|
Roland E. Peterson
ROLAND E. PETERSON, born
April 29, 1919 in Crosby, Minnesota. Went
to Brainerd High School. Volunteer for military draft February, 1941. Quarter Master Corp until November 1941 enlisted in Air
Force at March Field, California then in
Cadets, West Coast Training Command, Santa Ana, Hemet, Lancaster, Luke Field, class of 43-G. Got 10 hours in P-40's at Luke.
Fighter training in Florida, Venice and Fort
Myers, P-39's, P-47's. Assigned to 405th
Fighter Group, 509th Squadron in South
Carolina.
Over seas Spring of 1944, based on South
Coast of England at Christchurch; then in
France near St. Mere Eglise. Front line
works, dive bombing, strafing. Shot up twice
by ground fire, once dive bombing a bridge
near St. Lo, engine was hit - oil loss, made a
dead stick into a new front line air strip.
Second time got a small explosive shell in
leading edge of right wing, shell belts broke
and powder piled up all over, no fire though.
We had strafed a train and as I pulled up the
wing got hit and as I passed over the locomotive the wing scraped the top of the cab. Got back to base O.K., new wing put on next day.
Third time downed on fire, Joe O'Neil and I
had dove into heavy clouds after sixteen
FW-190's. Joe ended up with a bullet bruise
on right shoulder, parachute harness was cut,
he returned to base and landed left handed. I
bailed out on fire over Landivy, France, got
a few burns, hidden by French for three days
until troops came into town. Hospitalized and
grounded a month. Flew seven more missions, total 66. Returned to States December 1944. Married in 1945 to Alice Lind of
Negaunee, Michigan. Have three daughters,
Lorraine, Lois, and Beth. Making a living as
a carpenter in Marquette, Michigan.
|
Pilot Name
|
Biography Summary
|
|
John Abbotts
|
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.
|
|
Asa A. Adair
|
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.
|
|
Edward B. Addison
|
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.
|
|
Levon B. Agha-Zarian
|
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.
|
|
George N. Ahles
|
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.
|
|
Roy J. Aldritt
|
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.
|
|
Eugene J. Amaral
|
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.
|
|
Talmadge L. Ambrose
|
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.
|
|
John C. Anderson
|
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.
|
|
William Anderson
|
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.
|
|
|