Merwin F. Read
MERWIN F. READ, JR., born
Detroit, 21 July 1923. An eleventh birthday
gift ride in a Lockheed Vega at Detroit City
Airport primed an ambition to be a pursuit
pilot. His chance came at age 18 when he
qualified as an Aviation Cadet, enlisted in the
Army Air Corps in May, 1942 and left for
Jefferson Barracks, Mo. for basic training.
To get out of there, he volunteered for
training as an Aircraft Gunner but was ineligible because his records were stamped, "Qualified as Aviation Cadet". Nevertheless,
he did attend A&E Mechanics School in
Kansas City, Mo. and, following graduation,
was sent to New Orleans Army Air Base
where, still waiting and hoping to become an
Aviation Cadet, he rose to the rank of Acting
First Sergeant. Although officially a buck
Private, he "ran" a Detachment of 300 men.
Finally, after considerable bugging about his
"lost" records, he made it to SAACC in San
Antonio, as Aviation Cadet, Class 44-B.
He graduated from Single Engine
Advanced Flying School at Foster Field,
Texas on schedule but got stuck there as an
Instructor in AT.6's. He occasionally flew
P-40's and finally talked Lt. Col. Taute,
Operations and Training Officer, into letting
him fly their one P-47C. Read will never
forget that thrilling, fantastic flight on 18
July 1944! Unfortunately, accustomed to
the floating AT-6's and P-40's, the sink rate
of the Jug surprised him and he landed a bit
hard, the right tire blew, and he coasted to a
stop in the grass. No other damage was
sustained but Taute was so angry that he came
tearing out to Lt. Read in a jeep and grounded
the Jug right then and there. That Jug never
flew again.
Lt. Read's next flight in a Jug came when
he checked out in a new P47D.25 on 5 May
1945, transitioning into Jugs at Dalhart,
Texas. From his final RTU at Abilene, Texas,
based on top gunnery scores of 25.8% 0/ A,
56.0% Rec. in Air-to-Air and 25.3% 0/ A,
32.5% Rec. in Air-to-Ground, Read was the
single replacement chosen to join a group of
30 Jug pilots leaving Hamilton Field, Calif.
for the Far East. He joined the 69th Sqdn. of
the 58th Ftr. Gp. at Porac Strip, Luzon,
Phillippines in July, 1945 finally set to fly
and to fight a war!
Enter the "Small World" phenomenon.
The 69th's Assistant Ops Officer recognized
Lt. Read as the Upperclassman who had given
him a hot foot in Primary flight training at
Cimmaron Field, Okla. for napping on the
flight line. In unforgiving retaliation, he
scheduled missions so Read flew combat once
for every new Jug he brought back from
Biak, New Guinea. Combat missions were
hard to come by. Consequently, Read was
spending the night on the island of Morotai,
ferrying a new Jug from Biak on 10 August
1945, when news of the Armistice was broadcast. With only 5 combat missions in, Lt. Read was so disgusted that the war was over,
he rolled over and went back to sleep.
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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