Whitney W. Brayton
WHITNEY W. BRAYTON, JR., born March 7, 1922 in Bridgeport, Connecticut, received his education in public schools Connecticut, New Jersey, Alabama and in Panama and Puerto Rico. Pearl Harbor found him working as a sheet-metal apprentice in Montgomery, Alabama, where he
enlisted as an Aviation Cadet in March,
1942.
After receiving his wings and commission
at Dothan, Alabama, he spent fifteen
months in the Southeast Flying Training
Command instructing at Greenville, Mississippi
and Malden, Missouri. He attended P-47 transition and gunnery School at Richmond and Norfolk, Virginia before sailing for the 397th Fighter Squadron,368th Fighter Group in Metz, France,
where he participated in 32 dive-bombing
and straffing missions before V-E Day.
Upon his release from active duty Whit
sought careers in baseball, golf, and bowling
but soon discovered his degree of dexterity
better suited to the tools of another trade,
namely land surveying, wherein he has profited.
He married Marjorie Bemish (deceased) of
San Bernardino, California. Resulting from
this union was Whitney W ~ Brayton, III,
himself a former Air Force man, having
served as a loadmaster aboard C-130 and
C141 cargo planes.
For the last 21 years Whitney, Jr. has been
blessed with fruits of a second marriage, this
to Atrell Rebecca White of Riverside, Califor-
Whitney Brayton from Anaheim, California.
Through this union he has gained a
step-son, a step-daughter, six step-grandchildren
(one of these, John Whitney Price, is an
MP recently assigned to duty at Ft. Chaffey,
Arkansas), and even one step-great-grand-
daughter. Then, last but not least, a grand-
daughter by Whit III August 16, 1979!
Today Whitney is participating in missions
of another sort.
In 1975, in order to place himself in line to obey Jesus' command at Matt. 28: 19,20, he became one of Jehovah's Witnesses. Now he says he is helping to fulfill the Bible prophecy foretold at Matt. 24:14, and counts his military record as something better to be forgotten than celebrated. He doesn't want to forget his military friends and
acquaintances, however, and would enjoy
hearing from all of them.
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.
|
|
|