W. H. Readshaw
CAPTAIN W.H.READSHAW
Started my flying career in the Army Air
Force, May, 1942, when I completed all my
tests to enter the Aviation Cadet Program.
Married Virginia Kiblen after completing
Cadet School (November 10, 1943).
The names of Victor Cabas and Richard
Williams are former fellow pilots in my
squadron.
I attended flight training in the Southeast
Training Command, graduated in the class of
43J, from Napier Field, Dothan, Alabama, and assigned as a fighter pilot whereas
my first flight in the P-47 was at Richmond,
Va., where I completed my transition in the
P-47 , assigned to gunnery school at Millville,
N.J., and left for overseas duty in February,
1944, and assigned to the 48th Fighter
Group, 494th Fighter Squadron, 9th Air
Force. I flew 83 missions, mostly dive bombing missions resulting the DFC and Air Medal with 14 clusters.
After returning to the states I was assigned
as Instructor in AT-6 advance training school
at Merced Air Force Base, Merced, CA, and
then to Aloe Army Air Base, Victoria, Texas
and then to Big Spring Army Air Field, Big
Spring, Texas, for training in the AT-11
whereas I was discharged in September,
1945.
I then flew in the reserve program in AT-6
and then joined the Pennsylvanian Air
National Guard in 1947 and checking out in
the P-47N then in the P-51H and then
P-51D. I joined the Ohio National Guard in
1952 and was placed on inactive reserve
May, 1958.
I started at the Ohio Edison Co., Public
Electric Utility, in November, 1945, and am
now the District Manager of the Andover
District Office.
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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