Howard C. Mitchell
HOWARD C. MITCHELL, born in
Scranton, Pennsylvania, in 1921, and graduated from Milton High School, Nilton, Massachusetts, in 1940. He entered the U.S.
Army Air Corps in 1942. He was commissioned and received pilot wings at Napier
Field, Dothan, Alabama, in 1943, Class 43J.
He completed P-47 fighter transition at
Army Air Field, Perry, Florida.
He was assigned to the 57th Fighter
Group, 65th Fighter Squadron, 12th Air
Force, just in time to move from Naples to
Corsica and participate in the opening round
of "Operation Strangle", the first attempt at
sustained interdiction by the U.S. Army Air
Corps, and the first time that a single fighter
group was designated as a task force. All
missions were fighter-bomber, excepting an
occasional request for medium-bomber
escort. The 57th had field modified their new
Thunderbolts to fighter-bomber configuration in late 1943, and had pioneered the
application of the P-47 as a fighter-bomber.
The remarkable success of the P-47 during
the first few months of "Operation Strangle"
was a strong factor in the decision to convert
major P-47 production to fighter-bombers.
The 57th turned its attention to the support of the Invasion of Southern France
during Summer 1944, and then returned to
Italy in order to provide close support for the
U.S. 5th Army. It was here that "Rover Joe"
was born, a Jeep-mobile command post that
was the beginning of the Forward Air Controller business. Throughout this period of
1944, Mitchell flew 87 combat missions in
the Thunderbolt. He returned to the United
States early in 1945. He was tendered a
regular commission in 1947. He spent the
majority of his career in Air Force Systems
Command, culminating his active duty service by assignment as Chief of Staff, Air Force
Space and Missile Organization, and then as
Chief of Staff, Air Force Contract Management Division. He retired from the Air Force
in grade of Colonel in 1973.
He married Arleen Goode, Ensign, USCG,
at Navy Chapel, Key West, Florida, in 1945.
They have two children: son, Capt. (Maj.
elect) Douglas J. Mitchell, a TAC pilot, and
daughter, 1st Lt. Skye M. Mitchell, a SAC
Navigator.
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.
|
|
|