JOHN H. BUCKNER, born January 11, 1919 in Cleburne, Texas, a graduate of Cleburne High School and John Tarleton College, attended Texas A&M College, entered the U.S. Military Academy in 1939 and received his wings at Spence Field in Moultrie, Georgia in Class 42-K. Upon graduation from the Military Academy in January, 1943 he was commissioned and returned to Spence Field for further P-39 and P-40 training until moved to the 323rd Fighter Squadron at Richmond AAB for checkout in the P-47. He joined the 366th Fighter Squadron, 358th Fighter Group in April, 1943, remaining with them and serving as wing man, element leader, Flight Commander, and Operations Officer, flying escort, dive-bombing, strafing, rocketry, and close air support missions from England, France, and Germany until the end of 1944. He was shot down by German Flak over the coast of France in May, 1944 but managed to glide across the English Channel and bailed out, just making the coast of England by a scant 50 yards. He was made Squadron Commander of the 365th Fighter Squadron, 358th Fighter Group in January, 1945 where he remained until after VE Day. He flew 122 combat missions in the P-47 and was awarded the DFC with 10LC, the Air Medal with 20 OLC, the Distinguished Unit Citation with 2 OLC, the EAME Campaign Medal with 6 service stars, and the French Croix de Guerre. After VE Day he was made Commander of the 86th Fighter Group at Schweinfurt, Germany, flying the P-47 until transferred to the ZI in May, 1946. His airplane was named Ponk and he was flying Ponk IX when VE Day came. He continued on active duty with the Air Force until retirement as a Major General on November 1, 1971. He married Ann Son field in the USMA Chapel on April 24, 1946. They have one daughter, 2 sons, and 3 grandchildren, and now reside at Emerald Bay on Lake Palestine, Texas. Currently he is part owner and President of Buckner Construction Company, Jacksonville, Texas, which is engaged in highway and commercial building construction.