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Edward T. Pawlak
EDWARD T. PAWLAK, born in
Chicago, Illinois, April 2, 1921. Entered
military service April 7, 1942. Pre-Flight,
Santa Ana, Calif. Primary- Visalia, Calif.
Basic-Merced, Calif. Graduated and com-
missioned Luke Field, Arizona, June 22,
1943, Class of 43F. First assignment Hamilton Field, Calif., West Coast Defense Command flying P-39's. Joined the 382nd
Fighter Squadron 363 Group, when it
formed in Santa Rosa, Calif., August 1943.
Went to England as part of the 9th Air Force
assigned to 8th Air Force. Checked out in
P-51 's, flying 54 missions out of England and
France. Initially bomber escort and later
fighter sweeps, dive bombing and strafing. In
Sept. 1944 the 363rd was converted to
Photo Recce., its pilots being transferred to
other units. He was transferred to the 405th
Fighter Group 510th Fighter Squadron
flying P-47's and flew twenty missions more
bombing and strafing before returning to the
U.S. in January 1945. Next assignment
Training Command at Aloe Field, Victoria,
Texas; later transferred to Ferrying Command, Long Beach, Calif. July 1945- In
Sept. 1946 sent to Wheeler Field, Hawaii,
and then to Guam flying P-47N's. Survived
a mid-air collision with another P-51 and also
a dunking in the English Channel. Returned
to the U.S. in Jan. 1947 and released from
active duty as a Major. Remained in active
reserves as a Lieutenant Colonel until retirement.
Decorations include Distinguished Flying
Cross with Cluster, Air Medal with 11 Clusters and Unit Citation with Cluster. ;
Married Shirley Firlinger Sept. 10, 1949,
and has two married daughters, Patti Carter
and Kathy Ridge, and two granddaughters.
Was a professional hand engraver for thirty
years. Now living in Prescott, Arizona, he is
the foreman of a plastics company.
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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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