|
Robert H. Powell
ROBERT H. POWELL, JR., born
in Wilcoe, W.Va. on November 21,1920,
Robert H. "Punchy" Powell (the nickname
came from early Golden Gloves boxing days)
spent his boyhood in the coalfields deep in
the mountains of southern W.Va. He was
attending West Virginia University when the
Japanese struck Pearl Harbor, so he and his
best friend hitch-hiked to Pikeville, Ky. to
take the aviation cadet exam. By March,
1942 he was an Aviation Cadet enroute to
Santa Anna, Calif. for basic military training.
After flight training in PT -13s at Oxnard,
BT-13s at Gardner Field, and AT-6s at Luke
Field, where he got his wings with Class 43-A,
he went to Cross City, Fla. for a brief transition in P-47 s. April found him aboard the "Avant Pasteur" England-bound for the
Mighty 8th Air Force. Joining the 352nd
Fighter Group at Bodney, he flew some 83
combat missions in Jugs and Mustangs (the
Group switched to P-51s in April, 1944),
where he ran up an unofficial score of six
destroyed, two probables, and seven damaged
(later changed in official records to 4-6-7),
including destruction of the first HE-177.
In addition to bomber escort missions, he
flew numerous ground-support, train-busting, and airfield strafing sorties and was battle-damaged on five different missions.
His awards include the Distinguished Flying
Cross with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Air
Medal with three O.L.C.s, and the Presidential Unit Citation as a member of the 352nd F.G. Returning Stateside, he married his hometown sweetheart in January, 1945 and was assigned to Fighter Test at Wright-Patterson
AFB in Dayton, Oh. At war's end, he
returned to WVU to earn his B.S. degree in
Journalism in 1947.
He worked as a newspaper reporter -
photographer - feature writer 9n the Roanoke World-News and later became Advertising Assistant for the N&W Railway in Roanoke, Va. before being "retreaded" for the Korean War to fly Mustangs again. Four
more military years included fighter gunnery
assignments at Nellis AFB, NV and Wright-Patterson AFB with the Air Force Exhibit Group, later serving as an AFROTC instructor at Grove City College, Pa.
Separating again from the service in 1954,
he returned to the N&W as Advertising
Manager. In 1956, he moved to Atlanta, Ga.
with McGraw-Hill Publishing Co. and is
currently Regional Manager for Technical
Publishing Company's business publications
in the Southeast. Bob and Betty have three
children-Robert, Linda and Betsy – and make their home in Atlanta, GA.
|
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.
|
|
|