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Laurence C. Parfitt
LAURENCE C.PARFITT LARRY
enlisted in the Army Air Corps in December
1942. He completed pilot training and was
commissioned a 2nd Lt. at Craig Field Ala.
bama at the age of 19 in June 1944. He
served during WW II as an instructor in the
BT-13.
Discharged in 1945, he new with the
Reserve in Mississippi (AT-11, T-6 and P-51)
then the Maryland Air National Guard (T-.6,
P-47) and later with the Georgia Air National
Guard (T-6,P-47,and F-80). As a civilian,
Larry also attended college, worked as a flight
instructor, crop dusting pilot and radio
announcer.
Recalled to active duty in 1950, he flew
100 fighter-bomber missions in the F-80
with the 51st Fighter Wing in Korea. Later,
with various ADC fighter squadrons in the
CONUS he new the T-28, T-33, F-86D, E, F
and L. In 1954, on duty with the US Navy's
famous VF -11 "Red Rippers," he accumulated 91 carrier landings in the F2H4 Banshee aboard the USS Coral Sea.
Again with the 51st Fighter Wing, from
1958.1961 on Okinawa, he new the T-33,
F-86D and F-102. After returning to the
CONUS he new the T-33 and T-39 at
AndrewsAFB while on duty with HQ USAF.
He served as Senior Duty Officer with 7th AF
HQ in Vietnam in 1968-1969 in support of
the out.country air war. Back in the CONUS
he was a T-39 IP and FE while serving as
Chief, Operations and Training Division, 1st
Composite Wing, Andrews AFB.
Larry completed Squadron Officers
School, Command and Staff College,
Advanced Survival School and Jet Gunnery
Instructors School. Additionally he received
his BS degree from Syracuse University in
1958 under the AFIT Program and his MS
degree from George Washington University
in 1971 under Project Boot Strap.
Larry was medically retired in 1976 and
underwent triple coronary bypass surgery in
1977. He currently works as a consultant for
a technical and professional placement service in Virginia. His hobbies are fishing,
whitewater rafting and building and flying
radio controlled model airplanes. He is married to the former Jane Vance of Sycamore,
Georgia. They have four sons.
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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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