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Edward P. Neyland
EDWARD P. NEYLAND, born Beeville, Texas, March 10, 1924, reared in
nearby Kenedy. Flying career began 1940,
age 16, soloed Piper J-3 Cub. Graduated
Kennedy High School 1942, enlisted as Aviation Cadet, graduated Class of 43.G, Mission,
Texas. Assigned Tallahassee, Fla., for P-47
training; then to replacement base at Shrewsbury, England; and on to 56th Group, 61st
Sqn. - the "Zemke Wolfpack" - Halesworth, England.
His second mission was almost his last
when a ME-109 sneaked up behind him and
riddled his Thunderbolt with 20mm cannon
fire. Nineteen-year-old Lt. Neyland was able
to guide his badly crippled ship back to an
emergency landing at his English base where
he received the Purple Heart and Air Medal.
He completed his 300-hour, 84-mission
combat tour, strafing and bombing bridges,
truck and tank convoys, airfields, trains,
barges and fuel dumps, and escorting heavy
bombers over Germany. He was officially
credited with destroying four enemy aircraft
and probably destroying two more. He was
awarded the DFC twice, the Air Medal eight
times, the Purple Heart, and two Presidential
Unit Citations.
After completing his combat tour, he
instructed in P-47s in England, then
returned to the U.S. and flew P-39s and
P-63s at Yuma, and was instructing in P-47s
at Abilene, Texas, on VJ Day.
Leaving active duty in 1945, he entered
Texas University in Austin, majoring in business administration, staying active in the Air
Force Reserve flying P-51s. Later, he joined
a family business as an International Harvestor farm machinery dealer for seven years.
That business was sold, and he built and
operated a motel until he returned to flying,
joining American Airlines as a co-pilot in
1956. Based first in Cleveland and later in
Dallas, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, he
has flown out of New York since 1960 and
has piloted CV-240s, DC-6s, DC-7s, L-188s,
BAC-111s, B-707s, B-727, and currently
commands DC-10s between New York and
California.
He lives in Connecticut with his wife Mary
Jo, whom he married in 1948. They have
three grown children - Bob, Jane, and
Janet.
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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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