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John Lightwine
JOHN LIGHTWINE, born in Mart,
Texas in 1920. He grew up in Fort Worth,
Texas -graduated from Arlington Heights
High School and attended Texas A&M College. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps in
1941, serving for a while in Charleston, S.C.
He entered the Aviation Cadet Training program in 1942 - graduating from Craig
Field, Ala. in Class 43-G. He was assigned to
the 53rd Fighter Squadron, 36th Group and
after 10 months of simulated attack on bomber aircraft at Biggs Field, Texas and Ainsworth, Neb., the Group was sent to the ETO.
He flew 36 missions (ground support and
some escort) until being clobbered by a tank
on a strafing pass. Nine months were spent as
a POW in Stalag Luft I. He returned to the
U.S. and went into the Federal Aviation
Administration (then C.A.A.). Recalled to
active duty to go argue about Korea, he flew
straight wing F-84s and was Chief of the Air
Traffic Control at K-2. He returned to the
F.A.A. in 1953 to Albuquerque, N.M. -
going to NORAD as liaison officer and then to
SAC as liaison to 2nd Air Force Hdqtrs. at
Barksdale Field, working out of the F.A.A.
Washington office. There he had the opportunity to fly the B-58. In 1971 he transferred to the Fort Worth Regional Office and
ultimately to the Albuquerque Air Traffic
Control Center where he served as Ass't Chief
until he retired in 1973. Since then he has
headed his own construction company specializing in adobe homes in the Corrales,
N.M. area. He was married to the former
Barbara Emslie in 1944 and they have three
children and three grandchildren.
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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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