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John B. Percy
JOHN B. PERCY, born February 15,
1924, in Bloomington, Illinois. Graduated
from Bloomington, High School, 1942. He
enlisted as an Aviation Cadet in 1942 and
trained in Class 44-F. Graduated and Commissioned a Flight Officer at Spence Field,
Moultrie, Ga. Was assigned to flying AT-6,
and P-40's prior to entering the P-47 flight
training at Richmond, Va., and Gunnery at
Norfolk, Va. Upon completion was assigned
to the 324th Fighter Group, 315th Fighter
Squadron, stationed in France, March 1945.
He flew a total of 250 hours in the P-47 of
which 75 hours were in combat, Dive Bombing destroying Railroads, Trains, Munitions,
Supply Routes, Bridges and escorting B-26
Bombers over Germany. In April 1945 was
assigned TDY to the 10th Armored Tank
Division as a Forward Air Controller, calling
for P-47 Air Support in Germany and Austria, till the War ended in Germany, May
1945. Returned to the United States in July
1945, then discharged in May 1946. He
returned to Bloomington, Illinois, to some
farming and continued to pursue the flying
game, Ferrying Aircraft, Crop Dusting, Company Pilot, "Steak-n-Shake, Inc.," then graduated from the Air Force Flight Instructors
School, Graig AFB, Selma, Ala., as a Civilian
Flight Instructor, Instructing Aviation
Cadets, Stallings AFB Kinston, N.C., when
recalled to Active Duty in January 1953.
The Active Duty assignments were Bases in
Texas, Illinois, Massachusetts, California,
3rd Bomb Wing, Johnson AFB Japan, 20th
Tac Fighter Wing, Wethersfield, England.
These duties included besides flying, Alert
Aera Commander, Base Operations Officer,
Administrative Officer and Flight Test Pilot
on C-45, C-119, T.33, T-29 and C.47 Aircraft. He retired from Active Duty with 20
Years service 1 December 1969, as Lt. Colonel, was awarded the Air Medal, Good Con.
duct Ribbon, Commendation Medal.
Returned to Bloomington, Illinois, December 1969 and began flying for State Farm
Insurance Companies, present position as
Chief Pilot on Turbo.Prop Aero Commander
and Learjet 35A. Have flown for some 38
years in 30 different types of aircraft and
accumulated over 11,500 hours. He married
Hilda Lou Harper in 1945 and have two
children Pat and Bill.
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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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