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John V. Jones
JOHN V. JONES, born September 1, 1920 in Bessemer, Alabama. Joined U.S. Army Air Force Reserves in November, 1941. Called to active duty on May 6, 1942. Took basic training as Keesler Field, Mississippi. Pre-flight at Kelly Field, Texas: Primary at Chickasha, Oklahoma: Basic Flying at Perrin Field, Sherman, Texas; Advanced at Foster Field, Victoria, Texas in class 43-C. After graduation in March, 1943 went to the first class of Basic Flying Instructors School at Randolph Field, Texas.
Basic Flying Instructor at Courtland Army Air Field, Courtland, Alabama from April, 1943 to May, 1944. (1500 hrs in the back seat of a BT-13) RTU in P-40's at Perry, Florida.
Joined the 314th Squadron, 324th Group at Dole, France in September, 1944. Flew 76 missions in P-47 (Had never seen a P-47 so his training was about 6 hours of "slow time" before his first combat mission). Decorations include Distinguished Flying Cross and thirteen Air Medals. Downed aircraft include a ME-109 confirmed, FW-190 Probable, and a ME-262. Came home on the Queen Mary in September, 1945. After a five-day train ride from Bessemer, Alabama to Vancouver, Washington he married Jerri Anne Ford on November 1, 1945. They met while he was in primary flying school and she was attending Oklahoma College for Women.
After she graduated in June, 1943, she and her family moved to Vancouver to help in the war effort by building Liberty Ships. His after-war assignments included a year's stay as Personal Equipment Officer at Goodfellow Field, San Angelo, Texas and a short assignment as primary flying instructor at Randolph Field, Texas. He completed his active duty in January, 1947, but continued in the Reserves for an additional thirty-three years. Retired from service on September 1, 1980 with rank of Lt. Col.
He and Jerri have six children: John Jr., Michael, Mark, Anne, Greg, and Lance. They have two sixteen-year-old grandsons, Seth Griffin and Greg Jones Jr.
After 41 years in the construction business in Alabama, he retired in 1988. They now reside in Hueytown, Alabam
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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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