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David R. Eldridge
DAVID R. ELDRIDGE, born February 4,
1923 at Trenton, NJ, he dropped out of Trenton
Central High School in 1942 to become a riveter
for the Glenn L. Martin Company in Baltimore,
MD where he worked on the B-26 Marauder.
Denied enlistment in the RCAF for lack of a
high school diploma, he returned to Trenton High
to finish his education. After a brief attendance at
the University of Alabama, he enlisted in the
United States Army Air Corps in the Fall of 1942.
While waiting to be called, he worked at Fleetwings, Inc., Bristol, PA in sheet metal fitting and riveting on stabilizers for a variety of military
aircraft.
He entered the Air Corps in 1943, sent to Miami Beach for basic training and later admitted to
the CTD program at Kent State University. As an
aviation cadet he was assigned to Primary Training at Sikeston, MO; Basic Training at Winfield, KS; and, Advanced Training at Victoria, TX.
After graduation as a Flight Officer in Class
44-F
from the Aloe Army Air Field, as SE pilot (MOS
1054), he was sent to Goldsboro, NC for P-47
Transition and then to Dover, DE for gunnery.
In December, 1944 he was assigned to the
406th FG, 514th FS where he flew 23 ground
support missions in the Thunderbolt. Later he was
sent to TDY to a battalion of the 2nd Armored
Division. Here he flew an L-5 "Horsefly" Controller and helped direct flights of P-47's in their
ground support missions for tanks on the Allied
drive to Berlin. He received a battle field commission as 2nd Lieutenant.
After V-E Day, David returned home and was
separated from active duty in 1945 to join the 1st
Air Force Reserve in a Public information Section
in Harrisburg, PA. He was promoted to First
Lieutenant in 1950.
He matriculated at Penn State University where
he graduated in 1949 with a BA degree in Journalism. His entire business career from then until
retirement was in various executive positions of
newspaper advertising sales, industrial advertising
agency work, advertising research and public relations.
In 1961, he was discharged a Captain-USAFR.
He became a Charter Member of the P-47 Thunderbolt Pilots Association in May of 1963 at its first reunion in New York. In 1992 he was elected
to its Executive Council and served two terms as
its Secretary. In 1994, he was elected Vice President of the Association.
He is the founder of the P-47 Thunderbolt
Advocates, Inc., a non-profit organization established "to perpetuate the name,.. development, physical profile and combat record of the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt through the exchange of
information among all people interested in the
Jug".
Married to the former Rita Nearing, the couple
have four children. . . two each from their first
marriages. They share six 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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