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John Paul Crow
 JOHN PAUL CROW, born December 31, 1921 in DeKalb Country, AL graduated Auburn University, civil engineering, Jan ,1943. He had completed four years of R.O.T.C. in college but had not attended summer R.O.T.C. military camp to earn his 2nd Lt. rank due to the war situation.
He was drafted for service in February 1943, promoted to corporal and sent to O.T.S. at Ft. Belvoir, VA.
On graduation from Officer Training School, he was assigned to E.R.T.C. Corp of Engineers at Ft. Belvoir, VA. 2nd Lt. Crow requested transfer to the Air Force for flight training in the summer of 1943.
He went through the flight program as a student officer at Orangeburg, SC; Shaw Field, Sumter, SC; advanced, Craig Field, Selma, AL; P-47 transition, Richmond, VA; gunnery at Wilmington, NC and shipped overseas on the "Acquitainia" in June 1944. From England he was sent to the 48th Fighter Group at LeBorge in Paris, France.
He was transferred to St. Trounde, Belgium for his first missions. His first mission a was to the famous Sports Palace at Auchen, Germany. In strafing and bombing the Sports Palace P-47 pilots were handicapped by a flak tower in the top of a chimney over-looking the area. They tried all in their power to knock it down but after the war Crow flew back over Auchen and that flak tower was still standing.
P-47's flew several missions to a little town of Duren, Germany. Their mission was to knock out the main bridge across the Duren River. The town was completely destroyed but that damn bridge was still there after the war was over.
During the Battle of the Bulge, Lt. Crow was shot down by two FW 190's and bailed out just on our side of the lines. He completed his tour through Y4 near Cologne, moved to Kassel, then to Illshiem when the war ended.
Since the war, Lt. Crow married a home town girl, Betty Sue Purdy, has three children (Diane, Dona, John Paul, Jr.) and five grandchildren. He has been very successful in the railroad contracting business, steel fabricating, building supply and golf course business.
At 72 he shot his age on the golf course he built and now resides in Ft. Payne, AL.
12/24/2008
The following was submitted by Dr. John P. Crow (son) on 12/24/2008
I am the son of a P-47 pilot named Lt. John Paul Crow, Sr., who was a member of a P-47 pilots association Im reasonably sure that it was your organization. Lt. Crow was shot down near St. Trond, Belgium on Christmas Eve, 1944, but was captured by Belgian civilians and returned to his base within a few hours (via the Belgian resistance). He flew many missions from Aug, 1994 through to the end of the war in Europe in the 48th Fighter Group, 492nd squadron.
I am sorry to report that my father passed away in May of 2007. Although I spent many, many hours listening to his war stories, and wrote up several of his stories for newsmagazines and books, Ive recently come upon some new information that I need help clarifying. He wrote to the war department in 2003 or so and learned that he had been awarded several service medals that he never received. Those records indicated that he was the recipient of several medals, including the Distinguished Flying Cross. The medals were sent to him but, to my knowledge, no information regarding the specific missions (for which he was awarded the medals) was provided.
My question to you is, do you know where I might obtain detailed mission reports which indicate the specific missions (and actions) resulted in him receiving these medals? Also, he returned from the war in 1945 with some gun camera film, which has since deteriorated. Was it customary to make copies of gun camera footage, or would there have been only one copy of such films? Is there an archive that contains any remaining gun camera film? Could you please direct me to sources of information regarding detailed mission reports and gun camera film archives?
Thank you for your time and consideration.
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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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