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Richard P. Shaw
RICHARD P. SHAW, born in Kansas City, Mo., on December 30,1924 and grew up in the New York City area. He had one semester at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute prior to entering the service in April 1943. He received his wings as a member of 44-E at Napier Field, Alabama.
While Shaw was finishing P-47 OTU at Bluethenthal Field, Wilmington, NC the 413th Fighter Group was activated and Shaw was assigned to the 1st Fighter Squadron under Major R.F. Worley. The Group Commander was Col. H.R. Thyng. While most of the 2nd Lt's were, like Shaw, fresh out of OTU, the 1st Lt's and up were instructor pilots drawn from P-47 bases in the 1st Air Force, including Bluethenthal Field. There was a lot of P-47 experience in the 413th right from its inception.
The 413th was equipped with the P-47N and was double strength in pilots because of the long range escort missions it was expected to fly in the air war against Japan.
The group went overseas in April 1945 and set up operations on Ie Shima (next to Okinawa) in May. First missions were flown in June 1945 and missions of five and six hours duration were considered normal. Shaw and his element leader, Lt. L.B. Redd. were airborne for nine hours on a mission flown in August 1945. The group's pilots usually flew every other day because of the duration of the individual missions.
By war's end Shaw had flown 13 combat missions, 9 combat air patrols and was credited with 2 1/2 aerial victories.
Returned to the States in 1946, Shaw re-entered Rensselaer, was graduated in 1949 with a BME and was hired by Bethlehem Steel Corporation. He is still with Bethlehem and is presently Superintendent of the Rope Mill, Williamsport Plant, Williamsport, PA.
While at Rensselaer Shaw flew AT-6's at Stewart Field with the Reserves and then was commissioned in the NYANG, flying P-47's with the 139th Ftr. Sqn. NYANG at Schenectady, NY.
Shaw is married to the former Mary Hartman Wagner. They have four children and five 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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