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Frank H. Peppers
FRANK H. PEPPERS, born June 2,
1919 Brooklyn, New York. Attended polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, from which he
enlisted as an Aviation Cadet in 1941 before
Pearl Harbor. Training in the southeast, class
of 41.F and commissioned at Spence Field,
South Carolina July 3, 1942. First assignment was with the 56th Fighter Group, 63rd
Fighter Squadron based at Mitchel Field,
Long Island, New York, one of the first Air
Force Groups to receive the P-47B Thunderbolt from Republic Air Craft at Farming.
dale, Long Island. Arrived in England with
the 56th Fighter Group, January 6, 1943,
assigned to 8th Air Force, where after several
months of additional training, went on combat to fly high altitude escort with the B-17's
in the Air Offensive over Europe. Finishing
one tour of duty with 75 missions, just prior
to D-Day, transferred to the 9th Air Force.
Assigned to the 362nd Fighter Group, 377th
Fighter Squadron to fly in the battles of
Normandy, Ardennes, Rhineland, Central
Europe and Southern France. With his group
attached to General Patton's 3rd Army, he
flew close support missions before and during
the battle of the Bulge, bombing, strafing,
and destroying tanks, trains, tunnels and
bridges. Credited with 21 bridges destroyed,
he was considered top bridge buster of the 9tb
Air Force. He remained in combat till the end
of hostilities in Europe, at which time his
group was ordered to the Asiatic theater of
operations, enroute, Japan surrendered and
he and his group returned to the U.S.A.
Flying over 170 missions and having been a
lead pilot and a Group Operations officer
with the 362nd Fighter Group, was awarded
the Distinguished Unit Citation with 2 Oak
Leaf Clusters, Distinguished Flying Cross
with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, Air Medal with 19
Oak Leaf Clusters and French Croix De
Guerre with Silver Star.
Released from Active duty as a Major,
September 25, 1945 to return to civilian life
where he entered the printing business. Married Grace Seitz, June 19, 1948 and has two
sons, Robert and Jeffrey. Charter member of
the P.47 Thunderbolt Pilots Association,
56th Fighter Group Association and 362nd
Fighter Group Association.
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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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