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Robert W. Powell
ROBERT W. POWELL, born
November 17,1921, Ellwood City, Pennsylvania. Attended Albion College, Albion,
Michigan, 1940 and 1941. Enlisted as a
private in the Army Air Force following
Pearl Harbor. Graduated as an air mechanic
from Academy of Aeronautics, New York,
New York, July, 1942 and entered cadet
training Southeast Training Command,
graduating class of 43D and commissioned at
Selma, Alabama.
First assignment 58th Fighter Group,
311th Fighter Squadron, Green Field, Providence, Rhode Island, flying P-47's. Group assigned S.W.P.A. theater, arrived November 1943 and committed to operations starting at Port Moresby, New Guinea and followed an Island hopping journey that ended at Clark Field, Philippine Islands, June,1945.
He flew 158 combat missions that included close support, dive bombing attacks and cover for 4 major invasion operations, fighter sweeps on enemy shipping, strategic land targets and bomber escort missions. He was
rescued from a forced landing and two ditchings, one resulted in a night in the ocean. He participated in the memorable night attack
on a Japanese naval force off Mindoro Island,
December 26, 1944, when a group of fighters and medium bombers strafed and bombed a flotilla of two cruisers and six destroyers to
thwart their attack on air base installations.
Released from active duty on September
15, 1945 as a Captain, he became a franchized Dodge and Plymouth new car and
truck dealer in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania.
In 1957, he entered the real estate and
insurance business and has been sole proprietor of that business since 1963. He is a member of the National Association of Realtors with a CRS designation and a certified appraiser. A life member of the P-47 Thunderbolt Pilots Assn., he married Helen Bauder in 1943 and they have three children, Timothy, Susan and Zachery plus four grandchildren.
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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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