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Russell T. Kaufman
RUSSELL T. KAUFMAN, born February 17, 1919 in Louisville, Ky. Entered
the Army January 1942 and transferred to
the Air Force in May of 1942. Flight training was taken at Santa Ana for Pre-flight,
Cal-Aero for Primary, and Basic at Lancaster, California. He graduated from Luke
Field, Arizona in June 1943, class of 43-F.
He attended Instructor's School, Randolph
Field and Instrument School at Bryan, Texas.
He instructed at Gardener Field, Taft, California for ten months. Fighter transition into
P-40s at Luke Field and P-47 s at Strother
Field, Kansas.
Kaufman was assigned to the 362nd Fighter Group, 379th Fighter Sq. in the 9th Air Force. Primary objective of the Group was
with the 19th Tactical Air Force giving
ground support to Gen. Patton's 3rd Army
on it's drive across France.
Kaufman was shot down over Bastogne on
January 14, 1945, while strafing tanks and
gun positions. The next 97 days were spent in
POW camps in Gerolstien, Prum, Limburg,
Wetzlar, Frankfurt and Nurembourg, Germany. While being marched to Mooseburg,
Germany to another camp to avoid being
freed by the Army he escaped and traveled
across country for 3 days and was recaptured
while sleeping on a hillside and returned to
Nurembourg. While marching south of Nurembourg the POW column was strafed by
P-47 s being mistaken for German troops.
Kaufman was liberated on April 17, 1945
and returned to the states 10 days later. He
made the headlines of the Newport News in
Virginia because of his 7 inch long mustache.
After discharge in 1946 he entered college
and graduated with a teacher's credential and
has been teaching in Southern California
ever since. Still active in flying he holds an
instructor's rating and flies search and rescue
for the Civil Air Patrol in his 1947 Bonanza.
He has been married to Shirley Rau for 21
years and resides in Mentone, California just
outside Redlands, Calif. Kaufman has 6 Air
Medals the Purple Heart, Unit Citation and 4
battle stars.
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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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