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Earl W. Kenrick, Jr.
EARL W. KENRICK, JR., the elder son of a WW I Flying Jenny crew chief, was born 9 May 1921 in Aurora, Ill. At age eight,
he decided to be an aviator. Following graduation from Onaway (Mich.) High School, he
attended Central Michigan University briefly before enlisting in the USAAC. He began
his military career as a clerk-typist on 17 Jan.
1941, and retired as Aircraft Commander on
31 Dec. 1965 with the rank of lieutenant
colonel.
"Ken" received his wings and commission
at Foster Field, Victoria, Tex., in the Class of
42-1. After training in P-40's, he joined 77
other pilots aboard the aircraft carrier Ranger. After eleven days at sea, on 24 Feb. 1943,
they took off from the Ranger in new P-40L's
for the 300-mile flight to Cares Airport,
Casablanca, French Morocco. Coincidentally, Ken's Dad, CEM, Seabees, was at the
airport that day and was on the wing of his
son's plane before the prop wound down.
Ken joined the 60th Ftr. Sqdn., 33rd Ftr.
Gp. at Sbietla, Tunisia. The primary mission
was dive bombing and strafing with occasional escort missions for B-25, B-26 and A-20
bombers. After 87 combat missions through
North Africa, Sicily and Italy, Ken returned
to the States in Jan. 1944 and was assigned to
Fighter OTU's. He was released from active
duty in Aug. 1945 but remained in the active
reserve.
On 25 July 1950, after being co-owner
with his his father and manager of a northern
Michigan flying facility, Ken was ordered to
active duty and assigned as flight instructor
in Air Training Command.
Three years later he was transferred to
ADC as an all-weather interceptor pilot. In
May 1954 he was re-assigned to Japan where
he spent a three-year tour. Other assignments
included duties as Aircraft Commander on
SAC KC-97's and MATS C-133's'. His awards
are Air Medal (seven Oak Leaf Clusters),
PUC, EAMECM (three Battle Stars) ADSM,
NATDEFSM, KSM, UNSM, AFRESM,
VMWWII, ACM, VNSM, AFLSA (two Oak
Leaf Clusters).
Following his retirement, Ken flew commercially for seven years, doubling his military flying hours for a total of 9,050. In May 1975 he became a Life Member of the P-47
Thunderbolt Pilots Association. Ken has
three sons, Steven, James and Richard, and
five grandchildren, by his former marriage to
Margaret House. On 30 June 1961 he married Jane Blix Potter at Selfridge AFB Chapel. They presently reside in San Antonio, Tex.
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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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