
very appropriate. Unfortunately, about an
hour later, one of their planes came over our
field and out of the plane came this message
streamer (a little can with the streamer tied to
it). We all ran out and picked up this message
and opened it up and the message said "gentlemen, we regret to inform you that approximately an hour ago, one of your aircraft flew
over our field, and unfortunately your squadron commander fell out and fell all over our
runway. We have his remains and will deliver
them to you shortly."
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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